Immigration status ?

b_r_um
Sun, 28 Aug 2016 05:59:51 +0000

Once your asylum is granted, you are an “eligible non-citizen” for tuition, residence and financial aid purposes. You would be eligible for in-state tuition just like US citizens or permanent residents, provided that you meet all of the other requirements for in-state status (e.g. living in Florida continuously for at least 12 months, demonstrated intent to make Florida your permanent home): http://www.flbog.edu/forstudents/ati/resrequirements.php

I don’t want to pry into your family situation, but I do want to mention that Florida presumes that students of your age are dependent on their parents and have the same domicile as their parents. If at least one of your parents is living in Florida also, that won’t be a problem. If they are alive and living elsewhere, you’d have to convince the university that you are independent of your parents (e.g. providing for your own living expenses) in order to qualify for in-state tuition.

With a granted asylum application, you are also eligible for federal financial aid. You may not be eligible for financial aid from the state of Florida because Florida aid seems to be restricted to graduates of Florida high schools - but I recommend you talk to someone who knows the Florida state financial aid system better than me. You may be eligible for university-funded grants and scholarships; each university sets their own policies and you may receive assistance from some universities and not others.

Does the fact that I graduated more than 2 years ago affect my admission?

No, your age should not be a factor because you are still a “traditionally aged” college student. However, that you have already attended a university elsewhere matters. That may make you a transfer applicant, depending on how many credits you have completed there. Transfer applicants have a different application process and usually fewer scholarship opportunities available to them than first-time college applicants.