ALMASS

The ALMASS (Advocacy Leadership for imMigrant Access Support Services) is the voice of the AB540/DACA students at SJCC. The mission of the program is to provide access, built on the foundation of educational equity, social justice and opportunities for eligible students. The ALMASS program aims to empower AB540/DACA students, their families and college community in being informed leaders.​ 

​Assembly Bill 540 is a California law that allows qualified students to pay in-state tuition at the State's institutions of higher education. AB540 does not grant State or Federal financial eligibility, and only provides an exemption to the requirements of paying non-resident tuition.

For your convenience, please use the Immigrants Rising tool to check your eligibility.  
To qualify as an AB540 student, undocumented students must meet the ​following:

• Have attended a California High School for 3 or more full academic years between grades 9 through 12 (they do not need to be consecutive years)
• Be (or will be) a graduate from a California High School or have attained a GED or received a passing mark on the California High School Proficiency Exam CHSPEPE)
• Register or be currently enrolled at an accredited institution of public higher education in California
• File or plan to file an Affidavit as required by individual institutions, stating that he/she will apply for legal residency as soon as possible
• Not hold a valid non-immigrant visa (F, J, H, L, A, E, etc.)

Contact: 

• Olga Morales-Anaya
• (408) 298-2181, ext. 3902
• Olga.Morales-Anaya@sjcc.edu

If you are not eligible for AB 540, please meet with Neydi Espino to talk about your options! You may be eligible to get your non-resident tuition fees waived by the Non-Resident Tuition Fee Waiver (Six or Fewer Units)! See attachment

Complete the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request and Change of Residencyforms. SJCC will determine your eligibility based on your application and the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request.

No. DACA is not legislation DACA is a modified process in which Homeland Security allows certain individuals, who meet specific guidelines, to request consideration of deferred action for USCIS. Individuals who are eligible to received deferred action will not be removed from the United States during a specific period of time unless deferred action is terminated. If you received deferred action, you may be eligible for employment authorization.

You cannot be denied admission to a California college or university based on your immigration status

You are not required to pay out-of-state, international, capital outlay, or penalty fees (which may be charged to out-of-state and/or international students) to enroll at a California college or university if you qualify for AB540

You are not required to show proof of legal residency status or proof of application for legal residency status

IF YOU NEED HELP: Some college employees may be unaware of AB540 or may interpret the law incorrectly. If you feel that your rights under AB540 have been denied, contact Fabio Gonzalez (fabio.gonzalez@sjcc.edu)

Although the AB540 law does give a student the opportunity to pay in-state tuition fees, he/she is not eligible for any traditional federal and/or California State financial aid programs. Therefore, SJCC is committed to making the dream of higher education possible for AB540 students by offering extra services.  

The following are some of the services available to ALMASS Students:

• ​Counseling (Academic, Career, and  Personal)

• *Financial Aid Assistance:  CA Dream Act, CA Promise Grant, scholarships (See tab below)

• Book Voucher

• Lending Library

• Lending Technology (laptops/calculators)

• College resources/school materials

• Career Assessment

• Study Skills Workshops

• University field trips

• VTATA Eco Passes 

• Free Legal Immigration Services

• Other student conferences

Financial Aid Assistance:  As of January 2013, AB​540 students are eligible to apply for California State financial aid (not FAFSA). The primary benefit of this law is the eligibility to pay tuition at California resident rates. 

Nonresident students taking 12 college units per semester pay approximately $3,008. AB540-eligible students will pay approximately $572 per semester. ​

The California Dream Act of 2011 was passed in two laws: 

• AB130 & AB131. These laws allow AB540-eligible students to apply for:

  • ​​Institutional Financial Aid:  ​As of January 2013, AB540 students are eligible for State Financial Aid grants like Cal Grants and Chafee. They are also eligible for State funded programs like the California Promise Grant fee-waiver, EOPS, and CARE.  ​

  • Privately Funded Scholarships: SJCC offers various general and major specific scholarships. Starting January 2013, AB540 students will also be able to apply for SJCC scholarships that require CA Promise Grant fee waiver eligibility.

Support Our Dreamers

In the subheader,  I WANT TO SUPPORT, please be sure to click on SJCC EOPS, CARE, ALMASS and Guardian

Undocumented students eligible for AB 540 can also apply for financial aid through the California Dream Act Application. If you need assistance with the application, reach out to us at Olga.Morales-Anaya@sjcc.edu  or SJCC's Financial Aid Office at sjccfa@sjcc.edu