Undocumented students’ uneven access to financial aid resources: How existing resources reinforce deservingness

Federal policy excludes undocumented students from federal aid for postsecondary education, creating tremendous barriers to their ability to cover tuition costs. Starting with fewer need-based funding options for college elevates the importance of accessing scholarships for undocumented students. The existing literature has established the crucial role of school-based institutional agents, or school agents, in assisting students to locate and apply for scholarships. School agents, accordingly, are knowledgeable about the trends and barriers in undocumented students’ access to scholarships. Drawing on a case study in the Chicago metropolitan area, this paper examines the patterns in access to scholarships and the challenges school agents encounter in assisting undocumented students in locating scholarships. The paper draws on interviews with 50 school agents who work with undocumented high school students and a content analysis of 34 scholarships. The findings reveal that undocumented students must compete for resources in ways that reinforce dominant forms of cultural capital and are framed by the “Dreamer” narrative, creating uneven patterns in access to scholarships and limiting school agents’ ability to support some segments of students. The findings contribute to expanding and nuancing knowledge about the financial aid landscape undocumented students navigate in transitioning to college.