Review the Frequently Asked Questions below before you apply online to our Winter 2017 California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program.
1. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
1A: What are the eligibility requirements?
In order to be considered and accepted into our program, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be 21 years-old or older, and speak fluent Spanish
- Have an active DACA status
- Have already or obtain a valid passport from the respective country of origin
- If applicant is Mexican-born, he/she must commit to apply to, and attain the Instituto Nacional Electoral’s (INE) Credencial para Votar en el Extranjero before traveling to Mexico on December 22, 2017
- Must have no criminal and/or immigration record
- Must participate in ALL PROGRAM activities from Dec. 22, 2017 to January 14, 2017
- Must be able to pay the $2,500 program fee
1B: Is there any age cap to participate in the program?
No, there is no age cap, anyone older than 21 years or older can apply.
1C: My current work permit / DACA will be expiring soon but I am currently renewing it, can I still apply?
In order to qualify for our program and to apply for Advance Parole, your current DACA/work permit must not expire before January 30th, 2018. Participants must have an active DACA status upon return, otherwise you will be jeopardizing your DACA status and may not be allowed back in the U.S. However, you will be considered for the program if you are renewing your permit but your current DACA will not expire before January 30, 2018.
1D: I’ve previously been charged with a felony, misdemeanor, DUI, arrest, pending court appearance, order of deportation, or any other criminal and/or immigration record, do I qualify to apply?
No. Unfortunately, if you have been charged with a felony, misdemeanor, DUI, arrest, pending court appearance, order of deportation, or any other outstanding criminal record, we will not accept you into our program.
1E: I already graduated and/or I am not attending school, do I still qualify to apply?
Absolutely yes.
1F: I live outside of the Los Angeles area, or in another state, do I qualify to apply?
Yes, the Winter 2017 California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program welcomes applicants from any state in the United States, just keep in mind that you may be asked to attend at least one of our program orientations, which would require you to travel to California before departure.
1G: I am a DACA beneficiary but I am not Mexican, do I qualify to apply?
Yes, Dreamers from all nationalities are welcome to apply as long as they are fluent Spanish-speakers, given that the entire program will be conducted in Spanish.
1H: What is the Credencial de Elector (INE ID card) and how do I get one?
La Credencial de Elector del Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE) is the most widely used form of identification in Mexico (as opposed to the “matricula consular,” which is given in the U.S. and is not recognized as an official identification in Mexico). This credential card also allows Mexican citizens living abroad to participate in and vote in the upcoming 2018 presidential elections in Mexico. We will require all Mexican-born Dreamer participants to apply to attain their INE Credential before going to Mexico. You don’t need to have your INE Card prior to applying to our program, however, we encourage you to visit our INE Card Instructions page to find out how you can obtain one in a timely manner before our Winter 2017 program starts.
1I: Can U.S. citizens or non-Dreamers apply to participate in your program?
No. This program is specifically designed for undocumented immigrants who have an active DACA status.
2. ADVANCE PAROLE APPLICATION PROCESS & TRAVEL SAFETY:
2A: Do I have to file for Advance Parole prior to applying to your program?
No, you don’t have to apply for Advance Parole prior to applying to our program. Once selected, participants will be instructed on how to apply for Advance Parole under the supervision and guidance of CMSC staff.
2B: Will I receive supporting paperwork about the program to include with my Advance Parole application?
Yes. The CMSC will provide all supporting documentation and guidance to prepare and complete Advance Parole applications that are specific to this travel-study program.
2C: Are we going to get legal assistance to apply for Advance Parole?
Yes. All selected participants will prepare their Advance Parole applications at the same time under the guidance and supervision of the CMSC.
2D: Does the $2,500 program fee include the Advance Parole application fee ($575)?
No, the program fee covers the housing, meals, field trips, travel insurance, transportation from/to all program activities, and the CETLALIC Institute classes, but it does not cover for the actual Advance Parole permit. You must pay $575 for your Advance Parole application fee to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (Buy a money order in the amount of $575 and make it payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security).
2E: How safe is traveling/studying abroad with Advance Parole? Have there been any problems with previous participants upon return?
This is now the 7th California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program that the CMSC has implemented, through which, the center has given the opportunity to visit Mexico to over 120 Dreamers since the pilot program in Spring of 2015, and there has been no legal complications with participants returning to the U.S. One of the CMSC’s policies to ensure a successful and safer return is the fact that we require all participants to return as a group at the same time. Returning as a group not only takes off the anxiety participants may feel when coming on their own, since they are part of an academic program that involves a large group of people that are in the same situation as them.
Also, the CMSC has a close working relationship with Congressmen Alan Lowenthal and Lou Correa, as well as close ties with the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE), the Embassy of Mexico and the General Consulate of Mexico in Los Angeles and San Diego that have previously provided the CMSC with legal assistance and representation.
Moreover, the CMSC provides participants with the required academic documentation that validates and supports their Advance Parole applications. Yet, there has always been a risk factor when traveling with Advance Parole regardless of the Administration (Obama’s vs. Trump’s).
