Application Information
Eligibility | Info Sessions | Frequently Asked Questions | Contact Us
Application Now Closed.
Application opens again on January 1, 2025.
Eligibility Requirements
Refugee background, which means either the individual OR their parents
were resettled through a refugee resettlement agency
qualified for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs)
Asylee
Seeking asylum (Utah only)
Humanitarian parole
Temporary Protected Status
Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA
Full-time undergraduate student by program start date (taking 12 or more credits each semester)
Applicants may be pursuing a technical degree, associate degree, or bachelor degree (however, anyone that has already obtained a bachelor’s degree from the United States or another country is not eligible)
Completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application for 2025-2026 school year
If parents have received a bachelor degree or higher in the U.S., the scholar must be PELL eligible to qualify
Applicant must be college English-ready (you have tested into regular college English classes)
Info Sessions
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
-
Personal Essay (1-2 pages about your education, background, and career goals)
Current High School or College UNOFFICIAL Transcripts (Must include cumulative GPA and current credits completed)
Copy of Photo I.D. (School, State, or Driver's License)
Copy of email indicating FAFSA is submitted for 2025-2026 school year (Sent as screenshot, click here to see example)
-
Applicants will be notified in March 2024 if application is submitted before March 1. If application is submitted after the March 1 deadline, applicant will be notified that they will be considered for the following year.
-
You or your parents came into the U.S. through the refugee resettlement program
You or your parents have received asylum status
You or your parents came into the U.S. with a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV)
Seeking asylum (Utah only)
Humanitarian parole, or Temporary Protected Status
-
Most public colleges and universities in the states of Utah and Idaho are approved. Expensive private colleges and universities will not be considered. Priority is given to students who are willing to attend a community college first.
-
College English and math ready means that you are academically prepared for college-level courses. In Utah this means that you qualify for English 1010 and Math 1010. In Idaho this means that you qualify for English 101 and Math 143. If your high school test scores do not automatically test you into these courses, you will be required to take an English and Math placement exam to determine class eligibility.
-
You can ask your school counselor (high school students) or academic advisor (college students) on how to get your transcript. We do not need an official transcript and an unofficial transcript works just fine!
-
One Refugee staff does not help with filling out FAFSA, but there are many resources you can use to to help guide you!
Gather Information to Fill Out FAFSA Video
FAFSA Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid
For specific questions, check the Help section of the FAFSA website or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4‐FED AID (1-800-433-3243).
-
If your cumulative GPA is below 2.5, we will look at your term GPA for the past two semesters. We will encourage you to apply and explain the reason for your low GPA in your personal essay. Any application with a GPA lower than a 2.5 will be subject to committee review.
-
In order to qualify for One Refugee, you must qualify for regular college English at the school you will be attending. If you do not meet any of the following criteria, you must take an English placement exam:
Duolingo 96 or higher
iBT/TOEFL 68 or higher
IELTS 6 or higher
ACT English score of 18 or higher
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
(EWBR) Score of 480 or higher
At least 3 years US H.S. graduate with A’s & B’s in Non-ESL English classes