Syracuse University

Other Information

Admissions Information

• Are undocumented students considered international or domestic?: Because undocumented students do not hold US citizenship or permanent residency, they are technically considered international applicants at Syracuse. We will manually waive the financial documentation, however, as undocumented students are not required to submit this for the purposes of obtaining an F1 visa. In most cases we waive the English proficiency requirement, but this is not automatic (it depends on how long students have been in the US and studying in English).
• Are you need-blind for undocumented students?: We have a limited amount of institutional funding available for undocumented students (as they are not able to apply for federal need-based financial aid). We typically admit a small number of undocumented students per year, then ask them to complete the CSS Profile so that we can assist them with this institutional funding.
• Are there any restrictions on merit aid for undocumented students at your school?: See above – we don’t offer scholarships per se, rather institutional funding to assist accepted undocumented students in attending Syracuse University.
• Is there a special contact point for undocumented students?: You are welcome to work with any member of our international admissions team! Jennifer Mathews is the Director of International Admissions (jmmathew@syr.edu). She is out of the office right now but again, you are welcome to connect with anyone on our team for further assistance.
• What other piece of advice would you give an undocumented student hoping for admission at your school?: Please be sure to visit https://diversity.syr.edu/resources/dacaundocumented-students/ for comprehensive resources for undocumented students at Syracuse.
• Other admissions information: Yes, you should disclose your status in your application. It will help us to understand what documentation you need to submit (and don’t need to submit), and will allow our team to advise you throughout the admissions process.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

• Other financial aid information: As noted above, undocumented students are eligible for institutional financial aid, but are not able to file the FAFSA to be considered for federal financial aid. We ask accepted undocumented students to complete the CSS profile (as it is available to non-US citizens) to determine how much institutional aid is appropriate. You wouldn’t need to submit any financial documentation at the time of application (see above – accepted students are asked to complete the CSS Profile).

Student Life

• Other student life information: Again, I would refer you to https://diversity.syr.edu/resources/dacaundocumented-students/ for a comprehensive look at all of the services available to undocumented students at Syracuse. I can tell you that we have a relatively small number of undocumented students on campus, along with a larger number of students who are from mixed-status families. I am not the best person to answer some of these questions on this topic, but I will be happy to forward your email to some of my colleagues who will be better able to assist you.