Georgia is one of three states to ban undocumented students from attending public universities and paying in-state tuition. To combat educational segregation in Georgia, Freedom University is an organization that strives to advance the human right to education for undocumented students. Founded in 2011, Freedom University is an underground school that provides tuition-free college preparation courses for undocumented students in Atlanta, Georgia.
Freedom University is the only school exclusively formed for undocumented youth in the United States. It is a sanctuary for undocumented young people ages 17-25 who want to attend college. The academic year includes Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters, and the program accepts 25 students every semester. Faculty members from Emory University, Morehouse College, Georgia State University, and Georgia Tech volunteer their time and expertise as faculty at Freedom University because they believe in educational equity for all students.
Freedom University provides undocumented students with college preparation courses, college and scholarship application assistance, and leadership training to empower undocumented students, many of whom are a part of the Latinx community. While students do not earn college credit directly from Freedom University, many of its course offerings prepare students for College Board CLEP exams for college credit that can be transferred to a future university.
About TheDream.US
TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college access and success program for immigrant youth, having provided more than 5,000 college scholarships to DREAMers at more than 70 partner colleges in 16 states and Washington, DC. We believe that all young Americans, regardless of where they were born, should have the opportunity to get a college education and pursue a meaningful career that contributes to our country’s prosperity.