California Dream Act / AB540

The California Dream Act of 2011 became law through the passage of two state bills. AB 130 relating to private scholarships and AB 131 relating to financial aid administered by the State of California.

The California Dream Act allows students who meet certain criteria (as defined by AB 540) to apply for and, if eligible, receive:

  • Privately funded scholarships at public universities that do not have a residency or citizenship requirement
  • CSUB financial aid, like State University Grant (SUG) and Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Grant
  • State financial aid such as Cal Grants

Eligibility

You are an AB 540 eligible student if you meet all the following requirements:

  • Attended a CA high school for 3 or more years;
  • Graduated from a CA high school or attained the equivalent;
  • Registered or are currently enrolled at an accredited CA college or university at least half-time;
  • Filed an affidavit with your college or university stating that you have or intend to file an application to legalize your immigration status, if applicable; and
  • For grant consideration, you have completed a DREAM Application and provided all required verification documentation.

Resources for Undocumented Students

As a leader in higher education, the 23-campus California State University is committed to ensuring academic opportunities are available to all the state's students, regardless of citizenship status.

If you are an undocumented student, there are many resources available to you - from grants, loans and scholarships to legal and campus support services.

Application

Student may apply online at the CA Dream Act website.

CSUB Scholarships

California residency or U.S. citizenship requirement

For privately funded CSUB scholarships, any citizenship eligibility requirements established by the scholarship donors remain in effect.

Search and apply now

If you are an AB 540 student, search and apply for CSUB scholarships for which you meet the eligibility requirements, including those scholarships that require demonstration of financial need. Check back regularly as we will update the Web site as more information becomes available.

State and Institutional Aid

Non-federal grant programs such as Cal Grant, State University Grant (SUG), and Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Grant, require an applicant to demonstrate financial need by completing either a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Application developed by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) for AB 540 students.

Students may be selected for institutional verification of their application data. This will require the student to submit verification documents, such as information on household size, number in college, income verification, etc.

External AB540 Scholarships

Below is a list of external scholarship opportunities for AB540 students. Links and information provided to external scholarship organizations, websites, and/or search engines do not constitute an endorsement of the organization, their site's sponsors, and/or of their products, by California State University, Bakersfield or the CSUB Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship.

More Information

For more information about the California Dream Act (AB 130 and AB 131) and AB 540 eligibility, please review the California Student Aid Commission website.