Education
Access to education is a powerful tool for growth and stability, providing opportunities for personal and professional advancement. However, immigrants and individuals in mixed-status families face barriers when seeking education, such as limited access to financial aid, residency requirements, limited support networks, and legal uncertainties. The resources in this guide aim to help individuals navigate these challenges by connecting them with local organizations, higher education institutions, scholarships, and programs that support immigrant students regardless of their lawful status. Ensuring access to education empowers individuals and strengthens communities, making it a critical priority for a resilient, well-educated future workforce.
Navigating in-State Policies
Curious how Utah's state policies shape your access to higher education? Click here to find out more!
Scholarships
Scroll to discover scholarship opportunities at Utah colleges and universities.
Resources
Scroll to explore more higher education resources.
State-Specific Resources
Financial & Scholarship Opportunities:
Summary: IME Scholarships is a program within the Mexican Consulate that seeks to facilitate the academic and professional development of Mexicans residing in the United States of America, strengthening their ties with Mexico, and fostering their integration into the societies in which they reside.
Services Offered: Provides IME Scholarships that are available to Mexican immigrant students, primarily adjunct with SLCC.
Requirements: Must be a student in a higher education program in Utah, and be a first-generation immigrant from Mexico.
Preferred Contact Method: Scholarship application portal found here.
Summary: Davis Dreamers works to instrument a sense of community through collective support and networking for youth hoping to succeed in higher education. Uplifting undocumented students by sharing their stories and experiences as mentees and mentors as well as through scholarship funding. Monthly student events build support networks for those who face the barriers of mixed-status families in higher education.
Services Offered: Scholarships for DACA and Non-DACA students attending higher education institutions (College, University, DATC, Trade Programs). Community and sense of belonging.
Requirements: Attend 6 yearly events, Go to a spring interview, be accepted, or anticipate entering a higher education institution in Utah. No ITIN is required. Must live in Davis County and have attended high school in Davis County. Must have attended three years of high school in Utah. Students who cannot qualify must pay out-of-state tuition as funding is not sufficient to pay nonresident tuition. Students must also be fluent in English to qualify for a Davis Dreamers scholarship.
Preferred Contact Method: Email davisdreamersinc@gmail.com or call (801) 643-0140.
Summary: The SOMOS Foundation provides scholarships for Latino and Hispanic students in Utah pursuing higher education, regardless of their immigration status. In addition to financial support, the foundation offers mentorship and networking opportunities to empower students on their educational journey.
Services Offered: Scholarships, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
Requirements: Must be a Utah Latino & Hispanic High School senior or College Undergraduate Student, regardless of immigration status.
Preferred Contact Method: Email admin@somosfoundation.org
Summary: TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college and career success program for undocumented immigrant youth, having provided more than 10,000 college scholarships to Dreamers attending 80+ partner colleges in 20+ states and Washington, DC. We believe everyone, regardless of where they were born, should have equitable access to a college education, a meaningful career, and opportunities to contribute to the communities they call home.
Services Offered: Scholarships for entering undergraduate dreamers, and loan plans for graduate students. Educational resources on how to navigate higher education from start to finish.
Requirements: The main scholarship does not require DACA status to be available for non-students. Must have graduated from a U.S. high school.
Preferred Contact Method: Email TheDream.US@applyISTS.com or call 1-855-376-7076.
Summary: Comunidades Unidas (CU) is an organization founded in 1999 that fights to build the social and political power of people who identify as Latinx immigrants(including undocumented folks) living in Utah. We defend the human rights of our community by connecting them to the social service programs they need to prosper and with opportunities to organize to transform themselves and their community.
Services Offered: Offers professional development opportunities like internships and fellowships through Salt Lake Community College and the University of Utah.
Requirements: Must be an enrolled university student.
Preferred Contact Method: Email immigration@cuutah.org or call 801-487-4143. They operate from Monday through Thursday from 8 am to 6 pm MST. University of Utah students can reach out through the Bennion Center.
Student Support & Advocacy
Summary: The SLCC Dream Center is a campus and community resource for students in higher education that aims to support and provide opportunity connections to undocumented community members. Providing networking events and professional development opportunities for any student regardless of status.
Services Offered: DACA and Non DACA student and community member support programming for professional development, scholarship, leadership, and networking. Also, provide community financial service support and legal service outreach. As well as volunteer and internship opportunities.
Requirements: Some opportunities are only for SLCC students, while most programming is open to the public and the surrounding community.
Preferred Contact Method: Call 801-957-2129
Summary: The U of U Dream Center is a campus and community resource for students in higher education that aims to support and provide opportunity connections to undocumented community members. They provide workshops and community events for all campus members to learn skills to navigate the complex mixed status on and off campus. Programs like independent contracting, mental health, and financial wellness.
