You must be one of the following in order to qualify for federal (including Work-Study) and state aid:
- U.S. citizen
- U.S. national (includes natives of America Samoa or Swain’s Island)
- U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551C (Alien Registration Receipt Card)
If you do not belong to any of these categories, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) issued by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) showing one of the following designations:
- “Refugee”
- “Asylum granted”
- “Indefinite Parole” and/or “Humanitarian parole”
- “Cuban-Haitian Entrant” (only if issued before April 1, 1980)
If you only have a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464,) you are not eligible for federal student aid.
Also, if you are in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa only, or on a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa only, you cannot get financial aid. In addition, persons with G series visas (pertaining to international organizations) are not eligible.