Financial Aid for DREAM Students
After students submit their application, the California Student Aid Commission processes and forwards the application to all the colleges and universities listed. Once the colleges and universities receive your application, they review it to determine what types of financial aid you may qualify for. They will contact you through your student portal and/or student email if additional information is required.
DREAM Financial Aid Specialist
Click the button below to schedule an appointment with our Financial Aid Specialist, who can assist you with any matters regarding your financial aid.
Ways to schedule an appointment
- Please call our DREAM front desk at (909) 274-5596, or email us at dreamprogram@mtsac.edu to schedule your Finacial Aid appointment.
- Please visit the following link to learn how to schedule your appointments: Navigate
- Do you have a smart phone? You can also schedule appointments using the Navigate App.
Meet your Financial Aid Specialist
Paola Gutierrez Flores, Financial Aid Specialist
I was born in Michoacan, Mexico and came to the US at the age of 6. My higher education and professional journey began at UC Santa Cruz where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies. I went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Administration from CSU Long Beach. Fast forward to 2023 and I now have over 10 years of financial aid experience, supporting students in various roles from Peer Advisor to Cal Grant Coordinator. Currently, I’m excited to be a Financial Aid Specialist at Mt. San Antonio College. As a first-generation student, I understand the impacts of financial aid and how the complex process can deter students from applying. The application itself can be quite intimidating for some, therefore, my goal is to remove the barriers students and families face in order to make higher education a reality. I’m more than happy to support students with the financial aid process, stop by and let me know how I can support you!
California Dream Act (Financial Aid)
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What is CA Dream Act?The CA Dream Act is state-based financial aid for eligible undocumented students. With this application on-file, students can receive certain types of financial aid such as: private scholarships funded through public universities, state administered financial aid, university grants, community college fee waivers, and Cal Grants.
The financial aid students receive is free and does have to be paid back. Only Dream Loans must be paid back, but these are only available for students attending a Cal State University (CSU) or University of California (UC).
Click here to learn more about your eligibility from our Financial Aid department.
Where do I apply?Students can fill out the CA Dream Act application at the following link: https://dream.csac.ca.gov/.
Guidance with the application is also available at our DREAM Program located inside the Equity Center (Building 16-E).
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- What happens after you apply?
After students submit their application, the California Student Aid Commission processes and forwards the application to all the colleges and universities listed. Once the colleges and universities receive your application, they review it to determine what types of financial aid you may qualify for. They will contact you through your student portal and/or student email if additional information is required.
- AB540 - California Nonresident Tuition ExemptionTo find the AB540/California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request Form or to learn more about your eligibility. Visit our website below on Residency Information.
Scholarships
There are different scholarship opportunities, on- and off-campus, that don't require proof of U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency. Below are a few we want you to know about.
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- On-Campus Scholarships
The Mt. SAC Scholarship Program Office manages over $400,000 in scholarships. Many of these are available to undocumented students, and in fact, our students have won several of these scholarships before.
Scholarships are awarded in varying amounts based on need, merit, major and/or educational goals. Many are specifically for undocumented students and allies in the DREAM Program.
Only one application is required to be considered for the Mt. SAC Scholarship Program. This application typically becomes available by January and the deadly is usually in April of each year. For more information, please visit: https://www.mtsac.edu/scholarships/.
