Education Equity for Undocumented Graduate Students and the Key Role of My Undocumented Life

Authors

Rachel E. Freeman, University of California, Los AngelesFollow
Carolina Valdivia, University of California, IrvineFollow

Abstract

An estimated 454,000 undocumented students are enrolled in higher education, with ten percent of these students (45,400 students) studying in graduate school. While the field of higher education has worked to develop equitable policy and practice for undocumented students at the undergraduate level, a focus on graduate school is imperative. In this article, we reflect on what we have learned working with undocumented students in graduate school through our work with My Undocumented Life (MUL), a website with almost two million views that provides up to date information and resources for undocumented immigrants. We discuss the challenges that undocumented students face in pursuing graduate school, such as charting pathways to graduate school in isolation, seeking information specific to undocumented students, decisions around whether to disclose one’s immigration status, and lack of financial aid opportunities. We also provide recommendations for universities to build programs specifically for undocumented students in graduate school.

Recommended Citation

Freeman, Rachel E. and Valdivia, Carolina (2021) "Education Equity for Undocumented Graduate Students and the Key Role of My Undocumented Life," Journal of College Access: Vol. 6: Iss. 2, Article 7.
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jca/vol6/iss2/7