When the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) launched earlier this year, a technical issue prevented anyone without a Social Security number from accessing the form. The glitch left one particular group in limbo — incoming college students from mixed-status families. These are students who themselves are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, and thus eligible for federal aid, but whose parents are undocumented.
In response, on April 9 the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) announced a plan to help this group of students apply for state financial aid.
“We allowed students from mixed-status households, for the first time, to gain access to the California Dream Act application, which was designed for undocumented students,” said Marlene Garcia, CSAC executive director.
The U.S. Department of Education resolved the technical issue with the FAFSA in March, but first-time applicants from mixed-status households are still experiencing delays, mostly due to a lengthy identity verification process that must be completed before applicants with undocumented parents can submit their FAFSA. Garcia urges these students to fill out the California Dream Act application and complete the FAFSA to maximize their chances of receiving financial aid.
With issues plaguing the FAFSA rollout this year, some universities have tried to take matters into their own hands. On April 12, Cal State Monterey Bay announced it will offer $4,000 “back-up” scholarships to certain admitted students with California residency who have faced delays in the FAFSA process.
“We are offering what is called a back-up scholarship for first-time freshmen and first-time transfers [who] are having difficulties with meeting their FAFSA,” said Alma Martinez, lead financial aid counselor at Cal State Monterey Bay.
As its name suggests, the scholarship is meant to be a stopgap measure, not a replacement for federal or state aid. Martinez echoed Garcia’s call for students to still complete their FAFSA as soon as possible.
To meet the state’s priority deadline for financial aid programs like the Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship, eligible students planning to attend a four-year university in the fall should complete the California Dream Act application by May 2. The deadline for community college students is September 2.
Additional information and resources:
- Information on the California Dream Act for students from mixed-status families
- CSAC’s Cash for College Webinars (upcoming dates specifically for non-SSN support):
- Monday, April 15: 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
- Wednesday, April 24: 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
