PAST DUE: ISTS ACH Micro-Deposit Return

We need the following 9 Partner Colleges to take immediate action and return the micro-deposit before June 5, 2026.

• Lehman College
• Marymount University
• Medgar Evers College
• Metropolitan State University of Denver
• Miami Dade College
• New Jersey City University
• St. Mary’s College of Maryland
• SUNY Old Westbury
• University at Albany

Communications have gone out since April 1 and the deadline for the return was April 30. Thank you for your prompt action!

Please use these ACH instructions.

• Please return the exact amount received (should be $1.00).
• If possible, include the reference noted in the transaction to help ISTS accurately track the transaction.
• Email invoicing@applyISTS.com once the transfer has been submitted.

If your Partner College is listed here, reach out to the folks in the department responsible for making the return and confirm they are processing it. Don’t assume that it is already being taken care of.

You can continue to track the return status of the micro-deposits here!

Following the micro-deposit return instructions completes our security protocols for processing payments and refunds.

If you have any questions, please contact invoicing@applyISTS.com and Camila.Salkov@thedream.us.

Now Accepting Summer Term EVRs!

The Partner Colleges on this list can begin submitting Summer term EVRs once terms have started and classes are set. Note: Newly Awarded Scholars at these Partner Colleges are eligible for Summer funds and can be included in this EVR.

To check your Summer EVR Status, please click here.

Please make sure to read all the way through the EVR instructions or watch our 5-min tutorial video to get a refresher on the process. These resources can be found in the Program Management section of our website.

The deadline to submit the Summer EVR is July 31, 2026.

Read ACE's Letter to USCIS Expressing Concerns for DACA Delays

Yesterday, the American Council of Education, along with 32 higher education associations, wrote a letter to the Director of USCIS, expressing concerns around recent processing delays for DACA renewals.

Read the letter here and please share widely.

2025-26 Scholar Survey PC Leaderboard: 
Week 2 Highlights & Wrap-Up

Week 2 of the competition was intense! Our Lady of the Lake University and Salem State University jumped 13 spots to rocket into the Top 10. Phoenix College and Roosevelt University also had strong progress, however, our top Partner College remains Rollins College at Hamilton Holt! Congratulations on holding the top spot for 2 weeks in a row!

View the leaderboard here to see where your college stands (updated daily).

Reminders:

• Deadline for the mandatory Scholar Survey is Monday, June 1! Please encourage all Scholars that were eligible for the scholarship this past academic year to complete. Contact Vernisa if you need support with outreach to non-completers.
• Scholars can now check their completion status and retrieve their survey links in their Commitments Hub in their ISTS Scholar Portal.

We appreciate your partnership and support to make this another great Scholar Survey season!

Questions: Vernisa.Donaldson@thedream.us

Heads Up for Tomorrow: One-time $500 Grant Announcement

Tomorrow, we will send an email to all National and Opportunity Scholars eligible to renew their Scholarship this June, announcing the special $500 Grant for this Fall.

To receive this one-time grant in the Fall, Scholars must:

• Complete their Scholar Survey by June 1
• Complete their Renewal Form by June 22
• Successfully renew and enroll for classes this Fall

Grants will be disbursed to the Partner Colleges through the Fall Enrollment Verification Report process and must be disbursed in full to Scholars.

We will email Primary Relationship Managers and Scholar Advisors once the email is live. Please hold on sharing with your Scholars until we then.

Questions: Hyein.Lee@thedream.us

May PC Power Hour - Staying Connected: Everything you need to know about TheDream.US Summer Programming, Deadlines and Logistics!

For our last PC Power Hour before we break for the Summer, TheDream.US Team will provide an overview of our programming, deadlines and administrative tasks over the next three months.

Make sure you attend this informative session to learn about Summer career opportunities, deadlines & logistics for Partner Colleges, as well as our 2026 New Scholar onboarding process. Get a heads up on what you can expect from TheDream.US this Summer and how we need to stay engaged!

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

11 am PT / 1 pm CT / 2 pm ET 

Link to attend 

Passcode: SP05PCPH!

Looking ahead:

We will not hold PC Power Hour for the months of June and July but will be back in August.  

