The Smarter Choice

[Kender]

<p>UCLA (and the rest of the UC system) makes it incredibly difficult to establish residency for tuition purposes. A dependent is not able to do so unless they can prove financial independence as per the guidelines below.</p>

<p>

To establish California residence, an adult student at least 18 years of age must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, other immigrant, or eligible alien who meets all of the following requirements:</p>

<p>[ul][<em>]has been physically present in the state for 366 days prior to the residence determination date (RDD) of the term for which he or she wishes to be considered a resident
[</em>]has the intent to make California his or her home (as opposed to coming to California for the purpose of attending school)
[li]is financially independent (see note) if his or her parents are not California residents as defined by UC.[/ul][/li]

</p>

<p>

A student is considered financially independent when one or more of the following applies:</p>

<p>[ol][<em>]the student is at least 24 years of age by December 31 of the calendar year for which resident classification is requested
[</em>]the student is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
[<em>]the student is a ward of the court or both parents are deceased
[</em>]the student has legal dependents other than a spouse
[<em>]the student is married or has a registered domestic partner, or is a graduate or professional student, and was not claimed as an income tax deduction by parents or any other individual for the tax year immediately preceding the term for which resident classification is requested
[li]undergraduate students: the student is an unmarried undergraduate student and was not claimed as an income tax deduction by parents or any other individual for the two tax years immediately preceding the term for which resident classification is requested, and can demonstrate self-sufficiency for those two years and the current year[/li][li]graduate students: the student is a graduate student instructor, graduate student teaching assistant, research assistant, junior specialist, post-graduate researcher, graduate student researcher, or teaching associate who is employed 49 percent or more of full time or awarded the equivalent in University administered funds (e.g., grants, stipends, or fellowships) in the term for which classification is sought[/li][</em>]the student reached the age of 18 in California while his or her parents were residents of California, and the parents left the state to establish a residence elsewhere while the student continued to be a resident of California after the parents’ departure[/ol]

</p>

<p>[UCLA</a> Registrar’s Office: Residence for Tuition Purposes–Establishing Residence](<a href=“http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/residence/establish.htm]UCLA”>http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/residence/establish.htm)
[UCLA</a> Registrar’s Office: Residence for Tuition Purposes–Financial Independence](<a href=“http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/residence/finindep.htm]UCLA”>http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/residence/finindep.htm)</p>