Dreamers Unidos

Scholarship Fund

Enlace staff and youth from Little Village initiated the Dreamers Unidos Scholarship Fund to address the financial insecurity of undocumented students. Each year since 2011, the Fund has awarded two tuition scholarships of $1,000 and two book scholarships of $500. Scholarships are available for undocumented seniors at Farragut Career Academy and the Little Village Lawndale High School Campus.

The fund is not only a financial resource for local undocumented students. It is part of a growing movement to end injustice in the educational and immigration systems. Students and allies are involved in broader work for systems change related to comprehensive immigration reform and post-secondary access, such as campaigns to support the Student Access Bill and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Applications are typically available in the winter, and scholarships are typically awarded in the spring.

For more information, contact Quintiliano Rios at qrios@enlacechicago.org

High School Applicants

College Applicants

FAQ's

Q. What is The Dreamers Unidos Scholarship Fund?

The Dreamers Unidos Scholarship Fund was initiated by youth from Little Village Lawndale Campus & Enlace Chicago and to address the financial needs of undocumented students in their post high school endeavors.

We are a group of Enlace Chicago staff and community members who raise funds and to continue to support undocumented students from Little Village.

Q. Why do applicants need to live or have attended schools in Little Village?

Although we would like to support our community in general, funds are limited and gathered through the generous support of community members. We feel we will have the biggest impact if we focus in the neighborhood where the scholarship was created. Also, most recently the pandemic has hit Little Village the hardest, leaving many families to choose between education and food.

Q. When is the application deadline?

The application is due on March 26, 2021.

Q. Who can I contact with questions?

Please send any questions or concerns to dusf@enlacechicago.org The Scholarship Committee will get back to you, please do not call the Enlace Chicago office number in regards to this scholarship.

Q. Where can I access the application?

Q. Who is eligible to apply for the College Scholarship?

Open to DACA and non- DACA undocumented students
Must be a current undergraduate student in Illinois- 2 year or 4 year institution- with at least 9 credit hours working on first Bachelor’s Degree
Must have attended middle or high school in Little Village
STAR Scholarship recipients do not qualify for DUSF scholarship, unless they are transferring to a 4 year university at the start of the 2021 fall semester.

Q. Who is eligible to apply for the High School Scholarship?

Open to DACA and non- DACA undocumented students
Current high school senior, Class of 2021 student of Little Village Lawndale High School Campus (SOJO, MAS, World Language, and Infinity) or Farragut Career Academy High School

Q. When will I be notified about my application status?

Notifications for award winners will go out by the end of April or beginning of May. We currently do not notify students who did not get awarded.

Q. What are the requirements?

Essay, essay prompt is in the application
1 Letter of recommendation, make sure you choose a recommender that knows you well and can speak to your personal and/or academic achievements.
Transcripts (official/unofficial)
Proof of attendance to Little Village Middle or High School (Diploma, High school I.D, report card or transcripts)

Q. Is there a GPA requirement?

No. We recognize that GPA is just one metric that does not capture the totality of a student. Therefore it is crucial that you provide as much detailed information in the application and essay as possible.

Q. How long should the essay be?

The essay should be 900 words max. You can copy and paste into the application or send it as a PDF via email to dusf@enlacechicago.org after submitting your application. Do not share via google docs without granting us permission to view

Q. How much money will I be awarded?

A.We will award 3 winners of $1,000 tuition scholarship each

A. We will award 3 winners of $500 book scholarship each

Q. How will you award the money?

If you become a scholarship winner, we will make a check to the institution for the amount you won. Please let us know if you would like us to include a letter stating if the scholarship should be applied to the fall semester or should be split between semesters. If you have special circumstances, you should bring it up to the committee.

Q. I applied for the scholarship last year, can I apply again? Is it renewable?

You may apply again as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. This scholarship is not renewable. If you apply and are not awarded, we encourage you to apply the following year.

Q. Is this scholarship open to Graduate students? (Master’s Degree)

No. It is available to undergraduate students obtaining their Bachelor’s Degree for the first time.

Q. Can I apply if I am enrolled in a technical training certificate program (e.g., ASE Certification)?

Yes, you are eligible to apply as long as you are enrolled in a certificate program through a non-for-profit higher learning institute.