Higher Education Opportunities for Immigrant Students

Immigrant Student Issues CommitteeNew Mexico State University, Doña Ana Community College,Las Cruces Public Schools

Immigrant Student Issues Committee

The Immigrant Student Issues Committee at NMSU/DACC was created in order to answer questions among faculty, staff and community members about services, policies and opportunities applicable to students that are:

A) Undergraduate International Students, with student visas

B) Undocumented StudentsC) U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents who

have graduated from a U.S. high school & have limited English Proficiency.

D) U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents who have graduated from a foreign high school

This presentation includes information on:

• Admissions Criteria • Opportunities for scholarships/financial aid

• Other opportunities at NMSU Las Cruces campus and Doña Ana Community College

For Students Who Are:

A) Undergraduate International Students, with student visas

B) Undocumented StudentsC) U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents who have graduated from a U.S. high school & have limited English proficiency.

D) U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents who have graduated from a foreign high school.

Students in ALL categories above are able to study at public community

colleges or universities in the state of New Mexico as long as they:

1) Meet the academic entrance requirements 2) Are able to pay tuition, fees, books and living expenses or

3) Are able to obtain these resources through various combinations of scholarships, financial aid and /or employment. (Not all students in these categories are able to receive federal financial aid, nor are they all able to be employed on campus.)

Where does an undergraduate international student start???

• If a student has a student visa OR is the dependent of a person with a student visa, the student starts the admissions process at the :

• Admissions Office in the Educational Services Building, NMSU.• Ph # 575-646- 3121

Undergraduate and graduate students are required to have a TOEFL English score (unless they have a U.S. High school diploma and attended that high school for at least one year, or a diploma from an English-speaking country and attended that high school for at least one year.)

International Students who graduate from a foreign high school, should have their transcript translated when it is in a language other than English.

• Translations of transcripts from Spanish-speaking countries can also be obtained from: – Jeff Longwell - Department of Languages & Linguistics

575- 646-3408 jelongwe@nmsu.edu – Marcela Salmon - College of Engineering

575- 646-5894 msalmon@nmsu.edu

If you cannot contact them call International Programs at :

575-646-3199There is a charge to have transcript translated.

International Student ServicesContact Information

Mary JaspersGarcia Annex Rm. 238MSC 3567New Mexico State University575-646-5438maryjaspe@nmsu.edu

B) Where does an undocumented student start???

• If a student is undocumented, to study at NMSU Las Cruces they begin the process at Chicano Programs.

When filling out the NMSU Application for Admission form, individuals without official immigration status should check “other” when answering the section on citizenship/residency status.

Chicano Programs

• Chicano Programs, Rm. 138 Garcia Annex (south of Corbett Center) Ph # 575-646-4206 and ask for an appointment with

Ms. Mari Tellez tellezm@nmsu.edu or Dr. Spencer lgutzspc@nmsu.edu

If an Undocumented student wants to study at the Doña Ana

Community College (DACC), begin the process with:

Becky OrduñezDACC Admissions, Room 116 DACC Main Building 575-528-7244beordune@nmsu.edu

•Undocumented Students are eligible for the major state-funded, and some private incoming freshman Scholarships, if the individual:

-Resided in New Mexico for at least one year, and graduated from a NM GED program OR attended for at least one year and graduated from a New Mexico public high school

AND-If the individual entered a college or university the first regular semester after high school graduation or GED completion.

What types of financial support are available to undocumented students?

These Scholarships include:Non-Competitive State Funded

• Opportunity• Lottery Success• Regents• Crimson Academic

Scholarships (continued)

Competitive/Honors • Crimson Honors• New Mexico Scholars• NMSU Leadership• President’s Associates Scholarship

For additional information on Scholarships available for

students contact:Michelle CisnerosScholarship CoordinatorOffice of Financial AidDACC Room 115 (Main building)micisner@nmsu.edu575- 528-7255

•General Scholarship Application (available online January 3 - March 1)www.fa.nmsu.edu/sch/appl

Marlene MelendezOffice of Financial AidNMSU Main CampusEducational Services Buildingmelendem@nmsu.edu575-646-6118

Undocumented students are NOT eligible to:

Receive State-funded Work Study or Federal Financial Aid.

Work on campus, either through Work Study or Student Employment

NOTE: In order to be hired, an I-9 document (with a legitimate Social Security Number, US Birth Certificate or other official US document named on the I-9 form that establishes US employment eligibility) must be filed with the NMSU/DACC Human Resources offices.

• There is no citizenship or official residency requirement for students to live in campus housing or to use the campus dining services.

• They simply must have the resources to pay for the services, whether it be through scholarship funding or their own means.

Student Services for undocumented students

• There is no citizenship or official residency requirement for students to access general academic and student services available to NMSU/DACC students (based on their full-time or part-time

status). • Veteran’s services, Study Abroad, National Exchange programs, and Athletics travel programs are all problematic without official U.S. documentation

Continued..

C) Where do U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents who have graduated from a U.S. high school start? Doña Ana Community College NMSUDACC Admissions, Rm. 116 Las

Cruces CampusDACC Main Building Admissions

Suite A575- 528-7244

Educational Services Bldg.575-646-3121

• These students may be new to the US and have low English proficiency making them eligible for the CITE Program at NMSU or ESL (CCDL) classes at Doña Ana Community College (DACC).

D) Where do U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents who have

graduated from a foreign high school start?

Doña Ana Community College (DACC) DACC Admissions, Rm. 116 DACC Main Building Ask for Becky Orduñez beordune@nmsu.edu

575- 528-7244

D) Where do U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents who have graduated from a foreign

high school start?NMSU Las Cruces CampusAdmissions Office Suite AEducational Services Bldg.Ask for Lupe Aragon luaragon@nmsu.edu Or Ruby Ortega rubortega@nmsu.eduPh # 575-646-3121

• These students who come to DACC/NMSU with a non-English transcript, must have their transcript translated before DACC or NMSU Admissions can admit them.

• These students may also have low English proficiency making them eligible for the CITE Program at NMSU or ESL classes at DACC.

NOTE: These students DO NOT need to go through International Programs.

Immigrant & non-immigrant students may qualify for:

• ONLY US Citizens & Legal Permanent Residents may qualify for:

- College Assistance Migrant Program (C.A.M.P.)

• Chicano Programs• Center for Intensive Training in English(CITE)

• ENLACE

• Visit our website at Immigrant Student Issues website

• Or visit the NMSU Homepage: Search for: “Immigrant Student Issues” click on: “NMSU, Estás en tu casa en Programas Chicanos”

On the menu on the left find: “Immigrant Student Issues Committee”

For more information on this topic