TheDream.US launched a new scholarship program hailed as "groundbreaking," in the way it seeks to aid immigrants "locked out" of the chance to pursue higher education.

Already celebrated as the nation's largest scholarship fund for DREAMers, The Dream.US Opportunity Scholarship, in partnership with the states of Connecticut and Delaware, will now aid an additional 500 immigrant students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protective Status (TPS).

Currently all such students are either required to pay out-of-state tuition costs or completely blocked from enrolling at most state colleges or universities.

Program Could Lead to Windfall for Partner Schools

While no state funds are slated to be spent on the new program, partner colleges could see earnings of more than $40 million generated by the program. Eastern Connecticut State University and Delaware State University are the two schools leading the way in terms of accepting students and offering them an affordable education.

The privately funded Dream.US Opportunity Scholarship is designed to pay up to $80,000 to help fund the costs of tuition, fees, on-campus housing and meals.

"Education is an American value," TheDream.U.S. co-founder Donald E. Graham said in a press statement. "We should help every student who has worked hard. TheDream.US Opportunity Scholarship will help immigrant students fulfill their dreams of obtaining a college education so they can better the lives of their families, communities, and our nation."

Hispanic Parents Sill Believe Education key to Success

Indeed, a recent Pew Research Center study found Hispanic and black parents are much more likely than white parents to emphasize a college degree in helping their children get ahead.

Overall, researchers found 86 percent of Hispanic parents with children under 18 admit they still feel education is essential, compared to just 67 percent of white parents. In addition, nearly half of all Hispanics polled indicated they are convinced that having a college degree is needed to move into the middle class.

Along with funding over 500 out-of-state DREAMers, TheDream.US program will provide 100 scholarships of up to $7,250 each to in-state DREAMers that enroll at either Eastern Connecticut State University or Delaware State University.

The Opportunity Scholarship will be made available to DREAMers in 16 targeted locked-out states, including Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

The deadline for applications is June 9, and scholarship recipients will be announced at the end of the month. TheDream.US currently provides scholarships to more than 900 DREAMERs at 70 partner colleges that offer in-state tuition costs to DREAMers.

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