Immigration

[re: financial aid:]
Although we don’t have this information on our website, I did find a book about U Visas written by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, which says that in some states, U Visa holders may be eligible to receive in-state college tuition. Some colleges have counselors who may be able to help you access in-state college tuition of other education-related benefits by advocating on your behalf. I am sorry that I don’t have more specific information on this but perhaps you may want to talk to the counselor at the schools you will be applying to to find out which ones are willing to help you in this regard.

[re: pubilc benefits:]
Although we don’t have this information on our website, I did find a book about U Visas written by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, which says: Many immigrant face numerous restrictions against accessing federal benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Eligibility requirements for public benefits vary from state to state. Federal law provides that noncitizens who are not “qualified aliens” are ineligible for state or local public benefits. However, the law also grants states the authority to provide state and local benefits to noncitizens through the enactment of a state law. CIS has affirmed that receipt of public benefits will likely not make an application for a U visa inadmissible under the “public charge” ground of inadmissibility.

So, above is some general information but as you can see, the benefits available may depend on your state. You may want to reach out to a local program that specializes in public benefits such as a Legal Aid Society or a local domestic violence program to see if they can tell you what your state provides, if anything. Here is a link for both: