Interrupting the Cycle of Worrying: Financial Implications of the California DREAM Act in the Lives of Undocumented College Students

Abstract

Undocumented students are barred from accessing financial aid and face enormous obstacles in completing college (Gonzales, 2009). However, in 2011, California passed the California DREAM Act that granted undocumented students access to state financial aid (California Student Aid Commission, 2016). The purpose of this study was to examine the financial implications of accessing state financial aid on undocumented students' lives through the analysis of 18 in-depth interviews with undocumented undergraduates attending a California four-year public institution. Results revealed that the CA DREAM Act significantly relieved the financial burdens associated with tuition and promoted undocumented students' ability to continue their postsecondary education.