Residency question

[rhumbob]

<p>Not sure where to post this question but I always appreciate the responses in the parents forum. My question is how state schools look for residency for grad school / law school.</p>

<p>D graduated in 2011. We are CA residents and she attended school out of state. She is now in Teach For America in yet another state. She is a full time employee, no longer my dependent. Would a California state law school consider her to be a dependent of the state where she is working? Since TFA is only a 2 year program could it be argued this is a temporary work assignment that does not change her tax home from CA?</p>

<p>Any pointers would be appreciated.</p>

[GladGradDad]

<p>Residency requirements for state U law schools can be different than the residency requirements at the same U for undergrad. It seems that in general it’s more lax for LS and even if she’s not considered in-state to begin with she might be after the first year. </p>

<p>You should check the particular LS websites to see what they have to say about this since they could change even campus to campus (Ex: UCB vs UCD). If it’s not clear on the web site then contact the LS admissions and ask them.</p>

[anon94785555]

<p>State of residency often considers where the child graduated from HS if parents were also state residents then. This helps students whose parents move after their child finishes HS, students who go to OOS colleges or join the military. You would have to check to see if Teach for America is one of those programs that lets her keep her CA residency.</p>

[ellemenope]

<p>Check AB 540</p>

<p>Under the policy adopted by The UC Regents, students who attended high school for at least three years in California and graduated from a California high school may be eligible to pay the same tuition as California residents.</p>

[GladGradDad]

<p>Here’s the page form UCB’s LS website on residency. This is just UCB - you should check the other state U Law Schools to see what they say (UCLA, UCD, UCI, UC-Hastings) -<br>
[Berkeley</a> Law - Legal Resident Information](<a href=“http://www.law.berkeley.edu/6364.htm]Berkeley”>http://www.law.berkeley.edu/6364.htm)

If you have not been living in California with intent to make it your permanent home for more than one year immediately before the residence determination date for each semester in which you propose to attend the University, you must pay a Nonresident Supplemental Tuition in addition to all other fees. The residence determination date is the day instruction begins at the University of California, Berkeley.

</p>

<p>

If you are an adult who is not an alien present in the U.S. in a nonimmigrant status which precludes you from establishing domicile in the U.S. (e.g., a B, F, H2, H3, or J visa) and you want to be classified as a resident for tuition purposes, you must have established your continuous presence in California more than one year immediately preceding the residence determination date for the semester during which you propose to attend the University, and you must have given up any previous residence.

</p>

<p>

Your residence cannot be derived from your spouse nor, since you are an adult, from your parents.

</p>

<p>

Non-residents may become residents of California after one year at Berkeley Law if they take appropriate steps and meet certain eligibility requirements.

</p>

<p>Are there decent state law schools in the state where she’s currently working? Maybe she can consider that as well as private law schools in which case residency doesn’t matter.</p>

[rhumbob]

<p>Thanks for the responses. This may be a moot point as I’m not sure if she will be applying in CA. If she did it would be UCB or Davis. She will be over 24 when this is happening or she could qualify as a resident based on us. The UCB site dances around the idea but there is nothing really on point. The admissions department wasn’t much help. I can see why since there are so many applicants and very few are finally admitted. She can push harder when the time comes. </p>

<p>I was surprised to see that the difference for OOS and resident for one year is about $4k…thought it would be more.</p>

<p>Thanks again.</p>

[GladGradDad]

<p>

I was surprised to see that the difference for OOS and resident for one year is about $4k…thought it would be more.

This difference is small due to the very high charge for in-state LS students. There’s not much of a difference in the I-S costs at a California state U vs the cost at many of the privates. UCB Is over $50K in tuition/fees (doesn’t include living expenses) for I-S residents which appears to be slightly higher than the cost of LS at Stanford and barely less than USC! It’s about the same a Harvard LS.</p>

<p>In California there’s not much money to be saved by attending a state U for LS, even as a resident, so she should consider privates as well.</p>

[somemom]

<p>If your DD is taking steps to maintain her CA residency- paying CA income taxes, voting in CA, DL & car registration in CA, etc., since TFA is known to be temporary, they may be willing to classify her as a CA resident. Call the two law school’s residency department and review the options.</p>