Illegal immigrants in California are now able to receive state-funded aid and scholarships at state universities.

On Saturday, Oct. 8, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the second half of the California Dream Act, joining California with only a handful of other states that have similar laws in place.

“Going to college is a dream that promises intellectual excitement and creative thinking,” Gov. Brown said during the signing of the bill at Los Angeles City College. “The Dream Act benefits us all by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and the lives of all of us.”

The first half of the bill was signed in July, and allowed for illegal immigrants to apply for private scholarships and aid.

AB 131, or the Dream Act II, as it was referred to, will require immigrant students to meet the same standards as all other students who apply for financial aid.

However, illegal immigrants will only be considered for aid once all non-immigrant students have applied.

Other stipulations mandate that the students must have been brought to the U.S before the age of 16.

The law is different from the contentious federal Dream Act that has been on and off the floor of congress for the past decade.

The latest version of that bill, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, provides a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants in college or university.

The new bill in California is seen by some as a response to the hard-line approach taken by states like Alabama and Georgia with illegal immigration.

Alabama passed new legislation this year that allows police to question anyone suspected of being in the country illegally during a traffic stop, and hold them without bond if no proof of citizenship is provided.

Pew research estimates that there are as many as 2.7 million undocumented migrants in California alone.

Each year nearly 25,000 high school graduates in California are illegal immigrants.

The California Department of Finance estimates that 2,500 students will qualify for Cal Grants as a result of the California Dream Act at a cost of $14.5 million.

$1.4 billion is spent annually to fund the Cal Grants, so roughly 1 percent of all funds will be impacted.

Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, first sponsored the bill in 2006 and was approved by the state legislature.

The bill was however vetoed by then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Cedillo was also present at the signing of the bill on Sunday. “The signing of now both parts of the California Dream Act will send a message across the country that California is prepared to lead the country with a positive and productive vision for how we approach challenging issues related to immigration,” Cedillo said at the bill signing.