The Dream Gala Committee is a group of student leaders, Alumni and staff from various campus-based organizations at high schools, colleges, and universities in Chicago. Our goal is to support undocumented students, who despite growing up in the United States and earning their high school diplomas, continuously have faced challenging road blocks when pursuing a post-secondary education. We define an undocumented student as someone who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. In addition, their biggest obstacle is financial need due to ineligibility for federal and state financial aid. Since the fall of 2009, the Dream Gala Committee has raised funds in attempt to award scholarships to undocumented students who are in dire need of financial assistance. Our goal is to continue raising funds in order to further the education of undocumented students who are leaders in their communities.

The Dream Scholarship will award five scholarships to underrepresented students who exhibit leadership, academic competitiveness, community involvement, and financial need.

Students who meet the following criteria may apply for the Spring 2012 Dream Scholarship:

• Must be a undergraduate student enrolled full-time or part-time for the Spring 2012 semester at an accredited college or university located in the city of Chicago.
• Must have earned a minimum of 12 credit hours at the time the application is submitted.
• Must register as a full-time or part-time student for the Fall 2012 semester.
• Must be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of a minimum of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.
• Must demonstrate leadership through community involvement either on and/or off campus.
• Must demonstrate financial need.
• Must become a volunteer during the next Dream Gala events.

*Note: Holders of F-1 student visas and international students are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Applicants must submit the following supporting documents in PDF format to galaforadream@gmail.com NO LATER than March 18th (Applications missing any of the following supporting documents will not be considered for the scholarship.):

1. Dream Scholarship application (must be submitted on or before Midnight March 18th, 2012).
2. One Letter of recommendation on letterhead from an advisor, counselor, professor, administrator, or community organization.
3. One Letter from an advisor, counselor, professor, or administrator stating your ineligibility for federal financial assistance and financial hardships in Spring 2012.
4. Copy of your unofficial transcripts
5. Proof of income – a scanned copy, of your (and spouse, if applicable) and your parents’ 2011 income tax returns
6. (if you were born after January 1, 1987) in PDF format emailed to galaforadream@gmail.com no later than March 18th, 2011.

NOTE: You cannot save this application and come back to it later. It must be filled out in its entirety at once, in order to be properly submitted.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at galaforadream@gmail.com