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Under new legislation, California universities and state campuses would set aside $9.2 million for loans to undocumented students currently ineligible for federal financial aid.
Undocumented students enrolled in University of California or California State University schools face financial aid gaps of more than $5,000 a year. The state of California allows undocumented students to apply for Cal Grants, but students say it still falls short thousands of dollars needed to cover housing, books, and food. A lawmaker wants to close the funding gap for undocumented students, and proposes a new loan program for California public universities to assist these students (Senate Bill 1210).
" We think it's important to have because these students have worked hard and they have gotten, gained admission to the university and we want to give them every chance to succeed much like there counterparts who are attending the university," Christopher W. Carter, Director of Student Financial Support with the University of California said. "And so we think it's important to be able to put them on a level playing field. So we give them the same advantage, the same opportunity that we give their documented counterparts on campus."