10 Things You Need To Know About California Residency

  1. California residency for tuition purposes eligibility criteria are established by State Law and the California Code of Regulations. California State University implements these Laws and Regulations.
  2. California State University cannot alter or waive the eligibility criteria for any reason.
  3. Under California law, if you have moved to California primarily to attend a California institution of higher learning, then you are not eligible for in-state tuition.
  4. Living in California for 12 months is not an automatic qualification for in-state tuition.
  5. You must prove through official and/or legal documents that you have moved to California permanently and are not merely living in California temporarily while you attend California State University, however long your course of study may take.
  6. Financial hardship cannot be considered in evaluating California residency for tuition purposes eligibility.
  7. Legal ties that you maintain in another state or country (e.g., state tax liability, a driver’s license, voter’s registration, etc.) will disqualify you from residency reclassification, regardless of your reason(s) for maintaining these ties.
  8. Evidence that you are receiving out-of-state financial support in any way, either directly (e.g. tuition payments, parent PLUS loans, etc.) or indirectly (e.g., parent-purchased or co-purchased residences, parent-controlled financial portfolios), will disqualify you from California residency for-tuition-purposes.
  9. Despite the length of time you attend California State University or live in California, you might not qualify for California residency for-tuition-purposes.
  10. Residency reclassification applications and all supporting documentation must be submitted during the term in which reclassification is requested.

** The term "California resident" for tuition purposes may differ from other definitions of California residency. A person who has a California driver's license/vehicle registration or who is a California resident for tax, voting, or welfare purposes may have established legal residence in the state but might not necessarily be considered a resident for tuition purposes.