Undocumented Applicants
Admission and enrollment at Woodbury is not based on immigration status
We want to assure prospective, undocumented students that they are welcome and protected at Woodbury University.
Our Career Services and Internship Coordinators work closely with undocumented students in securing an internship experience that will not jeopardize their status in the United States. Undocumented students do not need to have DACA to receive help with finding internships.
Financial Aid Resources
Here are some financial and scholarship resources to help undocumented students pay for their education.
Note that Woodbury University is offering this information as a resource only and is not endorsing organizations.
Undocumented students at Woodbury are eligible for the same university merit scholarships and grants that are offered to our domestic students.
While undocumented students are not eligible for federal financial aid, they may be eligible for financial aid from the State of California. The California Dream Act Application allows students interested in attending eligible California colleges and universities to apply for state financial aid.
DEAMer’s RoadMap believes that all students regardless of legal status should have the same opportunity to pursue the “American Dream” and become the first in their families to be college graduates.
Immigrants Rising is empowering undocumented young people to achieve educational and career goals through personal, institutional and policy transformation.
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF ) is the nation’s leading Latino legal civil rights organization.
Legal Resources
There are no federal or state laws that prohibit undocumented students from admittance at U.S. institutions of higher education, whether public or private. Here are some legal resources to help undocumented individuals stay informed and connected to experts.
Note that Woodbury University is offering this information as a resource only and is not endorsing organizations.
The American Immigration Council works to strengthen America by shaping how America thinks about and acts towards immigrants and immigration and by working toward a more fair and just immigration system that opens its doors to those in need of protection and unleashes the energy and skills that immigrants bring.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association is the national association of immigration lawyers established to promote justice, advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice, and enhance the professional development of its members.
Information about how to request renewal of a grant of deferred action under DACA
Education Equity seeks to lay the groundwork that advances the educational justice movement in the U.S. by focusing resources and research on the needs and realities of immigrant students in order to increase educational attainment rates.
Legal Match is a service that helps those in need connect with attorneys specializing in immigration.
United We Dream is a youth-led organization that fights for fair treatment of young immigrants.
Student Advocate
Cynthia Cifuentes
Cynthia’s experience in higher education centers on providing access to historically underserved students such as first-generation, low-income, and undocumented students. For over the past ten years, her career focused on helping students find the right college fit. As the daughter of an immigrant family and a first-generation student herself, Cynthia understands the challenges and benefits that come with attending a university. Cynthia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Chicana and Chicano Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Master’s Degree in Chicana and Chicano Studies from California State University, Northridge. A California native, Cynthia enjoys snowboarding, painting, and spending time outdoors with her dog.
Woodbury is a Hispanic-Serving Institution
The US Department of Education designates this status to colleges and universities that enroll a significant percentage of undergraduate Hispanic students. It allows these institutions to apply for Title V grants under the Higher Education Act of 1965. These grants can be used for many academic purposes serving all ethnicities at the institution including faculty development, development and improvement of academic programs, scientific or laboratory equipment for teaching, student support services , etc. There are about 400 colleges and universities that have been designated as an HSI in the U.S. and territories.
Woodbury is also a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). Although HACU member institutions in the U. S. represent less than 10% of all higher education institutions nationwide, together they enroll more than two-thirds of all Hispanic college students.