Undocumented Applicants
New Mexico State Bill 582, passed by the legislature in 2005, states that “A public post-secondary educational institution shall not deny admission to a student on account of the student’s immigration status. ” Pursuant to that bill, the University of New Mexico considers applicants for graduate programs, regardless of citizenship, based upon academic merit and achievement. UNM graduate programs admit and enroll undocumented students and may use private funds, when available, to provide financial aid to support their studies in a manner consistent with applicable laws.
SB 582 also grants in-state tuition rates for students “who have attended a secondary educational institution in New Mexico for at least one year and who have either graduated from a New Mexico high school or received a general educational development certificate in New Mexico.” For tuition purposes, in-state tuition is granted to undocumented graduate students who meet the eligibility requirements for SB 582.
To apply for some forms of financial aid administered consistent with state and federal regulations, undocumented graduate students may complete a paper form of the FAFSA and submit it directly to the Financial Aid Office.
The general requirements for domestic undocumented applicants (identical to those for other domestic applicants) to graduate programs at the University of New Mexico are as follows:
- Must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or its equivalent in another country.
- Generally, applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 (B) or its equivalent in their last two undergraduate years and in their major field.
- Must indicate all academic institutions they have previously attended on their applications. Failure to disclose any previous college attendance or any other misrepresentation of the record may result in disciplinary action, including revocation of admission to the University.
- Applicants must also request an official transcripts from each university attended (except UNM) be sent to the University of New Mexico.
- In most departments, the minimum undergraduate prerequisite is 12 semester hours of upper division course work (300-level courses or higher) in the major field to which the student is applying, or in cognate areas.
- Some academic units at the University of New Mexico will admit students with a bachelor's degree directly into a doctoral program, though many admit only students who have earned a master's degree within the same or a different program from an accredited institution.
Additional information and resources for undocumented students are available at Undocumented UNM, including application instructions specific to undocumented students.
