×

Welcoming students with DACA status

Welcoming students with DACA status

Loyola University Chicago School of Law is pleased to announce that it will offer scholarship assistance to qualified admitted students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration status or who are DACA-eligible. These students are eligible for admission to Loyola’s School of Law and are eligible to sit for the bar exam and apply for and obtain a license to practice law in the state of Illinois.   Application for admission may be made concurrent with pursuit of DACA status; matriculation requires completion of the process and conferral of deferred action from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

As a Jesuit institution of higher learning, Loyola University Chicago firmly believes in the dignity of each person and in the promotion of social justice. The School of Law offers a welcoming and supportive environment to all students, including qualified undocumented individuals who are interested in pursuing a legal education. Moreover, it is simply in the interest of the legal profession and the people we serve to utilize the talents of qualified students of this immigration status. We call upon our peers in legal education to also extend opportunities to these students and to advocate for reforms of the United States immigration system that would remove the remaining barriers and uncertainties confronting this category of students.

Admission to the School of Law

Loyola University Chicago admits students without regard to their race, color, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, ancestry, military discharge or status, marital status, parental status or any other protected status. Undocumented students and students with DACA immigration status are treated identical to any other applicant to the university during the application review process. For more information and to apply, click here.

DACA (Undocumented) Applicants

Loyola welcomes applications from qualified undocumented students and students with DACA immigration status or who are DACA-eligible. As a Jesuit institution of higher learning, we firmly believe in the dignity of each person and in the promotion of social justice.

These students join U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents as eligible for admission to Loyola’s School of Law.  Application for admission may be made concurrent with pursuit of DACA status; matriculation requires completion of the process and conferral of deferred action from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Undocumented Student

“Undocumented” refers to students who are not U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents of the United States, who do not hold a visa to reside in the U.S., and who have not applied for legal residency in the U.S. In many, but not all, cases the term non-citizen refers to undocumented students. Undocumented students are eligible to apply for and be admitted to Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Undocumented students are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

On June 15, 2012, President Obama announced a new policy implementing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, whereby undocumented youth under 31 years of age who have been in the U.S. since they were 16 years old or younger, who have lived here for at least 5 years, and who have not committed a felony or 3 serious misdemeanors, will be protected from deportation and will be able to apply for work authorization. This policy is only temporary, each work authorization lasting a two year period. This is not the DREAM Act and the Deferred Action Policy does NOT provide a pathway to permanent residency or U.S. citizenship.  (Dennis Lopez, CLYLP Volunteer 1984–2012) 

Illinois Bar

Immigration status is no longer a barrier to admission to the Illinois bar. As of January 2016, DACA students are now eligible to sit for the bar exam, apply for and obtain a license to practice law in the state of Illinois.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Undocumented students are not eligible to receive federal or state financial aid. For more information on financial aid, click here.

Loyola Scholarship Resources

Loyola applicants are eligible to be considered for institutional aid, including merit and need-based scholarships and fellowship and special scholarship opportunities. A limited number of qualified admitted DACA students may be eligible for tuition and fees.

Outside Scholarship Resources

We encourage you to research outside scholarship options. Organizations such as the Mexican American Legal Defense Education Fund (MALDEF) offer scholarship opportunities to undocumented students. http://www.maldef.org/leadership/scholarships/index.html

Undocumented students are eligible to apply for private loans with a co-signer who is a credit worthy U.S. citizen.

Contact Us

Please contact the JD Law Admission and Financial Assistance Office with any questions at law-admissions@luc.edu or 312.915.7170.

Additional Resources for Undocumented Students

Students with questions about their immigration status are encouraged to consult with a qualified immigration attorney about their options. The resources listed below are intended for informational purposes only.