Dream Act

The passage of AB 130 and 131 laws allows students who meet AB540 criteria to apply for and receive non-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 Board of Governors Waiver, 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 California high school for 3 years or more full academic years between grades 9 through 12 (they do not need to be consecutive years);
Be (or will be) a graduate from a California high school or have attained a GED or received a passing mark on the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE);
Register or be currently enrolled at an accredited institution of public higher education in 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.

3. The Madera 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. Need assistance completing your financial aid application? Our office can help! For a listing of scheduled Financial Aid Application Workshops, visit our Financial Aid Outreach page.

4. Meet 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).

2. The Madera College Financial Aid Office will download your Dream Act Application information and manually match that application with your Reedley College Admissions Application record (Early March 2022).

3. The Madera College Financial Aid Office will determine if you are eligible for a Board of Governor's Fee Waiver. Eligibility is determined by financial need and your AB 540 residency status as determined by Admissions & Records (Early March 2022).

4. Create a WebGrants for Students account to monitor your Cal Grant Award.

5. Submit your signed AB 540 affidavit to the Madera College Admissions & Records Office immediately after you graduate from high school.

6. Submit any requested financial aid forms to the Madera College Financial Aid Office.