The Only Wisconsin Partner for TheDream.US Scholarship

Viterbo University has a long history of educating and serving immigrant communities in our region, starting with our founders, the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, in 1890. 

We are proud to be the first Wisconsin college to partner with TheDream.US National Scholarship program  to provide scholarships for undocumented immigrant students who came to the U.S. as children, also known as “DREAMers."

TheDream.US scholarship program, the nation’s largest college access program, raises private funds and awards scholarships for undocumented immigrant students to help them pay for their college education. We are proud to partner with TheDream.US to provide an affordable private college education and comprehensive support to qualified, highly motivated undocumented students who want nothing more than to get a college education.  

TheDream.US National Scholarship is renewable and covers up to $33,000 in tuition and fees (up to $8,250 per year) plus up to $6,000 ($1,500 per year) in books and supplies.

We further support scholarships for DREAMers by offering select students additional funding. We will cover the difference between TheDream.US scholarship and remaining tuition and mandatory fees.

Qualifying for TheDream.US National Scholarship

You may qualify for a Dream.US scholarship if you are an undocumented immigrant student and plan to begin, continue, or transfer into a full-time bachelor’s degree program at Viterbo University.

2024–25 requirements:

• Being an undocumented immigrant who came to the U.S. before Nov. 1, 2018, and living continuously in the U.S. since then, or having DACA or TPS;
• Coming to the U.S. before the age of 16 (if you were born in the U.S., you are not eligible for this scholarship);
• Having significant unmet financial need;
• Graduating from a U.S. high school (or having earned a high school equivalency diploma) before the fall of 2024;
• Having graduated with a high school GPA of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale or having a cumulative college GPA of 2.5 or better;
• Intending to enroll full-time in a bachelor’s degree program at a Partner College in your state in the fall of 2024 or spring of 2025. (For Wisconsin students, Viterbo University is the only college partner.)  

Additional Scholarships for DREAMers

Once admitted, if you would like to seek additional funding—or if you do not meet the qualifications for TheDream.US National Scholarship—we recommend you apply for financial aid  through Viterbo University. You may qualify for additional grants.

Additional educational support is provided through Immigrant Rising.

Support for DREAMers at Viterbo

Our staff is here to support you and your family through the application process. Many employees speak Spanish.

Here are some links to other useful resources:

• Dreamers of Wisconsin: An education-focused nonprofit supporting the undocumented community in Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Higher Ed Immigration Portal: State-specific resources and information
• United We Dream: Resources for DACA recipients and undocumented individuals
• Higher Ed Immigration Portal: Support for undocumented students
• Presidents’ Alliance: Information on higher education and immigration laws