Rhianna Solida

SOWK 322-003

Accessibility of Higher
Education for Undocumented
Residents
Inaccessibility in South Carolina
• South Carolina is one of a few states in America that has
prohibitive enrollment policies that actively bar undocumented
students from all or certain public institutions for higher
education

• In-state tuition and state financial aid are not available to any
undocumented students in South Carolina or refugees without
permanent residence

• Out of the 241,000 students in higher education in SC, only

12,000 are first or second-generation immigrant students
What Other States are Doing
• Several states including Colorado have policies that provide
statewide access to in-state tuition and some state financial aid and
scholarships to undocumented students (Colorado Senate Bill 12-
003 and House Bill 19-1196)
• Out of the 361,000 students in higher education in Colorado, nearly
60,000 of them are first and second-generation immigrant students
• The goal of this bill is to help these students be able to obtain higher
paying jobs with more critical skills needs and contribute more to
the taxes of the state
Colorado’s Eligibility Requirements
• Student must have attended a public or private high school in
Colorado for at least three years immediately preceding
graduation

• Must have been admitted to or already attend a public college

or university in Colorado within 12 months of graduating or
completing a GED

• And must sign an affidavit stating that they have applied for
lawful presence or will apply as soon as they are able
How is it Funded?
• In-state tuition and state financial aid are funded through the
federal and state tax dollars

• Colorado also has the College Opportunity Fund which is a

trust fund created by Colorado Legislature to provide tuition
stipends to undergraduate students

• TheDream.US is a national organization that offers scholarship

opportunities to undocumented students attending eligible
higher education institutions
So What?
• Undocumented students have better access to higher education in
states without restrictive policies such as South Carolina

• They also have greater access to workforce entry and eligibility

because of this
• 13.1% of STEM workers are first-generation immigrants in Colorado
• 7% of nurses and 15.8% of health aides are first-generation
immigrants in Colorado
• 39% of first-generation immigrants have postsecondary credentials in
Colorado
What can South Carolina do Better?
• First, South Carolina can expand access to identification and
Driver Licenses to undocumented residents, meaning that they
are able to apply for jobs and education

• They can open up in-state tuition rates to first-generation

immigrant students who have lived in the state for a specified
amount of time

• They can affirmatively extend professional and occupational

licensure to undocumented individuals
Strategies
• South Carolina policy makers must accept that America is the
only home that many of these immigrants have ever known.

• Understanding this will allow these people to make

meaningful contributions to the state and their own lives rather
than spending their time jumping over hurdles put in place by
the state.

• South Carolina and its people would all benefit from having
immigrants joining our higher education
References
• Colorado - data on immigrant students: Higher ed immigration portal.
Presidents' Alliance. (2023, March 21). Retrieved May 1, 2023, from
https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/state/colorado/
• Kovacs, K. (2021, April 8). 'we've failed them': How south carolina
education policy hurts 'dreamers' - and costs taxpayers. The Hechinger
Report. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://hechingerreport.org/weve-
failed-them-how-south-carolina-education-policy-hurts-dreamers-and-
costs-taxpayers/
• South Carolina - data on immigrant students: Higher ed immigration
portal. Presidents' Alliance. (2023, March 24). Retrieved May 1, 2023,
from https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/state/south-carolina/