Many private scholarships are available to undocumented students. These scholarships tend to be highly competitive. It is important that you maintain high grades and participate in extra-curricular activities while in high school so you can distinguish yourself from other applicants when applying for scholarships.

Many private schools are able to provide need-based scholarships and financial aid to students, irrespective of their immigration status. In contrast, public colleges and universities, for the most part, can only provide merit-based scholarships to undocumented students who must compete for the scholarships with the rest of the student body on the basis of their academic achievements and talents. Ask the colleges where you are applying if they offer private scholarships and what the requirements for eligibility are.

You could even ask about what resources are available to undocumented applicants. Research different community centers, faith based organizations, and local schools to find out if they offer scholarships. Remember to apply to as many scholarships as possible, no matter how much (or little) the financial award, because scholarship money adds up quickly.