In the next school year, New York University will extend its financial aid program to New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status. Potential recipients just have to fill out a supplemental form — the "Undocumented Student Financial Aid Application"— to prove they've lived in the state for at least three years.
NYU senior Marco Galaviz Luna didn't have that option back when he applied. "Once you got in, you would have to explain to the university that you were undocumented and that you don't qualify for financial aid," he said. "And you kind of almost have to beg for money." He said the university told him "there's nothing for you so... sorry." But he said he got lucky: within a year of applying, he received his green card, so he qualified for federal, state, and NYU aid.
Students who've entered New York illegally can apply for private scholarships or appeal to universities, but NYU's new formalized process is unique. Luna is now a senior, and during his time at NYU, he co-founded the immigrant activist group, the NYU Dream Team, and fought for the reform announced this week.
The university's vice president for enrollment management MJ Knoll-Finn said it's important to note the program is a one-year pilot. She said the school will have to gauge the demand for the program and decide whether NYU aid is a viable option for undocumented students who still won't have access to state or federal aid.
"We aren't sure how many will apply, be admitted and be participating in this to know how much... budget money will be needed," Knoll-Finn said. "It's the good and bad of a pilot; it's why we started with just New York."
Knoll-Finn said the university will wait a year to see if it has the ability to "support these kids in the long run."
