UH provides resources, community for DACA students

For some students, the transition into college can be difficult, with academic, financial and personal factors weighing on them as they go through the process of pursuing an education. For students who are a part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the University of Houston has some resources to help recipients earn their Degree.

Under former President Obama’s administration, DACA was created as an executive action to avoid deporting undocumented immigrants who were brought into the U.S. as children. Now, as the program does not have a direct pipeline to U.S. citizenship, college-age DACA recipients are left with the task of navigating their way to obtaining a higher education with their current documentation status.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

For DACA recipient and UH alumnus Rafael Serrillos, the hardest part of completing his college degree was finding the funds to pay for it. In a community conversation, Serrillos mentions how DACA allowed him to enter the workforce, which helped him pay for school.

Serrillos attended the University between 2017 and 2021, taking some time off in between because of financial implications. Now after graduating from UH, Serrillos credits the school’s faculty and staff for their assistance in finding ways to pay for school.

“All of the scholarships that I found that I ended up getting that helped me finish my college career were pretty much found through professors or other faculty that helped me when I asked for help,” Serrillos said. “Although it’s a large University with thousands of students, the faculty is always there to help you out.”

Another resource that Serrillos used during his time at UH was the University’s Scholarships and Financial Aid office. Despite DACA recipients not being able to use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, Serrillos still recommends seeing what assistance the department can offer.

“Although DACA students think ‘oh I don’t qualify for FAFSA so there’s not really a reason to talk to financial aid,’ they have a lot of other options for you to finance your education,” Serrillos said. “You can ask about the payment plans they offer, you can ask for extensions on the payments if you’re running late on a payment.”

While DACA recipients don’t have access to FAFSA, they are eligible to apply for the Texas Application for State Financial Aid, something that Serrillos mentioned in the community conversation that he wasn’t previously aware of. In Serrillos’ experience, UH has done it’s best to help him complete TASFA and receive aid through it

“You can also apply for TASFA,” Serrillos said. “Although a lot of people aren’t really trained for TASFA, whenever I did have questions about it and I asked financial aid, the representatives there would always try their best to help me. They would ask their supervisors, or help me go up the ladder to help me.”

When in the process of applying to various scholarships, Serrillos emphasizes to keep going and continue to look for aid.

“There’s so much money out there that people are giving out for scholarships or grants, so I think the most important thing is to not give up on your search,” Serrillos said.

Urban Experience Program

At the University of Houston, the Urban Experience Program exists to try to help students from different backgrounds be successful during their time at the school. Graduate assistant and DACA recipient Judith Corral received her bachelor’s degree at the University and has now come back to UH for her master’s degree, while simultaneously working in the UEP office with other DACA students.

“Within UEP, we support first-generation students, DACA undocumented students, students who have been in the foster care system, or who have been homeless,” Corral said.

During her undergraduate education, Corral received the Dream.US scholarship which covered the payments for her four years at the University of Houston. Recipients of this scholarship consistently meet with their scholarship adviser Raven Jones, who is the director of UEP.

Under UEP, DACA students are also able to apply to other scholarships including America Dream Award, Golden Door Scholars and Hispanic Scholarship Fund to help cover tuition costs.

Beyond the financial aspect, UEP has interpersonal programs for DACA students to be able to directly communicate with their peers, as well as UH faculty and staff.

“We have the Dreamers Support Series in which we partner with Counseling and Psychological Resources and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion,” Corral said. “Every month we have conversations where DACA students can come together and share their concerns.”

Drawing from her own personal experiences, Corral believes having programs and events for DACA students helps create a comfortable environment for connection, without any feelings of judgement.

“Creating that space helps students open up with other students and connect with other DACA students,” Corral said. “I know a common issue that we have and I even I faced is ‘Are there other students who are not U.S. citizens? Are struggling like me to find scholarships, to ask for extra support?’”

Another resource provided by UEP is a mentorship program where DACA students are paired with another student who assists them throughout their education.

“We partner each student with a student leader and that person acts as their mentor throughout their first semester and their second year at the University,” Corral said. “We do accept applications all year round.”