I’m currently a 21 year old (turning 22 in December) who moved to California around a year ago. My family used to live in Washington but went back to china because of financial issues. I’m not sure about it yet but I’m thinking about starting college here at a local community college. I don’t mind paying out of state at a community college but will I qualify for in state tuition when I get to a 4 year university? I plan on going to CC for 2 years if not more just in case I need to start off slowly.
Assuming I start this upcoming fall and graduate CC in 2 years, I will be 23 years old but turning 24 that December. Would that mean I’ll be considered independent for the 4 year university?
Also I’ve been living on my own the past year with no help from anyone else.
Oh and another question. Would it be okay if I asked my family for help for college? My family is saying they’d help me out if I ever had problems but I don’t want to accept it if it becomes a problem with gaining in state tuition here. Please correct me if I have any false information!
It is extremely hard to get instate residency because your residency is considered to be where your parents reside.
If you want instate residence fees, you have to work for two years, without taking any classes and without financial help from anyone.
Then, you have to be able to answer the following:
- Did you attend any classes during your California year?
- Are you self supporting? Do you have evidence of full time work without financial help from anyone for your current expenses?
Your residency determination date is the day your stay begins in California with your rental receipts (at market rate) with your pay stubs. If you receive financial help, from anyone, you cannot claim instate residency because you have to be “self-supporting” with financial proof (documents, rent receipts, w-2 forms, pay stubs). Your budget sheet of: rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, and other living expenses has to MATCH your pay stubs and W2.
Once you turn 24, you can be independent for financial aid, but this doesn’t automatically qualify for sufficient financial aid, nor does it make you a resident; this may make you full pay at $58k per year. Plus, working means you will have an income which will be used to determine financial aid.
In other words, you have to be self supporting to be independent, but once you are self supporting it is difficult to get any kind of aid other than loans because you won’t qualify for aid. It is very difficult to become a resident for tuition purposes in California, because it is so expensive, and you can’t have any financial help.
Hmm… sounds very difficult.
But
1- no, I have not yet taken any classes during the past year in california.
2- yes, I have been financially independent and I have w-2 and I’m not sure what a budget sheet is. Do you mean like a sheet that I created for organizing my budgets according to the money I have?
Why is it that I’m not able to take classes for 2 years?
and would it be a better idea for me to hold off college for another year then?