Services Offered: DACA and Non DACA student and community member support programming for professional development, scholarship, leadership, and networking.
Requirements: Some opportunities are only for U of U students, while most programming is open to the public and the surrounding community.
Preferred Contact Method: Call 801-581-3470 or email rosa.salamanca@utah.edu.
Summary: Immigrants Rising is an online resource guide for finding community and national resources as a DACA/Non-DACA student. They have an extensive DACA/Non-DACA scholarship list, focusing on California residents. Their digital material like advocacy blogs, current policy run-downs, and how to persevere in an uncertain immigration climate are all accessible online.
Services Offered: Resources for students navigating higher education. Collection of scholarships available to DACA and Non-DACA students by state and national.
Requirements: No requirements.
Preferred Contact Method: Reach out to one of their staff members, contact information found on this website.
Summary: The English Skills Learning Center is a multi-location org that creates accessible programming for individuals learning English as a second language. Classes are designed to teach English alongside a specific skill, such as community life, foundational literacy, citizenship preparation, family literacy, and workforce development. Hours and locations are available within many community locations, including libraries, K-12 schools, and community centers.
Services Offered: We provide high-quality, free English language learning programs to low-income adult immigrants and refugees. Improving English language skills allows students to break through language and cultural barriers, which will ultimately improve their quality of life and strengthen our community as a whole. We also provide opportunities for fluent English speakers to engage in workshops surrounding teaching practices, cross-cultural communication skills, and trauma-informed practices.
Requirements: Programming is open to the public and geared toward low-income individuals; overall, it is not status-dependent nor requires proof of income.
Preferred Contact Method: Email k.donoviel@eslcenter.org.
Summary: My Undocumented Life’s vision is to provide up-to-date information and resources to undocumented students, their families, and allies (including educators, counselors, and administrators). They post scholarship opportunities that are open to undocumented students, strategies for navigating the educational system while undocumented, information on how to apply for DACA, upcoming immigration-related events, news on immigration policies, and much more. Most importantly, we want to provide a sense of community to our diverse group of readers.
Services Offered: Materials, blogs, and resources for students navigating higher education as well as how to stay informed with new immigrant policies.
Requirements: None.
Preferred Contact Method: The Q&A section on the website found here.
Summary: Waterford Upstart is an online early learning program that prepares young children for school through engaging lessons and provides support and resources for families and caregivers.
Services Offered: Waterford Upstart is an online early learning program for kids and gives helpful coaching and resources to adults supporting them—whether they're parents, caregivers, or community partners. It’s a flexible option for immigrant communities, including DACA recipients and mixed-status families, to help kids prepare for school and set them up for success.
Requirements: None.
Preferred Contact Method: The contact form is found here.
Summary: The University of Utah offers many scholarships that can fully fund a DACA/Non DACA student's undergraduate and graduate career. Mostly targeted to U of U students. Point of contact for local legal support as well within their center of student success and dream center. Currently, graduate tuition benefits/stipends are not available for students without DACA status.
Services Offered: Scholarships, professional development, on-campus work for non-students, internship funding, Campus accessible dream center.
Requirements: Must be a U of U student for some paid educational opportunities
Preferred Contact Method: Email financialaid@utah.edu or call (801) 581-6211.
University Specific Support
Summary: Utah Valley University does not offer direct DACA/non-DACA support centers, but it does offer competitive private scholarships for all status students. Departments that are critical for students seeking mixed-status aid would be Trio, First Generation Student Services, and Intercultural Engagement Program offices for accessible leadership, professional, and educational opportunities and funding.
Services Offered: Scholarship for any status students, connections with UVU Museum of Art for student and community member professional development opportunities.
Requirements: Must be a UVU Student. Graduated Utah High School, ITIN, or F1 visa for certain residency requirements. Student general resources, TRIO, first-generation student success centers, writing centers, and financial aid offices are available.
Preferred Contact Method: Call 801-863-7099 to contact Tonya Taylor: Coordinator of Admissions.
Summary: Weber State University offers application fee aid and scholarship advising for undocumented immigrant students enrolled through the undocumented and refugee student center.
Services Offered: Has an undocumented student support center, in the process of creating a dream center. HB 144 is accessible in-state tuition.
Requirements: Must be a WSU student, open to any Utah student for workshops and aid.
Preferred Contact Method: Call 801-626-6490 for the Undocumented and Refugee student resource center. For the Community Education Center (Under-Represented Members) call 801-626-7911. For the College of Access and First Year Transition (High School students): 801-626-7330.
Other Resources:
Workforce Services Refugee Provider Resource Manual: refugeeresourceguide.pdf
Utah State Board of Education Adult Education Program Directory: Adult Ed Program Directory 2023 2024 ADA.pdf
