Currently, I’m an out of state prospective student and am planning to attend a California Community College near my relative’s house since housing in California is so expensive. I plan to attend Foothill for two years, making sure to keep up my grades and extracurriculars, before trying to transfer out my third year and hopefully get accepted and attend one of my dream UCs. However, I’m not sure about the details of establishing residency, and this whole plan would be pointless if I can’t establish residency to get instate tuition, as OOS tuition is too expensive to afford. My question is how exactly does establishing California residency work? I’ve heard something about establishing physical presence in California for a year and a day, but not too sure about other requirements. Would my plan to attend CCC for higher transfer rates, establishing residency for future in state tuition, and then transferring to UC work in terms of only having to pay for in state tuition? Thanks!
http://ucop.edu/residency/establishing-residency.html
Basically, it is nearly impossible to establish residency because you wouldn’t be able to afford it. If your parents aren’t residents, you would be considered OOS for any school you attended.
You have to work for two years without attending classes. The problem is paying rent and being self-sufficient. You can’t have help from anyone and your budget has to match your W2’s and expenses. With market rate rents being $1500 to $2k, you would have an extremely hard time making ends meet without help.
California residents pay an enormous amount of taxes for years. Those taxes help to fund the schools. Instate fees pertain to residents whose parents are California taxpayers.
Establishing residency for the purposes of in-state tuition is not going to happen unless you are financial independent from your parents and are over 24 years in age.
Coming to California for the sole purpose of education will not get you California residency. You would have to move to California 366 days prior to your residency determination. You cannot take any college courses and need to show proof that you are financially independent.
University of California undocumented student resources
How to establish residency
These are general guidelines on what it means to establish residency. If you are hoping to establish residency, contact your campus residence deputy to assess your situation.
Undergraduates: If you’re a nonresident undergraduate student with nonresident parents, obtaining California residency for the purposes of tuition is extremely difficult (this includes transfer students from community colleges and other postsecondary institutions within California). Virtually all nonresident undergraduates with nonresident parents remain nonresidents for the duration of their undergraduate career at UC.
Establishing physical presence and intent
To meet these requirements, you must be continuously physically present in California for more than one year (366 days) immediately prior to the residence determination date (generally the first day of classes) and intend to make California your home permanently. You can demonstrate your intention to stay in California by relinquishing legal ties to your former state and establishing legal ties to California.
Here are some ways you can establish intent:
Remain in California when school is not in session.
Register to vote and vote in California elections.
Designate your California address as permanent on all school and employment records, including current military records.
Obtain a California driver’s license within 10 days of settling in California. (If you’ve never had a driver’s license in any state, then obtain a California identification card.)
If you have a car, obtain a California motor vehicle registration within 20 days of settling in California.
Work in California and file California resident income tax forms from the date of entry into the state. Income earned outside of California after that date must also be declared in California.
Establish and maintain active bank accounts in California banks and close out-of-state accounts.
Surrender all out-of-state identification (including driver’s license).
Establish a permanent home where your belongings are kept.
Obtain a license for professional practice in California.
You’ll need to relinquish out-of-state ties and demonstrate intent while simultaneously meeting the physical presence requirement.
Absences from California
In order to demonstrate intent, it is important to stay in California during nonacademic periods. If you’re a nonresident student who is in the process of establishing California residency, and you leave California for more than one month during the summer before the term in which you are establishing resident status, your intent will be questioned.
Graduate and law students who must leave for nonacademic-related reasons for more than a month during the summer should contact the campus residence deputy to seek advice prior to leaving and filing for classification.
Financial independence
Nonresident undergraduates
This requirement makes it extremely difficult for most undergraduates who are not financially dependent on a California-resident parent to qualify for classification as a California resident.
If you’re an unmarried undergraduate under the age of 24 and your parent(s) are not California residents, you must be able to document (for example, using tax returns, W-2 forms, bank statements) that you have been totally self-sufficient for two full years prior to the residence determination date, supporting yourself, for example, through jobs, financial aid, commercial/institutional loans in your name only, and documentable savings from your earnings. This also means you can’t have been claimed as an income tax dependent by any individual or have accepted gifts (cash or other support) that contributed to your subsistence for two tax years immediately preceding the term.
Exceptions to the financial independence requirement
You may not need to meet this requirement for establishing residency if:
You’re a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
You’re a ward of the court or both of your parents are deceased.
You have legal dependents other than a spouse.
You’re married and won’t be claimed as an income tax deduction by your parents or any other individual for the tax year immediately preceding the request for resident classification.
There are other exceptions, so make sure to contact your campus residence deputy office to learn if you meet the financial independence requirement. See the full policy for all exceptions to the financial independence requirement (pdf).
Residency requirements
There are four requirements you must fulfill in order to be a California resident for purposes of tuition at UC. All these requirements must be met by the residence determination date (generally the first day of classes) of the term for which you request a resident classification.
- Physical presence
You must be continuously physically present in California for more than one year (366 days) immediately prior to the residence determination date of the term for which you request resident status. If you moved to California primarily to attend the University of California, you are here for educational purposes and may not be eligible for a resident classification for purposes of tuition.
Read the full policy on physical presence (pdf)
- Intent to remain in California
You must establish your intent to make California your home one year prior to the residence determination date of the term for which you request resident status.
Read the full policy on intent to remain in California (pdf)
- Financial independence
If you’re an unmarried undergraduate under the age of
24 and your parent(s) are not California residents, you must be able to verify financial independence for the two full years immediately preceding the term you wish to enroll. Graduate students are presumed to be financially independent unless they were claimed as a dependent on their parents’ federal tax return for the most recent tax year.
Read the full policy on financial independence (pdf)
- Immigration status
You must have the legal ability to establish a permanent domicile in the United States, meaning that you must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold a valid, qualifying nonimmigrant visa.