San Jose State welcomes the admission of undocumented students.
Undocumented students in California have the opportunity to pursue higher education through Assembly Bill 540, or AB 540, and the California Dream Act.
AB 540 was introduced in 2001, and it allows any student who has completed three years of California high school to pay in-state tuition, according to the 2023 California Student Aid Commission’s report “Renewing the Dream.”
The California Dream Act, composed of AB 130 and AB 131, was enacted in 2011, and the bills enable undocumented students who meet the AB 540 eligibility requirements to receive financial aid and other institutional aid from a university.
Undocumented students are encouraged by administrators and universities to apply for state financial aid through the California Dream Act application.
Other undocumented students enter university through the federal government’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.
Undocumented students who applied and are accepted by DACA are granted work authorization and pardoned from deportation.
Ana Navarrete, program director for the UndocuSpartan Student Resource Center has worked for over 10 years developing institutionalized support for undocumented students.
Navarrete said she is undocumented herself and shares a personal connection with students she works alongside.
“I like to remind folks being undocumented is not an identity, it’s just a social condition that can change,” Navarrete said. “Working with students who are undocumented has allowed me to better understand the complexities around immigration, and how it impacts a person’s journey in terms of accessing a higher degree.”
Navarrete said the UndocuSpartan Resource Center engages with undocumented students' to listen in on their experiences.
“We as an institution carry out assessments to get a sense of what our students are experiencing right now because my generation of undocumented folks was very different from the experience now,” Navarrete said.
Undocumented students at SJSU who qualify for AB 540 are eligible to receive university aid through the California Dream Act application, according to the UndocuSpartan website.
Some financial aid opportunities undocumented students can apply for include the Cal Grant, Chafee Grant, Middle Class Scholarship, CA Dream Loan, Educational Opportunity Program Grant, among others.
According to the 2023 California Student Aid Commission’s report “Renewing the Dream,” some challenges for undocumented students in California include college affordability, difficulty accessing financial information and lack of campus support.
“If a student got all the money that they could possibly get through the California Dream Act, they’re going to encounter a gap,” said Navarrete. “It’s a statewide issue with the California Dream Act because of federal funding or the lack thereof.”
Navarrete said SJSU is limited to what the institution can grant based on the California Dream Act application.
“As an institution, we’re looking at other avenues we can support the student,” Navarrete said.
She said she believes undocumented students are not getting accurate information and teachers are not prepared or trained with information to help.
Navarrete said her mission for the UndocuSpartan Resource Center is identifying and addressing challenges or barriers that undocumented students are encountering
“We’re hoping to be able to tell that story of how many of our students are applying for financial aid and what are some strategies we can implement for next year to close some of these gaps,” Navarrete said.
She said she believes that when it comes to all California’s universities, SJSU is ahead of the game.
“I am really proud of the fact that San Jose State has invested money and resources for a standalone center, something that not all campuses have, and being willing to invest resources to ensure that we are implementing programs that are open or inclusive of non-DACA students and non-AB 540 students,” Navarrete said.
SJSU alumna Andrea Hernandez Galindo is a first-generation graduate who works for the UndocuSpartan Resource Center as a life after college consultant.
Hernandez Galindo is responsible for hosting workshops for students with the lead after college consultant, Juan Cortez.
Hernandez Galindo said they’ve held four workshops this year.
“Two of the workshops were about grad school and navigating grad school, the third was about generating income and the fourth was about developing an entrepreneurial mindset,” she said.
“We bring external people to come in and share their experience and then they become a resource for students to connect afterwards.”
Hernandez Galindo is also an educator for the UndocuSpartan Resource Center who trains different departments on campus on how to support undocumented students.
“We teach policies that affect undocumented students, terminologies, opportunities and barriers that undocumented students face,” she said.
Hernandez Galindo said the UndocuSpartan Resource Center is great for moral and mutual support for overwhelmed or frustrated undocumented students.
“It’s hard to be undocumented and have a clear mind and always be motivated because sometimes you get knocked down and disappointed,” she said. “We help give that motivation and emotional stance so that you can continue your studies.”
Jair Diaz is an undocumented business sophomore at SJSU.
Diaz was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and came to the United States when he was three years old.
Diaz said applying to SJSU was nerve-racking, but was thrilled when accepted into the university.
“I remember getting accepted into SJSU,” Diaz said. “I was very happy because my brother comes here, so having a familiar face stepping into the next big chapter of my life was definitely comforting.”
Diaz said he is receiving financial aid through the California Dream Act.
“My experience as an undocumented student has been very good so far,” Diaz said. “Financially, at first it was very rough, but now everything has definitely taken a turn and I am in a more comfortable situation, which I am very grateful for.”
Diaz said his goal after university is to open a business and become his own boss.
“Having a successful business is a goal, to be financially free and help my parents and family in Mexico so they won’t have to struggle as much,” Diaz said. “I just want a comfortable life where money isn’t a problem.”
