Residency Requirements
To avoid paying any non-resident tuition fees, you will need to establish your California residency status with our Admissions office. Here, we help you get an understanding of California’s residency requirements, who should establish residency, and how you should go about doing it.
Please don’t hesitate to email or call the Admissions & Records office if you have any questions, issues or concerns.
What Are California’s Residency Requirements?
Residency is determined by the union of physical presence and evidence of intent to make California the permanent home for one prior year as of the residence determination date. The residence determination date is the day immediately preceding the opening day of a semester or session.
If you establish residency, this means that you would not need to pay additional non-resident tuition fees.
Who Needs to Take This Step?
California state law requires that a student who is applying for admission or who is currently enrolled and is requesting residency reclassification provide information and evidence to determine his or her status.
Physical Presence
Physical presence for one year prior to the residency determination date includes but is not limited to:
Rental/lease agreement
Utility bills
Employment paystubs
Bank statements
Intent
If you cannot establish residency, you may still be able to establish an intent of residency.
Acceptable intent includes but is not limited to:
Filing California state taxes as a resident.
Maintaining California as the legal state of residence on leave and earning statement
and W-2 forms while in the military.
Possession of a valid Resident California Vehicle Registration.
Possession of a valid California Driver's License.
Registering to vote and voting in California.
Being a petitioner for divorce in California.
Obtain licensing from California for professional practice.
Registering for Selective Service.
Students who have immigrant or non-immigrant status may also be required to submit verification of their application date or adjustment of status from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Residency for Different Situations
There may be different ways to establish residency depending on your living situation. So we’ve compiled some mini-guides to help!
When Do I Need To Do This?
When is Documentation Due?
All documentation must be received by the week before Final Examination Week begins for full-semester-length classes.
Note: See Important Dates and Deadlines for current semester dates. No appeals or documents will be accepted once final exams have begun.
Disclaimer: The information posted on the residency page is in no way a complete explanation of the residency laws and regulations. Some cases require more extensive investigation and will be handled on a case-by-case basis. However, the burden of proof to clearly demonstrate both physical presence and intent is the responsibility of the student.