DREAM ACT

Current FCC Students

Did you graduate in 2022, but were not awarded a Cal Grant? Complete a 2023-2024 Dream Act Application and check with your high school to verify your GPA was submitted. Both should be submitted by March 2nd to be considered for your high school entitlement Cal Grant.

Current High School Seniors

Complete a 2023 – 2024 Dream Act Application for a California College Promise Grant and for Cal Grant competitive awards. This website contains additional information.

Until the passage of the Dream Act, undocumented students were not eligible for federal, state or university funded financial aid. Under this new law, undocumented students who qualify under AB 540 criteria may now be eligible for certain types of financial aid. The California Dream Act Application is used to determine a student's eligibility for need-based financial aid. For detailed information on the California Dream Act, please visit the California Student Aid Commission page for Undocumented Dreamer Students

What is the California Dream Act?

The Dream Act is really two laws that were passed in 2011 and allow AB 540 students to apply for and receive several types of financial aid, including:

  • California College Promise Grant
  • State financial aid like Cal Grants and Chafee Grants
  • Assistance from EOPS, CARE or CalWORKs
  • Privately-funded scholarships

Check with your college financial aid, scholarship, EOPS/CARE and CalWORKs offices to see what is available.

Dream Center

The Dream Center Office is designed to provide information and academic counseling to new and continuing undocumented students at Fresno City College. Counselors and staff assigned to the Dream Center will assist students in overcoming challenges of access and completion of vocational or transfer-level goals in higher education. The majority of the students served in this office will be identified as Dreamers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or seeking AB 540 status.

Dream Act

The passage of AB 130 and 131 laws allows students who meet AB540 criteria to apply for and receive state funded grants and/or scholarships to public colleges and universities. Specific requirements must be met by students in order to be eligible for the California College Promise Grant, Cal Grants and other grant programs.

What is an AB 540 student?

Assembly Bill 540 is a California law that allows qualified students to pay in-state tuition at the state's institutions of higher education. AB 540 does not grant state or federal financial eligibility, and only provides an exemption to the requirements to pay non-resident tuition. To qualify as an AB 540 student, undocumented students must meet the following:

  • Have attended a combination of California high school, adult school, and community college for the equivalent of three (3) years or more.
  • Have three (3) or more years of California high school coursework and attended a combination of California elementary, secondary, and high school of three (3) years of more.
  • Have graduated or will graduate with a California high school diploma or have the equivalent (i.e. California-issued GED, CHSPE).
  • Have completed or will complete an associate's degree from a California Community College.
  • Have completed or will complete the minimum requirements at a California Community College for transfer to the California State University or the University of California. 
  • File or plan to file an affidavit form as required by individual institutions, stating that he/she will apply for legal residency as soon as possible;
  • Not hold a valid non-immigrant visa (F, J, H, L, A, E, etc.).

Please contact our Admissions Office to determine if you are AB 540 eligible.

Follow the steps below to get started on the road to fulfilling your college dreams!

  1. Complete the admissions process.
  2. The Fresno City College Admissions & Records Office will contact potential AB 540 eligible students at the email address listed on the Admissions Application regarding AB 540 eligibility criteria, and the deadline to submit the required AB 540 Affidavit Form.
  3. Apply for financial aid. For more information about the types of financial aid available to AB 540 students as a result of the California Dream Act, refer to the chart above. You can link to many of the required applications directly from the chart, under the "Type of Application Required" column. 
  4. Speak with a college counselor to develop a plan to help you achieve your educational goals.

Now that I’ve applied, what happens next?

  1. Your Dream Act application will be processed by the California Student Aid Commission and sent to each college you listed on your Dream Act Application (Processing occurs continuously for new applicants throughout academic year; October 2023 - June 30, 2024).
  2. The Fresno City College Financial Aid Office will download your Dream Act Application information and manually match that application with your Fresno City College Admissions Application record (Early March 2023).
  3. The Fresno City College Financial Aid Office will determine if you are eligible for a California College Promise Grant. Eligibility is determined by financial need and your AB 540 residency status as determined by Admissions & Records (Early March 2023).
  4. Create a WebGrants for Students account to monitor your Cal Grant Award.
  5. Submit your signed AB 540 affidavit to the FCC Admissions & Records Office immediately after you graduate from high school.
  6. Submit any requested financial aid forms to the Fresno City College Financial Aid Office.

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