DACA/Undocumented Students
WPI is dedicated to ensuring academic opportunities are available to all qualified students regardless of citizenship status. If you are an undocumented student, please see below for information about applying to WPI, funding your education, and working on-campus as a student.
Resources for Undocumented/DACA Students
Applying for Admission
WPI welcomes applications from Undocumented and DACA students.
Undocumented/DACA applicants should follow our normal steps to apply. Undocumented/DACA applicants who have been in the US for four or more years can request an English Proficiency Exam waiver by emailing intl_admissions@wpi.edu after the application has been completed.
Undocumented/DACA applicants can apply Early Action, Early Decision, or Regular Decision. While all follow the same application format, Early Decision is a binding contract. If a student applies via Early Decision and is accepted, they are expected to attend. If a student requires a certain amount of financial aid in order to attend WPI, we recommend applying Early Action or Regular Decision. Students can only apply to one school under an Early Decision agreement. More information on WPI’s decision plans is available here.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
All applicants, including undocumented or DACA students, are eligible for both merit- and need-based aid from WPI. There is no separate application for merit scholarships – these are based on the application and supporting components like extracurriculars, grades, and course selection. Undocumented/DACA students seeking need-based financial aid from WPI should complete the CSS profile at the time of application. WPI has a limited number of CSS Profile fee waivers which can be requested via intl_admissions@wpi.edu once your application has been submitted.
WPI maintains a need-aware admissions policy. Applicants for need-based aid should be as accurate as possible in assessing their financial contribution on the CSS Profile. Limited aid is available so competitive applicants will have the ability to self-fund some portion of their education.
DACA/Undocumented students who have attended high school in Massachusetts should review the information on “Tuition Equity: Access to Massachusetts State Financial Aid” on our website to find out if they qualify for State Financial Aid.
Working on Campus
DACA students that hold a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) are eligible to apply for jobs on WPI’s campus or work off-campus. Undocumented students who do not hold an SSN or ITIN are not eligible to work.