Separate parents = 2 In-state tuitions?

<p>My parents are separated, not divorced. I live with my mom in NY and my dad lives in CA. I was wondering if I could get instate tuition for CA schools since my dad pays taxes in CA and I'm not dependent on him? Or does the student still have to live in CA for a year?</p>

<p>It wouldn’t work. California’s universities can tell the difference between someone who actually lives in California and someone who sometimes visits. Basically, to claim in-state tuition in CA, you would have to relinquish all ties to New York. That is, you would have to give up your house and your life in New York, live with your dad for about two years prior to the date when you want to start school (officially, just 1 year but you need time to get the paperwork together), your mom would have to stop claiming you as a dependent on her taxes, and your dad would have to start claiming you. If relevant, you might have to change your driver’s license to California and change your registration for your car. Colleges will notice if you pretend to live in California but your school is in New York.</p>

<p>idkididk:</p>

<p>that’s not true. you can do it you just have to be discreet. for example. go see your dad, geta california driver’s license and put his address down as your permanent address. i’ve seen TONS of people do this and get in state tuition. i know peope from other places who put down some distant relatives address and get in state…since it’s your dad i don’t consider that unethical at all. you should at least try for it but once you get into the UC of your choice, then you have to make sure you get a DL and change your address for reals and stuff like that.</p>

<p>there is definitely a way around it.</p>

<p>To establish yourself as in-state for CA you need to live there for at least a year. Colleges would kind of notice that didn’t happen when they get your transcript from a NY school. [Establishing</a> California Residence for Tuition Purposes, Office of the Registrar](<a href=“http://www.registrar.ucsb.edu/residenc.htm]Establishing”>404 - Page Not Found)</p>

<p>I know the in case of divorce (I don’t know about separation per se), it depends on the state. I know some states recognize a student as instate even if the custodial parent (and hence child) lives outside that state.</p>

<p>I found this on the Berkeley site: </p>

<p>Divorced/Separated Parents If you want to derive California resident status from a California resident parent, you must move to California to live with that parent before your 18th birthday and establish the requisite intent and remain in California until school begins. Otherwise, you will be treated like any other adult coming to California to establish your legal residence</p>

<p>This on the UCLA site: </p>

<p>What if my parents are divorced or separated?</p>

<p>You may be able to derive California status from a California resident parent if you move to California to live with that parent on or before your 18th birthday. If you begin residing with your California parent after your 18th birthday, you will be treated like any other adult student coming to California to establish residenc</p>

<p>This on the UC Davis site: </p>

<p>Dependent child of a California resident. A student who has not been an adult resident of California for more than one year, and who is the natural or adopted dependent child of a parent who meets the University’s requirements for residence for tuition purposes, may be entitled to a waiver of the nonresident tuition until the student has resided in California for the minimum time necessary to become a resident so long as continuous attendance is maintained at an institution.</p>

<p>And this as well, a bill with more specific details:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.reg.uci.edu/residency/downloads/conditbill.pdf[/url]”>http://www.reg.uci.edu/residency/downloads/conditbill.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;