October 7, 2026

The Partner College Weekly

ACTION REQUIRED

Now Accepting Fall 2026 EVR Submissions through October 30!

This year's Fall EVR submission period is September 2, 2026 - October 30, 2026.

Updated EVR Instructions

Here are a few important reminders:

As a reminder, PCs are responsible for completing all information in the yellow areas.
Please do not change any information located in the gray cells.
All information provided should be entered for the term, not the annual year.
If a Scholar has withdrawn from classes, but still owes for them, enter them as enrolled and include the withdrawn credits and balance.
Please include your Partner College name in the EVR filename to avoid delays in payments.
Confirmation of receipt of funds is now being required each term. We will send an email after ISTS processes funds to you. We ask that you respond to that outreach within 3 days of receiving the email. This helps us as we close out payments each term.
Reconciliation of funds should be completed at a minimum each academic year (preferably each term). We have had several Partner Colleges wait years to reconcile scholarship funds and then realize they need to send back refunds to ISTS for Scholars. Waiting this long impacts Scholars and their accounts. In some cases, this has caused Scholars to max out their total award before they should have.

Track the status of Fall EVRs here.

Guidance on TheDream.US $500 Grant disbursement. This is not legal advice, but just our understanding:

Partner Colleges should come to their own determination regarding the tax treatment of the $500 grant. However, in doing so, please take into account that (i) the federal tax rules that require withholding on certain scholarship and fellowship payments to nonresident aliens do not generally apply to TheDream.US students as they are not generally nonresident aliens, and (ii) the $500 grant is not compensation for teaching, research, employment, or any other services, and is a relatively small one-time educational award.

Questions: Elena.Salorio@thedream.us

2027-2028 Application Promotional Materials

We need Partner Colleges to confirm their mailing addresses by Tuesday, October 20, 2026, to mail our promotional materials for the upcoming Scholarship Application Round opening November 1, 2026.

Please note, we currently do not have our online Partner Colleges on the list to receive promotional materials. However, if you would like to receive these items, please add your information to the bottom of the list.

Instructions:

Use this link to find your college (sorted by state).
Review the information. If the address and contact person are correct, select “confirmed” in column A. If the information listed is incorrect, please edit it and then select “updated” in column A.
If your college does not need any promotional materials, please select "No Promotional Materials Needed".
If you do not see your college, please add it to the end of the spreadsheet.

Questions: Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

MUST KNOW

New Joint Report and Virtual Event on Coordinated Assault Against Dreamers’ Access to Tuition-Equity

Today, TheDream.US is partnering with the Presidents’ Alliance and MALDEF to release a new report and conduct a virtual press conference for media on the coordinated effort to block Dreamers’ access to in-state tuition policies.

In the new report, TheDream.US presents key datapoints about our more than 8,800 Scholars and Alumni residing in the 24 states and DC that have being targeted by the Department of Justice lawsuits over the past two years. Key findings include:

The median age of arrival to the U.S. is just 4 years old. America is the only home many of these Scholars and Alumni have ever known.
More than 1,500 current TheDream.US Scholars are currently enrolled in colleges in these two dozen states. These lawsuits don’t just threaten tuition rates. They threaten a pipeline of talent that states have already invested in, and one that’s already paying off.
Close to 4,500 TheDream.US graduates in these states are now working and contributing to their communities. They’re the teachers, nurses, social workers, and innovators in the states that raised them.

Read the full report from TheDream.US, Presidents’ Alliance, and MALDEF here and be on the lookout in next week’s PC Weekly for related media coverage.

TheDream.US PC New Staff Orientations

These New Staff Onboarding Orientations will provide an overview of our program, expectations for staff in designated roles, and key dates and processes, as well as the resources available to help you support our Scholars on your campus!

Sign up for one of our upcoming monthly sessions this Fall. Our next session will be held on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 2 pm ET / 1 pm CT / 11 am PT.

Fall 2026 Sessions:

~~Monday, September 14, 2026, at 2 pm ET / 1 pm CT / 11 am PT~~

Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 2 pm ET / 1 pm CT / 11 am PT

Monday, November 9, 2026, at 2 pm ET / 1 pm CT / 11 am PT

If you are new to working with TheDream.US or need a refresher, sign-up today!

Questions: Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

Join the Community of Practice and Action

The Presidents’ Alliance, Immigrants Rising, and TheDream.US invite you to join the Dreamers Community of Practice and Action this year!

Practitioners are invited to join this community check-In to share the work they are focused on this semester and challenges they may be facing. Additionally, the Presidents' Alliance State Policy Team will join to provide updates on the DOJ challenges to in-state tuition. This will be a time for you to ask questions and brainstorm how to prepare if your campus community may be impacted by the policy changes. Register now for the October session.

Can't join in October? Sign up for the Community of Practice listserv to receive updates on upcoming sessions, get access to resources, and join a network of practitioners ready to support you in your work.

Questions: Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

2027 SUCCESS Convening – Registration Discounts

How to Register using your TheDream.US Discount Code:

Use the Member Registration Link
Select your Role
Select “Full Experience Ticket”
Fill out your information
Respond to State of Play questions
Use the discount code “TDUSAdvisor”
Submit!
Once you register, you’ll get an email with the group link to book your hotel room

Note: Limit of two staff members can use the code per Partner College. If we have open slots later in the registration process, we may be able to extend the discount to additional staff from the same institution.

If you are interested in using our code for more than two staff members on your campus or have any other questions, email Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

REMINDER: 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

SCHOLAR PROGRAMMING

USCIS Application Fee Loans

Through our partnership with Mission Asset Fund (MAF), TheDream.US is providing zero interest, zero fee loans to help Scholars/Alumni 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, DACA, TPS, and more. These loans are available to our Scholars and Alumni nationwide.

Scholars and Alumni 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

1-1 Immigration Screenings for Current Scholars

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

RESOURCES FOR YOU

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, prepared by the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, 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 this Fall 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 Fall or Spring event.

Questions? Email Chris.Aviles@thedream.us

EMAILS TO SCHOLARS

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

For all your questions, please refer to our TheDream.US Inquiry Map

Inquiry Map