As Chief Operating Officer of TheDream.US, this is one of my favorite months of the year. We are the nation’s largest and leading organization supporting Dreamers at the intersection of higher education, workforce development, immigration, and advocacy. And on November 1st, we opened our newest college scholarship application round to support the higher education and career goals of Dreamers with and without Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
In our 13 years of operation, we’ve awarded more than 12,000 scholarships for highly motivated undocumented students, guided by the belief that talent knows no status. As our Scholars – including more than 4,500 college graduates – can attest, TheDream.US and higher education open doors for Dreamers.
It’s a challenging moment for undocumented students. Many Dreamers are reporting heightened anxiety and understandable fears at a time when policymakers seem intent on restricting and denying Dreamers opportunities. Some potential applicants may even ask themselves, “what’s the point?” Why pursue a college degree when Dreamers’ work authorization seems under attack, and given the so-called “paper ceiling” of one’s immigration status?
I’d answer in a few ways. For one, TheDream.US will remain steadfast in supporting Dreamers’ evolving education and career needs. In recent years, for example, TheDream.US has expanded its eligibility criteria to accommodate all those who can no longer access the increasingly restricted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. And this year, we’ve recognized the changing landscape of in-state tuition policies by ensuring that applicants from states that have rescinded in-state tuition still have options and Partner Colleges that will welcome their talents.
That brings me to the second and larger point. TheDream.US is more than a scholarship program. We not only help talented Dreamers access college, but also work with our close to 80 Partner Colleges in 20 states and our vibrant TheDream.US community to offer support throughout students’ college journey, into their careers and beyond. This includes career supports, internship opportunities, resources for entrepreneurial initiatives, and access to legal options that help Dreamers break through systemic barriers and achieve social mobility.
Through more than a decade of operating TheDream.US, we’ve seen thousands of examples of how education is a passport, opening doors to opportunities that can transform lives and communities. Our TheDream.US Scholars not only succeed in college, but find opportunities in and out of the classroom that are the building blocks of lasting and lifelong success.
As our 10-year impact report demonstrated through both powerful stories and detailed statistics, Dreamers excel when provided the opportunity. Our Scholars are diverse, having come from more than 120 countries and 45 states. Yet they share some essential characteristics – a willingness to work hard, a commitment to their communities, and incredible potential. The results speak for themselves: TheDream.US Scholars graduate at higher rates than most college students and 93% of our Scholars with work permits are employed or have started their own business six months after graduation.
The education and career opportunities that come with being a TheDream.US Scholar not only catalyze social mobility and positive outcomes for individual Dreamers and their families, but for workplaces and broader communities as well. The majority of our graduates earn more than their parents combined within a year of graduating. They go on to become homeowners, start their own families, and seek pathways to adjust their immigration status.
If there is one thing I have learned from our Scholars, it’s that they refuse to let the paper ceiling define their dreams or deter their commitment to giving back to the country they call home. As business owners, nurses, teachers, and engineers, they are motivated professionally and personally to pay it forward.
So if you are reading this as an undocumented student or an ally of Dreamers, please help us spread the word about TheDream.US and our newest scholarship round. We offer two types of scholarships, depending on the home state of the applicant:
· TheDream.US Opportunity Scholarship is for undocumented students who live in targeted locked-out states where they are either required to pay out-of-state tuition or prohibited from enrolling in the state’s colleges and universities altogether. This scholarship is for up to $100,000 in total for a bachelor’s degree at one of our Opportunity Partner Colleges. The deadline for Opportunity Scholarship applications is January 31, 2026.
· TheDream.US National Scholarship is for undocumented students who are eligible for in-state tuition, or are attending a private partner institution, to attend a Partner College in their state or online, at one of our National Partner Colleges. This scholarship is for up to $16,500 for an associate’s degree, up to $33,000 for a bachelor’s degree, and up to $6,000 in stipends at one of our National Partner Colleges. Deadline for National Scholarship applications is February 28, 2026.
More information about eligibility, how to apply, and other FAQs is available at: https://www.thedream.us/scholarships/.
Dreamers help enrich our nation and its classrooms while strengthening our workforce and communities. TheDream.US invites you to join us in supporting Dreamers’ futures and recognizing that talent knows no status - even during these difficult times for many immigrant students.
About the author
Dr. Hyein Lee is the Chief Operating Officer of TheDream.US. Dr. Lee Hyein came to the United States at the age of 17 from South Korea. She received a B.A. in History from New York University and has a Ph.D. in Sociology from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York. Her highly regarded research focuses on undocumented students in higher education and the workforce.
