** 2024 Commencement Updates **

** 2024 Commencement Updates **

DACA students

Undocumented students
New Mexico Highlands University is committed to providing opportunities for students to attain an exceptional education within a diverse community. We are committed to our core values of excellence, diversity, accessibility, and responsiveness. Therefore, Highlands will accept students regardless of their citizenship status. Undocumented and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA)/Dreamer students who apply to Highlands are treated like family, the same as citizen applicants. Applying undocumented students should follow the same application procedure for all domestic (not international) applicants to Highlands. This process includes: 

First-time freshmen applicants

  1. Apply
  2. Submit official high school transcripts via email:  admissions@nmhu.edu

    OR

    Mailing address:
    New Mexico Highlands University Student Recruitment & Undergraduate Admission
    Box 9000
    Las Vegas, NM 87701

  1. Submit ACT/SAT test scores (used for course placement and scholarship award consideration).
  2. Email admissions@nmhu.edu indicating your citizenship status.

 Transfer applicants

  1. Apply
  2. Submit official high school transcripts via email:  admissions@nmhu.edu

    OR

    Mailing address:
    New Mexico Highlands University Student Recruitment & Undergraduate Admission
    Box 9000
    Las Vegas, NM 87701

  1. Email admissions@nmhu.edu indicating your citizenship status.

Financial aid
New Mexico Highlands University is here to assist students in finding ways to fund their college education through a variety of financial aid options. Because federal financial aid is not available for undocumented students, Highlands provides state, institutional, and foundation scholarships in its place. If you have a 2.5+ cumulative high school GPA (first-time freshman) or 3.0+ college GPA (transfer), you may qualify for merit-based institutional scholarships.

Highlands also offers NMHU Foundation Scholarships or donor scholarships. Applicants are encouraged to apply for the NMHU Foundation Scholarships in March. If you are a student with DACA status, you can submit a FAFSA to receive a Student Aid Report (SAR), if scholarships require an SAR.

Student employment
Students may be eligible to apply for non-federal student employment positions on campus. Highlands Career Services will work with undocumented students to find on-campus institutional jobs, off-campus part-time jobs, summer internships and research programs, and career employment. Applicants are encouraged to browse through our student jobs announcement board.

Online resources for DACA status application:

  1. https://unitedwedream.org/about/projects/deferred-action/
  1. http://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/consideration-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca
  1. https://immigrantjustice.org