(a) Commencing with the 2015–16 academic year, a student attending a participating institution may receive a loan under the DREAM Program if the student satisfies all of the following requirements:

(1) The student is exempt from paying nonresident tuition under Section 68130.5, or meets equivalent requirements adopted by the Regents of the University of California.

(2) The student applies for financial aid using the application established by the commission pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 69508.5, known as the Dream Act Application.

(3) The student is enrolled at least half time in good standing in one of the following programs at a participating institution:

(A) An instructional program.

(B) Commencing with the 2020–21 academic year, a graduate program.

(4) The student is determined by the participating institution to have financial need.

(5) The student maintains satisfactory academic progress at the participating institution.

(6) The student is not incarcerated.

(7) The student is not in default on any federal student loan, state student loan, or student loan issued by the California State University or the University of California.

(8) The student is enrolled in one of the following programs:

(A) A program eligible for participation in the Cal Grant Program.

(B) Commencing with the 2020–21 academic year, a state-supported graduate or professional degree program.

(b) (1) The commission or the participating institution shall require the student to affirm in writing that the student satisfies the requirements of paragraph (7) of subdivision (a).

(2) A student seeking an award shall authorize the commission to access any information pertinent to certify that the student meets the requirements of subdivision (a).

(c) The commission, in collaboration with the participating institution, shall certify that the student satisfies all of the requirements specified in subdivision (a) before the participating institution may issue an award to the student pursuant to this article.

(d) The Legislature finds and declares that this article is a state law within the meaning of Section 1621(d) of Title 8 of the United States Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 526, Sec. 2. (SB 354) Effective January 1, 2020.)