A new partnership between a foundation and a charter school network is planning to provide $3 million in scholarships to 70 Chicago high school students to attend college who are currently undocumented immigrants. Among the foundation's leaders and family namesake is U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.

"For our students, this is a game changer," Michael Milkie, superintendent and CEO of the Noble Network of Charter Schools, said in a statement. "For the first time, all undocumented Noble seniors can plan their future knowing that they will have sufficient financial support to access a college of their dreams."

The project joins Noble Network schools with the Pritzker Foundation and the Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation. Commerce secretary Pritzker co-founded the foundation with her husband, Bryan Traubert.

While many Americans oppose granting these kinds of privileges to immigrants in the Unites States who have not emigrated legally, activists on immigration reform argue that many of the individuals at a disadvantage are individuals brought into the country as children. Young immigrants can attend college, but in reality only 5 to 10 percent do because they cannot afford it and are unable to apply for government financial aid, according to a College Board estimate. These Pritzker scholarships would largely cover the federal and state financial aid these low-income students would have received were it not for their immigration ineligibility.

The Pritzker Access Scholarship, which are awarded through their foundation, will give each Noble recipient $12,000 annually for four years. The first scholarships will be available in 2015 to Noble seniors on 16 campuses who qualified for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a relief status from deportation. They must be accepted to a four-year college and maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA.

"For the last three years, I've worked really, really hard to get my grades up ... but when I found out that I couldn't get financial support, it really unmotivated me," Vanessa, a senior at Golder Prep, said. She said these kinds of scholarships were "like a dream come true."

Vanessa did not want to disclose her last name to identify her family's immigration status, but did say to the Chicago Tribune that she plans on studying psychology or veterinary science at a school like the University of Wisconsin. She came to the U.S. from Mexico at age 2, and her family's savings for school severely limited her options for higher education.

"My teacher always mentioned how much she loved Madison and when I visited, I fell in love with it too," Vanessa said. "When I found out about the money, I didn't know how to react. It's all just very exciting and emotional."