Financial Aid

In-state Tuition

In Washington State, undocumented students who meet particular criteria can qualify for in-state tuition rates.

You can qualify to be a Washington resident for the purposes of pursuing higher education if you have:

To attend WWU at in-state tuition rate, you must:

To learn more about in-state tuition eligibility requirements:

Apply for State Financial Aid

Complete the WASFA

  • If you qualify under Washington House Bill 1079 or DACA, you should complete the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) to be considered for state aid.
    • There is a questionnaire you can fill out to determine your eligibility.
  • The application can be found at www.readysetgrad.org/wasfa.  
    • Each year, the WASFA opens on October 1st for the upcoming academic year, and Western’s priority filing deadline is January 31st of each year.
    • Meeting the January 31st priority filing deadline best ensures your eligibility for some types of financial aid that may not be available to those who file a WASFA after the deadline.

Types of State Financial Aid Available:

If you need help completing your WASFA or have questions, the Scholarship Center  staff can help! The Scholarship Center processes financial aid for all students who have filed a WASFA.

Apply for Scholarships through Western

Financial Aid awards partial need-based tuition waivers and Western Grant funds to students who qualify for HB 1079 and are eligible for resident tuition and fee rates. Students need to submit the WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid) to qualify. Western has also set aside “micro-grant” funding using non-state resources for undocumented students to help with tuition and school expenses, rent, food, car repairs and other emergencies. Awards are typically around $500. Please contact Dina Murphy in the Financial Aid Office at Dina.Murphy@wwu.edu or 360-650-3221 for more information.

Typically during early Spring Quarter, the following undocumented-related scholarship opportunities are made available to apply to on the Scholarship Center website:

  • AS Undocumented Student Scholarship:  This scholarship shall be awarded to a student who is involved in the Undocumented community at Western and contributes to the community through their work, lived experience, studies, or volunteerism in a way that enhances culturally centered programs, provides a sense of community, and/or furthers social justice for the Undocumented community. 
  • Creating Hope Scholarship: A scholarship that recognizes the achievements of Western students who are undocumented immigrants or the children of undocumented immigrants.
  • Learning Without Borders Scholarship: A scholarship that recognizes the achievements of students who are undocumented immigrants and will be awarded to a deserving student each spring.  

Private Scholarships

Private scholarships can be a helpful funding source to cover expenses. Below is a list of databases with scholarships and fellowships available to undocumented people.

Please note that Western Washington University is not affiliated with any of these websites, and therefore it is recommended that you read the sites’ privacy policy before entering personal information.

Other financial literacy resources

Scholarship guides

Education Loan Finance (ELFI) provides guides on scholarships for first generation college students and for Latinx/Hispanic students

Financial Literacy Resources

Relief funds

This link will lead you to a COVID-19 Relief fund for Undocumented Individuals in the state of Washington!