Questions: Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

2026-2027 New Scholar Onboarding

Yesterday, May 19, 2026, we sent all 2026-2027 New Scholars the first of five Scholarship Onboarding emails: Your Scholar Commitments, Scholarship Program Guide, and Career Connections

The email instructs Scholars to review their Scholarship Program Guide, and complete their Scholar Commitments Form by August 6, 2026.  It also informs them of career development opportunities available to them this Summer. See the email to National Scholars and email to Opportunity Scholars.

All emails will be posted to our New Scholar Central, now live. 

Questions: Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

Tonight - DACA Renewals: What You Need to Know

Scholars, Alumni and Partner College staff are invited to join us tonight for a timely virtual session to get clear answers and next steps. We’ll break down what’s happening with DACA renewals, answer questions, and share how our community can plug into upcoming advocacy for permanent protections.

Wednesday, May 20

6 pm - 7 pm ET

Register Here

USCIS Application Fee Loans

Through our partnership with Mission Asset Fund (MAF), TheDream.US is providing zero interest, zero fee loans to help Scholars/Alum pay their USCIS application fee for a variety of change of status requests. They can request an USCIS Application Fee Loan, for green cards, citizenship, family petition, and more.  

Scholars and Alum only pay back exactly what they borrow within a ten-month span, while also building their credit. Check out the details of the program on MAF’s website.  

Questions? Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

DACA Renewal Grants Available Now for Scholars and Alumni!

It is essential Scholars and Alumni consider submitting their DACA renewal application minimally 150 days before their DACA expires, as we are seeing longer processing times. 

Scholars and Alum should submit their DACA Renewal Grant Application 200 days before their DACA expiration date, and consider filing online.

Please inform your Scholars and Alum to apply now, funds are limited!

Questions: Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

1-1 Immigration Screenings for Current Scholars Available

Screenings are designed to help your Scholars understand their immigration status and any options available for adjustment. Now more than ever, it is important for your Scholars to have access to an immigration attorney they can trust. Screenings are free, confidential and will not affect their scholarship in any way.

We need your help to encourage Scholars to sign up by completing the Initial Screening Request Form. If they have already completed one of our screenings, they should not submit a new request. 

Questions: Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

Let Us Know of Scholar Emergency Cases

As the first in line of contact with our Scholars on-campus, we deeply appreciate your immediate notification of a Scholar’s immigration emergency. To help us identify and determine whether TheDream.US can assist with a Scholar’s immigration case in any way, please bookmark this form. Complete the form as soon as you are aware of a Scholar that is: 

• Detained, facing removal (not detained), deported 
• Self-deported or intends to self-deport
• Experiencing DACA renewal issues 

Questions? Email Susan.Collins@thedream.us  

Critical Legal Memo: In-State Tuition & Scholarships for Undocumented Students

We want to make sure you and your leadership teams have this important resource: In-State Tuition and Scholarships for Undocumented Students: What Institutions Should Know.

This legal memo provides high-level guidance for college presidents and general counsels on how institutions can lawfully offer in-state tuition and scholarships to undocumented Dreamer students. We encourage you to read it and share it with your leadership and legal teams to ensure your campus is aligned with the latest considerations.

Toolkit- How to Support Detained or Deported Students

TheDream.US in collaboration with Presidents’ Alliance and Institutional Solutions created the “Steps Campuses can Take to Support Detained or Deported Students”, a resource designed to help colleges and universities take a proactive approach in identifying and providing appropriate support for students, faculty, and staff in the event of detention or deportation. Review the guide for helpful tips you can implement on your campus!

Questions? Email Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

PC Career Development Events Fund

Your college can get up to a $2,000 grant to host a Career Event for Scholars regardless of work authorization. Events should primarily focus on NEBOs, entrepreneurship, small business ownership, and independent contract work. 

Check out our toolkit for helpful suggestions on event structures and key learning objectives. Apply now to reserve your funds for a Spring or Fall event. 

Questions? Email Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

For Partner College Directory and Staff changes, please submit updates via our One-Off Update Form. 

For all emails sent to Scholars, go here

For Past PC Weeklys, go here

For Calendar of Events, go here