Hello, I was accepted for fall 2018 at UCSC, UCSB, and UCSD. However, I live in Florida for now, and basically I’m wondering how I can get California residency for tuition purposes. I’ve looked over the requirements, but I still am not sure exactly if I will be able to get California residency, and if I can get it after 1 or 2 years of school. I also plan on completing my undergrad degree in 3 years since I have a bunch of ap credits.
Some things that may help me with the requirements…
For physical presence-
I have some good family friends that have been residents of California for years.
I’m coming to California primarily because I want to live in California and eventually establish a neurosurgery practice there.
For intent to remain in California-
I have always intended to live in California after I graduate as well and eventually establish a neurosurgery practice. (I’m not sure how to officially establish that intent though)
For Financial Independence-
My dad still has the option whether or not to claim me as a dependent for 2017 tax returns, so if he doesn’t for 2017 and 2018, then I will have been independent for 2 years preceding the start of my 2nd year at whichever UC i go to.
However, I’m not sure how I could be completely financially independent, because I will definitely need my dad’s help to pay for college. But maybe he could just give me the money somehow and then I can technically use it for renting/tuition in my name? I’m not sure how that works.
If you are moving to California for educational purposes, you will be unable to establish residency until you are done with your education, from what I’ve read.
First of all, someone who will be premed should never want to go to Calif! That’s like tying one hand behind your back.
You’re 18…you’d be well over 30 by the time you’d be a practicing neurosurgeon. Who knows where you’ll end up for med school…or residency…or fellowship. Who knows where you’ll end up.
You’re a Florida resident…a state with a lot of med schools and where admissions aren’t insane like Calif. Don’t hog-tie yourself by going to Calif as a premed. That would be just awful.
BTW…your plan won’t work anyway. And the idea of being a premed for only 3 years is also naive.
Well now this is seeming very unlikely. Btw the only other colleges I got into are Miami and UCF, and Miami would be even more expensive for me than the UC’s I got into.
@thumper1 I would be the only person in my family to be living in Cali unfortunately. And UCF (I’m also from Orlando btw) would be pretty much free for me because I got the highest level of the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship which covers 100% tuition for Florida public schools.
Intention rules ALL. Once it is established that you moved there with the intent to go to school, the die is cast, only to be altered in the rarest of personal circumstances. The bottom line is this, don’t plan on it ever happening.
@mom2collegekids I know UCF is a pretty good school, but it’s just hard for me to choose UCF (which is ranked in the 200’s) over a top 15 school like UCSD, especially for neuroscience. Also, I would get 12k per year in merit scholarships from UCSC, but it would still be very expensive.
@thumper1 My dad would pay it, but he doesn’t want to have to pay more than 30-40k tops per year for college considering I still have med school after my undergrad.