But, it depends if participating Dreamers have any previous criminal record, or something outstanding in their records that may trigger a secondary inspection upon return. If you have a misdemeanor or have had a deportation order before, we must advise you not to participate in this program because of any outstanding citations, misdemeanor, arrest, pending court appearance or order of deportation; we cannot guarantee your re-entry to the US.
Even if you have an active DACA status and Advance Parole Permit, it is still up to the discretion of the Customs Border Protection (CBP) Officer to let you return to the US. Furthermore, all of the above mentioned circumstances will pop-up CBP’s system at the border.
Generally speaking however, participants with active DACA status and no criminal record, should have no problem being allowed back to the U.S.
3. APPLICATION PROCESS:
3A: I already completed my online application, what happens next?
After completing your online application, you must submit a Personal Statement of Purpose (PSP) essay and 2 letters of recommendation by no later than June 16, 2017 11:59 pm PST in order to be considered for our program.
3B: When will I know if I was accepted into the program?
We project to have a final selection or participants by June 27, 2017
3C: If I don’t get selected, will you be offering other study abroad opportunities in the near future that I can apply to?
Yes. Anyone not selected will be considered for future programs and will be kept informed of other study abroad programs that we host or at different colleges and universities. Subscribe to our newsletter to find out about future program opportunities.
3D: I have applied to one of your programs before, do I need to re-apply again and re-send my PSP and letters of recommendation?
Yes, you do have to reapply and submit a new online application. However, if you have previously applied to one of our programs and submitted your Personal Statement of Purpose (PSP) and your 2 Letters of Recommendation (LORs), you are not required to resubmit them again. Although, we highly recommend that you resubmit a newly revised Personal Statement to improve your chances of being selected this time. If you have NOT previously submitted your PSP and LORs, you MUST submit them as required.
3E: I applied, but haven’t received any information from you guys. What should I do?
A: If you don’t receive an email within 5 days after applying, check your spam or send us an email: californiamexicocenter@gmail.com
4. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
4A: By when do we have to pay the $2,500 program fee and Advance Parole fee?
Selected participants will be required to pay the program fee of $2,500, and their Advance Parole application ($575) in the following manner:
- The first half of the program fee will have to be paid on July 13, 2017 ($1,000) and the remaining balance of $1,500 will be due on October 6, 2017, payable to The California-Mexico Studies Center, Inc.
- The Advance Parole Application fee has to be paid on or after July 13, 2017 when we schedule your Advance Parole preparation appointment. You will make a money order payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
4B: What does the $2,500 program fee include?
The $2,500 program fee include the following:
- Advance Parole application preparation, legal advice and filing assistance
- Spanish and Mexican culture instruction at the CETLALIC Institute
- Housing, meals, field-trips, and travel insurance for the duration of the program
- A home-stay living experience with Mexican host families
- Local transportation and lawful re-entry into the U.S.
- A chance for Dreamers to visit their birthplace, conduct family ethnographic research, and discover Mexico independently
- Psychological counseling and group therapy sessions
- Leadership skills to create similar programs and/or other projects that benefit Dreamers to“pay-it-forward” as required by the program’s mission.
4C: Are there any fee-waivers or additional grants/scholarships that we can apply to?
There are no CMSC fee-waivers or additional funds to pay for the program; selected participants will have to solicit, fundraise, or secure funding on their own.
4D: Will students be able to travel independently and visit their birthplace or discover Mexico? If so, for how long?
Yes. The program has been designed to give participants the unique opportunity to conduct independent travel and ethnographic research on their family origins, which will allow them to visit their family and birthplace at the participant’s own time availability anywhere from December 22, 2017 to January 3, 2018, prior to the beginning of the program in Mexico City. However, all participating Dreamers will be required to arrive to Mexico City by January 4, 2018 to begin the historical and cultural immersion program at CETLALIC.
4E: Do participants have to fly out from California to their birthplace?
No, participants can take a direct flight from anywhere in the U.S. to their destination in Mexico as long as they do so any time between December 22, 2017 and January 3, 2018. However, all participants are required to will be required to arrive to Mexico City by January 4, 2018 to begin the historical and cultural immersion program at CETLALIC.
4F: Can I travel to other countries during the independent family travel?
If you are a Dreamer from another country other than Mexico, you can travel to your own country during the designated independent/family visitation days from Dec. 22, 2017 to January 3, 2018. However, details on how to apply for advance parole to visit more than one country will be discussed on an individual basis after you have been accepted to the program.
4G: May I return before or after the program is over (before January 14, 2018)?
No, Advance Parole permits are issued for specific dates, therefore in order to secure a successful return, it is a program policy that you return to the U.S. collectively as a group on January 14, 2018. Participants will only be allowed to return prior to the end of the program in case of an emergency. However, participants will not receive a refund for the days of the program at which they did not participate.
4I: How can I help to take this kind of program to other campuses to benefit other dreamers?
Please apply, if selected, by the end of the program, you will be fully prepared to implement or assist in the development of similar programs.
If you have additional questions call CMSC Office at: (562) 430-5541 or Cell: (562) 280-4893
To return to the Winter 2017 California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program Application page click here