FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY FOR NON-CITIZENS
Generally, to be eligible for financial assistance from any federal- or state-sponsored student aid program, you must be either a U.S. citizen or have an immigration status that demonstrates that you are residing in the United States for other than a temporary purpose.
The following lists specify the financial aid eligibility status for the various classifications of non-citizen. Some students may be required to document eligible immigration status before receiving Pell or other federal student aid. Some may be asked by HESC to document citizenship or immigration status before receiving TAP.
Students not only have to meet the criteria, but must also be coded by the college in the student system as meeting the criteria.
Eligible for federal- or state-sponsored student aid:
- Permanent resident
- Asylum status granted
- Refugee status granted
- Parolee status granted
- Conditional entrant (temporary refugee status) dated prior to March 31, 1980
- Cuban/Haitian entrant
Not eligible for federal- or state-sponsored student aid:
- Permanent residency pending
- Asylum pending
- Refugee pending
- I-688 holders
- I-688A holders
- I-688B holders
- I-797 family unity status
- Temporary or student visa
- Undocumented alien
**New York State residency is required for TAP.
Some funded programs through admissions are not federal or state initiatives and do not require citizenship or permanent residency.
Note that the eligibility for in-state tuition adjustment is not the same as the financial aid eligibility criteria. Details available from the Admissions Office.
If you have any questions about the documentation or program eligibility requirements for your particular immigration status, you may speak to a financial aid counselor.
If you do not meet the citizenship or immigration requirements for the financial aid programs offered on this site, you should review our International Students and Scholars pages for detailed information about how much it will cost to study at Queens College and what resources are available to help you pay for it.
For information on paths to citizenship, see CUNY's Citizenship Now! website.
We recommend that you check the following three websites. They provide comprehensive information for international students studying in the United States, including possible sources of financial assistance:
International Education Financial Aid
Smart Students’ Guide to Studying in the U.S.A.
International Student Study Abroad Resource Center
FINANCIAL AID
