<p>By the way, here is how the state of California, and CSU treats applications for resident status from non-residents. Your son is incorrect in assuming that he can get in-state tuition after attending for a year. It simply does not work that way. He would have to move to California a year before enrolling, get a job, pay taxes, and set up permanent residency BEFORE enrolling. As noted, "The student who is within the state for educational purposes only does not gain the status of resident regardless of the length of the student's stay in California." The Cal States (and UC's) don't make it easy for obvious reasons: if students could claim in-state tuition after a year, don't you think everyone would? (California, by the way, is not the only state with this attitude - virtually every public university system makes it virtually impossible to get in-state tuition if you're only there for educational purposes. After all, the primary purpose of public institutions is to provide education to people who live in the state and pay taxes).</p>
<p>So, I would take the possibility of in-state tuition out of the equation in helping your son make his final choice. </p>
<p>"The following statement of the rules regarding residency determination for nonresident tuition purposes is not a complete discussion of the law, but a summary of the principal rules and their exceptions. The law governing residence determination for tuition purposes by The California State University is found in Education Code Sections 68000-68090, 68121, 68123, 68124, and 89705-89707.5, and in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, Sections 41900-41912. A copy of the statutes and regulations is available for inspection at the campus Admissions Office.</p>
<p>Legal residence may be established by an adult who is physically present in the state and who, at the same time, intends to make California his or her permanent home. Steps must be taken at least one year prior to the residence determination date to show an intent to make California the permanent home with concurrent relinquishment of the prior legal residence. The steps necessary to show California residency intent will vary from case to case. Included among the steps may be registering to vote and voting in elections in California; filing resident California state income tax forms on total income; ownership of residential property or continuous occupancy or renting of an apartment on a lease basis where one's permanent belongings are kept; maintaining active resident memberships in California professional or social organizations; maintaining California vehicle plates and operator's license; maintaining active savings and checking accounts in California banks; maintaining permanent military address and home of record in California if one is in the military service.</p>
<p>The student who is within the state for educational purposes only does not gain the status of resident regardless of the length of the student's stay in California.</p>
<p>In general, the unmarried minor (a person under 18 years of age) derives legal residence from the parent with whom the minor maintains or last maintained his or her place of abode. The residence of a minor cannot be changed by the minor or the minor's guardian, so long as the minor's parents are living.</p>
<p>Nonresident students seeking reclassification are required by law to complete a supplemental questionnaire concerning financial independence. The general rule is that a student must have been a California resident for at least one year immediately preceding the residence determination date in order to qualify as a "resident student" for tuition purposes. "</p>