Recently the Ohio Board of Regents made an important change regarding which immigrants may qualify as Ohio residents for purposes of in-state tuition.

The Board expanded the list, which already  included green card holders and many other categories, to now also include people with:

• Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA- people who entered the U.S. by age 16 and have the required education or military service);
• U Visa (a person who has been the victim of a serious crime in the U.S. and who helped with the investigation and/or prosecution of the crime); and

• T Visa (a person who has been the victim of human trafficking in the U.S.).

This important change will help many Ohioans gain better access to higher education, therefore increased earning opportunities, and thus hopefully a more secure future. People with in-state tuition questions may contact their school’s admissions office or the Ohio Board of Regents for further information.

Immigrants who think they may be eligible for U or T Visas may contact Legal Aid at 1-888-817-3777.  For DACA inquiries, people may contact Catholic Charities at 216-939-3769.