UndocuCareer & Entrepreneurship Resources

For a comprehensive guide on how career and income options exist for immigrant students, please refer to the Career Guide for Immigrant Students (last updated Sept. 2025).

Please note that students without work authorization should consult with an immigration attorney before engaging in any paid activity.

The “Working For Yourself” handbook was developed by Immigrants Rising and is meant to give an overview over career and income options. This is a great resource for students who want to learn more about entrepreneurship, the difference between contract work and employment, tax requirements, what a contract should look like, and much more.

You can access the guidebook here: https://immigrantsrising.org/resource/working-for-yourself/

Please note that the information in this guidebook has not been vetted or approved by MSU Denver, and you should always review your specific immigration and income situation with an attorney or legal specialist before acting on any advice.

The “ITIN Guide” was developed by Immigrants Rising and it reviews how to apply for, renew, and use an ITIN number. For people who are ineligible for a Social Security Number, an ITIN can be used to report earning to the Internal Revenue Service, open a bank account with certain banks, and to conduct business in the U.S.

You can access the “ITIN Guide” here: https://immigrantsrising.org/resource/individual-tax-identification-number-guide/

Please note that the information in this guidebook has not been vetted or approved by MSU Denver, and you should always review your specific immigration and income situation with an attorney or legal specialist before acting on any advice.

The FAQ on DACA for Employers (November 2021) provides helpful information for employers who want to learn more about DACA in workplace.

The immigrant advocacy organization FWD.us has put together a helpful DACA Career Employer Guide; this guide can be accessed here: https://www.fwd.us/news/daca-employer-guide/

Join an entrepreneur community

Local

• Small Business Development Center: State and federal resources are available to support small businesses, non-profits, freelancers, and independent contractors
• Center for Community Wealth Building: Assists local small businesses with various tasks & development
• Adelante: Assists local small businesses with various tasks & development

Virtual

• Out in tech: the world’s largest non-profit community of LGBTQ+ tech leaders
• Techqueria: nonprofit that serves the largest global community of Latinx professionals in tech
• Women who startup: a Learning platform for a Global Community of Women Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Share your idea and get feedback

• 1 million cups: On Wednesdays, local Denverites connect & give feedback to startup presenters at Enterprise Coworking.
• Startup Weekends: is a three-day program where aspiring entrepreneurs can experience startup life. In hundreds of cities around the world.
• Denver Startup Week: Find epic content during the Week and all year long, and grow your skill set on your terms. Coming up September 19-23

Education & knowledge

• Mi casa resource center: Mission is to educate, train, and support youth and adults on their path to economic success. Business consulting with Mi Casa:
• Crunchbase platform: Crunchbase University. It features a number of instructional videos, and also links to our roadmap with upcoming releases and a feature request form.
• SoGal Foundation hosts 250+ educational events around the globe annually. SoGal Academy serves as a donation-based online platform to make these valuable events accessible to all.
• Techstars Entrepreneurship Toolkit: Online educational resource to help you learn the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and accelerate your success.

Running your business

• Global EIR: Helping entrepreneurs get their visas
• Legalpad: takes care of work visas for startups
• Curated list of education & community opportunities for all founders –Check it out
• Funding/capital resources for underrepresented founders – Check it out
• Meet your mentor on Mentor Makers to access free tactical mentorship for your business, because one conversation can change your destiny.
• Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute: RMMFI Entrepreneur Flyer (English) 1
• Tech & Startup Resources
• Guide: Finding the right tools

These websites are helpful in looking for contract-based work:

• undocuprofessionals.net/opportunities/all
• Indeed.com
• FlexJobs.com
• Dice.com
• Upwork.com
• osc.colorado.gov/spco/solicitations (State government bid solicitations)

A good collection of contract sites can also be found here: www.thebalancemoney.com/find-freelance-work-online-2072051.