GMU’s ‘Undocumented Scholars Award’ helps illegal immigrant students get past ‘barriers’

George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia is offering a scholarship designed primarily for illegal aliens.

Established in 2016, the “Undocumented Scholars Award” aids “students whose immigration status might otherwise hinder them from accessing higher education,” as seen on George Mason’s website.

According to George Mason’s website, the dollar amount of the award varies by recipient, but the award prioritizes those students “struggling with financial obstacles due to barriers from immigration status,” according to the university’s Undocumented Student Resources page.

“Students must have a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA for the semester prior (ex.: for Spring 2024, students will need a cumulative 2.75 GPA at the close of the Fall 2023 semester),” a description on George Mason’s website states. “Both in-state and out-of-state students may qualify, as may both documented and undocumented immigrant students, regardless of their Visa, DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals], and TPS [Temporary Protected Status].”

To apply for the scholarship, students must respond to two supplemental questions, as seen on the website. The first question, to which students must respond in a maximum 600 words, covers immigration status—explicitly referencing groups of people who reside in the U.S. illegally.

“Please share how your current immigration status (undocumented, DACA, TPS or pending status) has impacted access to funding for your education,” the prompt reads. “Moreover, can you please share how will Undocumented Scholars Award will help you directly (tuition, fees, books, course materials, etc.).”

The Undocumented Scholars Award is not the only resource at George Mason for students who are residing in the country illegally.