How to Apply for Aid (DREAM): Newly Admitted & Current Graduate Students

DREAM students pursuing a graduate degree are eligible to be considered for the State University Grant; eligibility for SUG is determined by the DREAM Application.   

In order to be eligible to be considered for funding through the DREAM Application:

• You must not meet eligibility criteria to file a FAFSA
• You must meet the conditions of California AB540 status
• You must not hold a valid non-immigrant visa (F, J, H, L, A, B, C, D, E, etc.).   

The California Dream Act Application is intended for those students that are undocumented, have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or have a U Visa and meet the eligibility requirements.

Determine if You Should Complete the Dream Application

If you have further questions, including how to ensure you are completing the correct financial aid application, you can visit the Immigrants Rising website and review FAFSA VS CA Dream Act: Apply to the Correct Financial Aid  

Additional Resources:

• 10 Things You Need to Know about the California Dream Act Application
• California Student Aid Commission’s Dream Website 

All students pursuing a graduate degree (Master’s or Doctoral) are considered to be independent for financial aid purposes.  As a result, parent information does not need to be reported on the DREAM Application. 

The DREAM Application asks for important personal identification information as well as financial information. Be sure to use the exact name and date of birth on the DREAM Application that you use on your Admissions Application! 

You should have the following information and documents with you as you fill out your Dream Application: 

• Your Social Security Number (if you have one) 
• Your Driver’s License number if you have one
• Federal Tax information or tax returns – including IRS W-2 information for you (and your spouse if married). 
• Records of your untaxed income, such as child support received, interest income, and veterans non-education benefits for you (and your spouse if married). 
• Information on cash, savings, and checking account balances; investments – including real estate (not including the home in which you live); and business and farm assets for you (and your spouse if married). 

To be considered for California State or Cal Poly Pomona Institutional Grants, a completed financial aid application must be submitted by the March 2 priority filing deadline. 

Accessing the Dream Application

Related Links: 

• Resources for the Dream Application
• Dream Application Worksheet (2022-2023) 

Completing the Dream Application is not the last step; your application has to be processed, and then you get an Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which Cal Poly Pomona uses to figure out how much aid you are eligible to receive. 

After initial successful submission of your application, the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) will send you an email with your nine-digit Dream ID number. If you do not receive an email from CSAC, be sure to check your spam/junk mail folders. Keep your Dream ID number in a safe place because you will use it to log back into the Dream Application, when you correct errors on the Dream Application, or when you talk to CSAC or to Cal Poly Pomona.

• Review the Confirmation Page within your application to see if there are any errors that need your attention.
• Review your California Student Aid Report (CA-SAR).  Your SAR will list the information that you provided on the California Dream Act Application, as well as an Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
• Check your CA-SAR for accuracy. For corrections, return to the California Dream Act website and make the changes immediately. If no changes are needed, save the form for your records.

Additional Resources:

• California Dream Act Website
• DREAM Application FAQ’s
  

The EdD Program begins enrollment with the Summer term, which is considered to be part of the previous academic year.  Financial aid is available for the Summer – but requires completing a separate Dream application (for the prior academic year). 

Students applying for admission to the EdD program beginning with Summer 2025 must complete the following two Dream applications in order to be considered for financial aid for the first year of the EdD Program: 

• 2024 – 2025 Dream Application (For Summer 2025) 

• 2025 – 2026 Dream Application (For Fall 2025 & Spring 2026) 

If you missed the Priority Filing Deadline (April 1, 2022 for the 2022 - 2023 year only), you will have missed the opportunity to be considered for Cal Poly Pomona Grant funds for the upcoming year.   

You may still wish to complete the Dream Application, though, as some scholarships, or private loans may require you to complete the Dream Application to be considered. 

You will have the opportunity to be considered for Cal Poly Pomona Institutional Grants next year – when you complete the Dream Application again (remember - you must complete a new DREAM Application for each academic year).  The Dream Application becomes available every October 1st and must be completed by the Priority Filing Deadline in order for you to be considered for Cal Poly Pomona Grant funds.