How hard/easy is it to declare California residency?

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

<p>I am a 21 yr old junior transfer student. I did not go to high school in California.
I went to a california community college for two and a half years. In addition, my parents do not live in California, they live in NY. I also do not work so there is no way I have any tax papers from CA. Based on these things, am I considered a California resident?
I am so sad that tuition might be over $40,000(including apt,book, etc) if they dont consider me as a resident. :( Clearly, I wont be able to afford it.</p>

<p>In the California community college I am attending right now, I became a resident a year ago. I submitted my apartment lease and some utility bills that they were mailed to a CA resident for a yr. It was super easy. </p>

<p>However, I've heard that UC has a complicated, yet strict residency rules. I visited their website but I cannot understand it very well. Please help me! :(</p>

2

<p>As you said, there is a NIGHT and DAY difference in the way CCs and the Universities determine residency. The UCs (and CSUs) have VERY strict rules, where you not only need to show certain documents, but also need to prove “intent”. Since you are 21 (that is, not 24 to be considered independent) it will be extremely difficult to prove residency since your parents live in New York. Additionally, since you do not earn a living and file California state taxes, it will be near-impossible to prove that you are independent.</p>

<p>Although it will be a big uphill battle, some things you can use to show intent are: Having car insurance in CA, owning/registering a vehicle in CA for a few years, having a CA drivers license for a few years. A combination of these things MIGHT help.</p>

<p>Have you looked into financial aid??</p>

3

<p>Since you are under the age of 24, unless your parents are willing to move to California and establish residency themselves, you must demonstrate financial independence from them to declare residency for tuition purposes at the UCs. To do this, your parents must not have claimed you on their taxes for the previous two years and your annual income must be able to sufficiently support your needs. There are a few loopholes such as if you’re a veteran, married, or have a dependent of your own, though, that can also label you as independent.</p>

<p>More details here including links to each individual UC’s residency qualification page:
[University</a> of California - Admissions](<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/ca_residency.html]University”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/ca_residency.html)</p>

4

<p>worst case scenario if uc wantsyou to fork up that 50k per year because you’re considered out of state(because of your parents), is to intern or get a job in desirable career interests until the year before you turn 24. you are considered independent when you’re 24 for financial aid purposes, and i imagine this will also apply to residency at a uc.
apply to the uc’s for the fall of when you will be or would have been 24</p>

5

<p>theyre pretty lame, i have a friend who attended high school in CA for 2 years, worked here, and lived with family that wasn’t paying for her education, but she still didn’t count as independent. her parents live out of state and aren’t contributing either, but they charged her out of state for the first year… and she doesn’t know if they’ll change her status by next year either. I think they’re trying to get as much as they can out of people cause of the budget cuts so they aren’t going to let anyone slip out of paying twice as much if they can help it.</p>