Residency

If claiming residency for tuition purposes, you must be a resident of California for more than one year before the first day of the semester for which you are claiming residency.

Establishing Residency

You must establish both your date of entry and your intent to remain. Therefore you must begin documenting your intent to reside permanently in California as soon as possible. Make sure all documents are clearly dated.

Intent to remain may be demonstrated by the following samples:

  • Acquiring a California Driver's License or ID card within 10 days of your arrival
  • Obtaining a motor vehicle registration within 20 days of your arrival
  • Registering to vote and voting in California elections
  • Establishing and maintaining active bank accounts in California banks and closing out-of-state accounts
  • Working in California and filing a California resident tax form from the date of entry into the State. Income earned outside of the State thereafter must also be declared in California.
  • Designating California as your permanent address on all school, employment and current military records
  • Remaining in California when school is not in session and keeping receipts to verify that you were in residence
  • Canceled checks

This is only a sample of the type of information which will be required. Whatever form it takes, evidence must be consistent with your relinquishing your residence in another state. Lease agreements, rent receipts, and copies of plane tickets will establish date of arrival, but not intent to remain.

 

The Residency Office

The Residency Office will begin taking applications for residency about May 1, for the following academic year. You should make a duplicate file of everything you submit to the Residency Office with the date of submission on each item.

If you have more questions about this, call the Residency Office at 642-1614. They are located in 39 Sproul Hall.

 

Demonstrated Financial Independence

You must show that you have relinquished your residence in another state as well as prove intent to remain in California.

You must also be able to demonstrate financial independence, i.e. your parents did not claim you as a dependent on the previous year's tax forms, and you can show that you will have financial support for the year in which you intend to gain residence status.

 

Classification Petition

To ensure that your classification petition is evaluated prior to the July 15th fee payment, you must submit to the Residency Office by June 5th a completed petition with all the relevant documentation, including summer whereabouts.

Your petition for classification can't be finalized until all required documents, including official verification that you remained in California during the entire summer, are submitted.

Students who have not completed the classification process and have not been classified as a resident by the registration fee payment deadline of July 15th will be liable for payment of their assessed nonresident fees.

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