WASHINGTON, DC – The Biden Administration today announced that emergency financial aid grants (HEERF funding) are now open to students at American colleges and universities regardless of immigration status. FWD.us University Program Director Ali Procopio issued the following statement:

“We applaud the Biden Administration and the Department of Education for extending emergency financial aid grants to immigrant students at U.S. colleges and universities regardless of immigration status. For too long, students who are American in all ways but on paper have been excluded from critical funding needed to continue their higher education without disruption, creating significant barriers to success and denying them the opportunity to achieve their full potential. At a time when families across the country are experiencing significant financial hardship, providing urgently needed relief to students who need it the most is not only the right thing to do, but is a strong economic investment in our nation’s future. We look forward to seeing the Department of Education implement this meaningful rule.”

Background
More resources on access to higher education are available on Informed Immigrant.

The resource page includes a guide for high school students in English and Spanish, with information on entering the workforce, enrolling in a trade school, and applying to college.

The site also hosts a guide for accessing higher education in English and Spanish to help students identify what type of college is a good fit for them, gain knowledge about how to apply, and learn options for paying for school.