Paying for a college education has just gotten a lot easier for California’s undocumented immigrants.

A new law signed by Governor Gray Davis, will now allow an estimated 1,500 qualified unauthorized students to pay California resident tuition fees at all California community colleges and California state universities.

Prior to Jan. 1, because illegal aliens are unlawfully residing in California, they were required to pay out-of-state college tuition fees even if they had lived in California for most of their lives.

Currently, community college fees are $11 per unit for California state residents and $130 a unit for non-residents. At California State universities fees are $1,839 a year for residents and $7,350 for non-residents.

Because undocumented immigrants are not eligible for financial aid under state law, the price of higher education was a major hindrance for many students.

Maria Gomez, an immigrant who migrated to California with her parents when she was five years, old is anxious to reap the benefits of the new law.

“I graduated from high school in 2000, I wanted to go straight to college but because I had to pay out-of-state fees I couldn’t afford it. I have been saving up to pay for tuition at Cal State Dominguez Hills so I probably can afford it now.

To qualify under the new policy, students have to have had attended a California state high school and earned a diploma or its equivalent. Students must also provide proof of residency or file a confidential affidavit proving that they have applied for lawful immigration status with the United States immigration and naturalization services.

California and Texas are the only two states in the nation to offer in-state tuition to its undocumented residents.

As Davis signed the bill into law he said, “kids who grew up and graduated from here should not be priced out of a future.”