by Dick Hall-Sizemore
The 2021 General Assembly passed legislation that made students who fall into the “DACA” category (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), sometimes called the “Dreamers,” eligible for in-state tuition at Virginia institutions of higher education.
To be eligible for in-state tuition regardless of citizenship or immigration status, an applying student must have:
- Attended high school in Virginia for at least two years;
- Graduated from high school on or after July 1, 2008; and
- Filed Virginia income tax returns ( by the student or parents) for at least two years prior to the college application date.
Out of the funding provided for financial aid to students in higher education institutions in the budget bill it adopted, the General Assembly earmarked $5 million each year for DACA students.
Governor Youngkin submitted a budget amendment that “redirected” that funding to financial assistance for students attending Virginia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Those institutions would be Virginia State in Petersburg and Norfolk State in Norfolk. Continue reading