Financial Aid & Scholarships

FAQ about HB 1079

Who is eligible as an HB 1079 student?

  • A student is considered HB 1079 if: he/she is not a legal permanent resident; does not possess a green card, visa, or other legal documentation, including those born outside of the United States; and many of whom have lived in this country for a significant portion of their lives and reside here without the legal permission of the government.

Do HB 1079 students qualify for student aid?

  • Students with this status do not qualify for federal but may be eligible for Washington State government student aid, and can definitely find funding through private scholarships.
  • To be considered for Washington State government financial aid, student must fill out the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) Application. This application is available for students to complete annually on October 1. The annual deadline to complete your WASFA application is January 15th.
  • It is very important for students to submit their WASFA application on time to make sure they are considered for financial aid. Failure to submit their WASFA application may disqualify them from receiving funds.

Who is eligible for aid from Title IV programs?

  • A student must be a citizen or eligible non-citizen to qualify for aid from Title IV Programs (FAFSA). This includes: U.S. Citizen or national; U.S. permanent resident; citizens of certain pacific islands; other eligible non-citizens (residents, fugitives, asylums, etc.).

Can an HB 1079 student fill out the FAFSA?

  • Without a valid social security number (SSN), a student cannot complete the FAFSA. If a student does have a SSN but a parent does not, they are eligible for federal and state aid and are not considered an undocumented or HB 1079 student.

How do I pay for college if I don’t qualify for Financial Aid?

  • You will qualify for non-need based aid or merit based aid available through private scholarships. Contact your college of interest for additional scholarship resources.
  • Many private scholarship funds and foundations require applicants to be U.S. citizens or residents, but there are few that do not have this requirement. Funding your education will be a challenge, but it can be done.

How do I get scholarships?

  • APPLY, APPLY, AND APPLY! The more applications you submit, the better your chances are of receiving scholarship money.
  • There are many opportunities for scholarships that do not require a social security number, but you have to know where to look. If you are uncertain of whether you are eligible for specific scholarships, call the organization directly for clarity.
  • Start your search locally. Try your family’s place of employment, your church, community organizations, etc.
  • Sign up at www.TheWashBoard.org, www.FastWeb.com, www.CollegeBoard.com, and www.LatinoCollegeDollars.org.
  • Sign up for El Centro de la Raza’s College Newsletter by sending an email to El Centro’s College Readiness Program at ready4college@elcentrodelaraza.org.

What if my parent is not a legal resident, but I am?

  • Your parents’ residency information does not affect you. If you are documented, you are eligible for federal funds through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA becomes available October 1st of every year and you need your parents’ income information from the previous year, your social security number, and the university or college federal code to apply. University of Washington’s federal code for all three campuses is 003798.
  • When you reach the Parent Section on the FAFSA, you must enter their social security number as 000-00-0000. DO NOT put in their Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) as the social security number.
  • If you run into any issues with the Parent Section, you will need to call the FAFSA helpline so they can reset the application and allow you to enter the parent data. The number is 1-800-4FED-AID.
  • Remember, UW finanical aid priority deadline is January 15, make sure to complete your FAFSA before that date.

What are some helpful tips for filling out the FAFSA?

  • If parent(s) do not have a valid SSN, you should supply all zeros in the appropriate spaces. Do NOT put your individualized Tax Identification Number (ITIN).
  • If parent(s) have earned income, you must supply income and asset information. IRS provision allows HB 1079 workers to file by applying for an Individualized Tax Identification Number (ITIN) for tax return filing purposes only (IRS Publication 519).
  • Dependency Override (i.e. students seeking to complete a FAFSA without parental information) cannot be performed solely on basis that the parent is undocumented.
  • A dependant student may be eligible for PLUS/Additional Unsubsidized Eligibility if there are exceptional circumstances that preclude the parent from borrowing.

A student is considered HB 1079 if: he/she is not a legal permanent resident; does not possess a green card, visa, or other legal documentation, including those born outside of the United States; and many of whom have lived in this country for a significant portion of their lives and reside here without the legal permission of the government.
Students with this status do not qualify for federal but may be eligible for Washington State government student aid, and can definitely find funding through private scholarships.<br><br>To be considered for Washington State government financial aid, student must fill out the <a href="http://www.readysetgrad.org/wasfa">Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) </a>Application. This application is available for students to complete annually on October 1. The annual deadline to complete your WASFA application is January 15th.<br><br>It is very important for students to submit their WASFA application on time to make sure they are considered for financial aid. Failure to submit their WASFA application may disqualify them from receiving funds.
A student must be a citizen or eligible non-citizen to qualify for aid from Title IV Programs (FAFSA). This includes: U.S. Citizen or national; U.S. permanent resident; citizens of certain pacific islands; other eligible non-citizens (residents, fugitives, asylums, etc.).
Without a valid social security number (SSN), a student cannot complete the FAFSA. If a student does have a SSN but a parent does not, they are eligible for federal and state aid and are not considered an undocumented or HB 1079 student.
You will qualify for non-need based aid or merit based aid available through private scholarships. Contact your college of interest for additional scholarship resources. Many private scholarship funds and foundations require applicants to be U.S. citizens or residents, but there are few that do not have this requirement. Funding your education will be a challenge, but it can be done.
APPLY, APPLY, AND APPLY! The more applications you submit, the better your chances are of receiving scholarship money. There are many opportunities for scholarships that do not require a social security number, but you have to know where to look. If you are uncertain of whether you are eligible for specific scholarships, call the organization directly for clarity. Start your search locally. Try your family’s place of employment, your church, community organizations, etc. Sign up at www.TheWashBoard.org, www.FastWeb.com, www.CollegeBoard.com, and www.LatinoCollegeDollars.org. Sign up for El Centro de la Raza’s College Newsletter by sending an email to El Centro’s College Readiness Program at ready4college@elcentrodelaraza.org.
Your parents' residency information does not affect you. If you are documented, you are eligible for federal funds through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA becomes available October 1st of every year and you need your parents’ income information from the previous year, your social security number, and the university or college federal code to apply. University of Washington’s federal code for all three campuses is 003798. When you reach the Parent Section on the FAFSA, you must enter their social security number as 000-00-0000. DO NOT put in their Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) as the social security number. If you run into any issues with the Parent Section, you will need to call the FAFSA helpline so they can reset the application and allow you to enter the parent data. The number is 1-800-4FED-AID. Remember, UW financial aid priority deadline is January 15, make sure to complete your FAFSA before that date.
If parent(s) do not have a valid SSN, you should supply all zeros in the appropriate spaces. Do NOT put your individualized Tax Identification Number (ITIN). If parent(s) have earned income, you must supply income and asset information. IRS provision allows HB 1079 workers to file by applying for an Individualized Tax Identification Number (ITIN) for tax return filing purposes only (IRS Publication 519). Dependency Override (i.e. students seeking to complete a FAFSA without parental information) cannot be performed solely on basis that the parent is undocumented. A dependant student may be eligible for PLUS/Additional Unsubsidized Eligibility if there are exceptional circumstances that preclude the parent from borrowing.

Contact Information

Enrollment Management

Phone: 425.352.5240

Email:uwbfaid@uw.edu