<p>I've applied to four UC schools, even though I live on the East Coast (been to Berkeley, though). At my school, quite a few faculty have gone to UC schools/worked in the admissions office and they advise me to "take the financial hit" during my freshman year, and just apply for residency after my first year to get in-state tuition. Is this possible? In case anyone is wondering which schools in particular, I applied to Cal, Davis (got in, but I D K the financial aid yet), UCLA, and Santa Cruz. My family is low-income, too.</p>
<p>Of course, I did also apply to private schools in CA which are all at the top of my list, but the UC schools, too, are just as enticing. So, is getting residency possible? Would it be a long process? The way people talk to me about it, they make it seem like an easy task. Is it?</p>
<p>No, this is not possible, at least not the way you posted. From UCLA:
[quote]
To establish residence the student must be physically present in California for more than one year and must have come here with the intent to make California his or her home (as opposed to coming to this state to go to school). Physical presence within the state solely for educational purposes does not constitute the establishment of California residence, regardless of the length of stay. The student must demonstrate this intent by severing residential ties with the former state of residence and establishing those ties with California. If these steps are delayed, the one-year duration will be extended until both presence and intent have been demonstrated for one full year.</p>
<p>If the student's parents do not meet the requirements for residence for tuition purposes, the student must be financially independent in order to be a resident for tuition purposes.</p>
<p>Note that the financial independence requirement makes it extremely difficult for most undergraduates whose parents are not California residents, including transfer students from community colleges and other post-secondary institutions within California, to qualify for classification as a resident at a University of California campus. <a href="emphasis%20in%20original">/quote</a> UCLA</a> Registrar's Office: Residence for Tuition Purposes--Establishing Residence</p>
<p>I would be surprised if Cal, Davis or Santa Cruz were much more lenient. Otherwise everyone would do what you are proposing, and the people of California are not that stupid.</p>
<p>This is a quote from UC's undergraduate admission site:</p>
<p>"California Residency Information</p>
<p>To be considered a California resident for purposes of fees, an out-of-state student must have lived in California for more than one year preceding the residence determination date, relinquish residence in other states, show an intent to establish residency in California and demonstrate financial independence."</p>
<p>"At my school, quite a few faculty have gone to UC schools/worked in the admissions office and they advise me to "take the financial hit" during my freshman year, and just apply for residency after my first year to get in-state tuition. "</p>
<p>This may have been the case 20-30 years ago, but all state schools that I know about have stopped this practice and now have policies as stated in the above two posts.</p>
<p>If you live on the East Coast, you are not a resident of CA, and would have difficulty becoming one WHILE you attend college. The only way I can think of...have your WHOLE family move to CA right now...wait a year, and apply as an instate student. </p>
<p>Your state of residency for tuition purposes is your permanent address which is the address at which your PARENTS reside if you are an undergraduate student. </p>
<p>Sorry folks..but if you don't reside in a state, you can NOT easily gain instate status for college tuition purposes. And I fully think this is the way this should be. Your family is paying taxes to support the higher education public universities in YOUR state. Apply there if you want instate tuition (yes...in some cases there are reciprocal arrangements between some states...but East Coast to CA...nope).</p>
<p>Aww, then I think it would be close to impossible to go to a UC without tremendous debt (although, I knew that when I applied). Still, I hope I get into Cal and UCLA... maybe I can make it work. Regardless, I still have privates as an option.</p>
<p>I think you could move to CA, live there, establish your own residency, and then apply for the next year as a student.</p>
<p>It is true that you are a dependent of your parents and that conveys residency, but if you establish that you are independent you may be able to be considered a resident for tuition puposes</p>
<p>Somemom...I believe this student cannot establish residency WHILE being a student. Establishing that he/she is independent would mean that he/she needs to show that they have earned all of their living expenses (rent, food, transportation, utilities, car bills, clothing, etc) while living and working in CA at a job that pays taxes to CA.</p>
<p>Even then, when the student applies the following year, unless he can show that he remains financially independent of out of state parents, he will not be considered a California resident for tuition purposes. </p>
<p>They have made the process difficult, purposefully, to stop kids from working for a single year (in another thread, I posted a UCLA link that showed the requirement is 2 years, not 1) and getting in-state tuition.</p>
<p>Thumper, exactly, the student would have to move to CA and live there , NOT as a student, to establish residency. Thanks for clarifying</p>
<p>AND, the student would need to NOT go "home" for summer vacation, etc. The CA residency questions ask about all time spent out side the state and you cannot go home for long periods whilst establishing residency</p>
<p>They make it really tough for undergrads (it's slightly less tough for grad students, since you can actually become a CA resident while being a student.)</p>
<p>As an andergrad, though, you have to prove your residence for a year before (having gotten a driver's license/CA ID, having registered to vote there, etc.) AS WELL AS financial independence, and there's a lot of paperwork that goes with it.</p>
<p>You have to prove residence in CA by, among other things, proving that you didn't leave the state for more than 21 days (in, if it's still the same, a maximum of two separate trips.) </p>
<p>It's really bureaucratic, but people <em>do</em> do it.</p>
<p>Your faculty prolly attended back in the dark ages when one could in fact, apply for state residency and in-state tution after one year, and it was automatically granted. But that law was changed years ago, and is similar to in-state tuition laws in most states. You will have to PROVE financial independence for it to work.</p>
<p>Thought I’d revive this thread instead of making another similar one.</p>
<p>My mother (who is my only custodial parent) is planning on moving to California the summer before my freshman year of college. She plans to establish residency in California (drivers license, voters registration and whatever else is necessary). The idea is that I would receive in state tuition after freshman year at UCSB. </p>
<p>Would this work? My legal state of residence would be California so I’m assuming it would. Any input?</p>
<p>Hmm…I’m not entirely sure about my situation. My mother has lived in California for the past five years and has been a resident since then, but I live in Washington as a dependent under my father. Could I attend a UC and have my mother claim me on her taxes and thus get in-state tuition?</p>