Education Initiatives
Helping immigrant and refugee students navigate and access higher education in the United States
Guides to College in Illinois
In partnership with Immigrant Youth Justice League (IYJL) and Educators for Fair Consideration, ICIRR created two guides, one for undocumented students and another for their counselors. The guides review related topics pertinent to the college preparation process for undocumented students.
Download the Counselor's Guide
ICIRR has also updated a guide to scholarships that are available to immigrant students
Student Access
The Student ACCESS Bill will provide legal authority to 4-year public universities in Illinois to provide financial aid to undocumented students who enroll at their institutions.
Undocumented students are currently ineligible to receive federal student aid, Pell grants, Illinois MAP Grants and other forms of state-based financial aid. However, federal law allows individual state legislatures to offer undocumented students eligibility for state financial aid. Passage of the Student ACCESS Bill would allow 4-year public universities to offer financial aid to every student enrolled at their institution on a competitive basis. The legislation will not, however, make undocumented students eligible to apply for the MAP Grant.
Find information on how you can take action to make ACCESS a reality.