For DACA Students/Students with Special Immigration Status
As university leadership has affirmed, William & Mary has an enduring commitment to all of its students.
We admit students to W&M without regard for their immigration status. Our community will continue to do all it can to support our DACA/Undocumented students, including assisting them in accessing all available financial resources and navigating any renewal processes.
“Who comes here, belongs here” is the hallmark of William & Mary’s community. All facets of the W&M community - students, alumni, faculty, staff, and administrators have shared their support for our DACA students. The information on this page is geared toward DACA applicants, but we recognize that students may have a variety of immigrant statuses. The Office of Undergraduate Admission, alongside our enrollment partners such as the Office of Financial Aid and the University Registrar, is here to support DACA applicants and students with different immigrant statuses.
A message from President Katherine Rowe to DACA students:
"William & Mary has an enduring commitment to all of its students. In September 2017, the William & Mary Board of Visitors issued a statement of unanimous support for the university's DACA students and urged members of Congress to work together for a solution that would allow W&M's DACA students to finish their educations uninterrupted. The university community, myself included, stand by the Board's statement. We will continue to do all that we can to support our DACA students, who are valued members of the W&M community."
William & Mary Support
Helpful tools for current students:
- DACA/Undocumented Student Resource Hub
- Center for Student Diversity - The Center for Student Diversity serves as a vital link where students from diverse backgrounds can find a sense of community and everyone can learn about the diversity of our community.
- WMFIRE - (Fighting for Immigrant Rights & Equity; formerly known as UndocuTribe) addresses the inequities and obstacles faced by the immigrant and migrant community at large through education, empowerment, and action.
Helpful Links
- College Board - Resource for Undocumented Students Applying to College
- United We Dream
- National Immigration Law Center Education Resources
- Immigrant Legal Resource Center
- Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities
- The Higher Ed Immigration Portal
How to Apply as a DACA Student or as a Student with Special Immigration Status
Freshman applicants and transfer applicants should visit their respective sections on the Office of Undergraduate Admission website for details about requirements and deadlines. All applicants should complete the Common Application.
You do not need a Social Security to use either application so that field can be left blank.
Applicants completing the Common App with DACA status, or Special Immigration Status should select the option for "DACA, undocumented, Deferred Enforced Departure, Temporary Protected Status" in the citizenship status question.
We are a test-optional institution. Should you wish to submit test scores, you can submit self-reported standardized test scores during the application process. Enrolling students will be required to submit official test scores if they self-reported their scores.
Submit the $75 application fee payment, or select any of the applicable fee waivers on the Common App to waive the fee. For any issues, please contact [[ugaops, Peter Cruz]].
In the event you, your parents/family/guardian, or your college counselor have any questions about the application process, feel free to contact your regional dean. Alternatively, you may reach out to Ericka Torres (ericka@wm.edu) Admission Counselor and member of our Diversity & Access team.
Costs, Awards, and Financial Aid
DACA students are encouraged to fill out the FAFSA and CSS Profile to be considered for need-based financial aid. W&M has a long-standing commitment to affordability for in-state Virginia residents. All of our applicants are reviewed for our three merit-based awards which are conferred by the Office of Undergraduate Admission. Should you have financial aid-specific questions please contact your financial aid counselor.
The Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA) is intended for use by aid applicants who are nonimmigrants, undocumented, have DACA status, or otherwise ineligible to file the FAFSA and want to be considered for state aid or W&M need-based aid programs. The form is not used in the determination of domicile, only for aid liability purposes. Domicile determination process remains the same from the Registrar's Office.
DACA students and students with other immigrant statuses may qualify for in-state tuition. In-state versus out-of-state tuition rates are determined by the University Registrar’s Office which consults SCHEV guidelines. To be eligible for in-state status, an individual (or the parent, legal guardian, or spouse who provides financial support) must demonstrate residence in Virginia and an intent to remain in Virginia indefinitely to establish domicile in Virginia, then maintain domicile in Virginia for at least 12 months preceding the first day of classes. Under special circumstances Virginia domicile code allows us to consider a dependent student’s domicile separately from that of the parents when appropriate. Under current SCHEV guidelines, undocumented students are unable to establish domicile in Virginia. Any questions about domicile eligibility should be directed to the Registrar's Office at domicile@wm.edu or 757-221-2800.
