Residence for Tuition Purposes Frequently Asked Questions

A Residence Deputy follows and applies the UC Residence and Policy Guidelines that are established by The Regents of the University of California.

UC Residence Policy is specific to the University of California for the purposes of determining UC tuition and may be different from other state rules or regulations governing residency for other purposes.

No other UC office, entity, or personnel is authorized to act on behalf of the UC Regents in regard to Regents Policy 3105. 

To receive a Resident Classification for purposes of UC tuition, the Dependent Student and Parent(s) must:

• be in an eligible immigration status for at least one-year immediately prior to the Residence Determination Date
• establish a primary and permanent Domicile in California and fulfill the physical presence requirement for at least one year immediately prior to the Residence Determination Date
• fulfill the intent requirements by the relevant deadlines

Note: Students who are considered Independent Students may satisfy the Residency Requirements on their own without Parents.

For more information, please visit the Undergraduate Student Requirements or Graduate Student Requirements.

A person who is a California Resident for tax or voting purposes is not necessarily a resident for tuition purposes at the University of California.

To establish residence, you must be physically present in California with the intent to make California your permanent home, and you must demonstrate by your actions that you have given up your former residence to establish a residence in California. Once you have established your residence in California, you must reside in California for more than one year (366 days) before you will be eligible to be classified as a resident for tuition purposes.

Residence can be established only by the union of physical presence and intent. Physical presence alone is insufficient; intent alone is insufficient.

All UC Residency Determinations require the submission of a Statement of Legal Residence application which is reviewed by a Residence Deputy. Supporting documentation may be requested to prove any claim of California Residency.

All statements and documents submitted to the University of California to support a Residency Classification for purposes of UC tuition are submitted under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California. The Student, and Parents or Qualifying Individual when applicable, are required to declare under oath, declaration or affidavit, that all statements and supporting documents are true and correct. Refer to Regents Policy 3105 for applicable penalties. 

In regards to Residency for tuition purposes, there is only Resident (in-state tuition) or Nonresident (out-of-state).

Admissions will use other classifications for the purposes of admissions only. Residency for tuition purposes and residency for admissions purposes are separate and have different requirements.

Please view the 2024-2025 Undergraduate Cost of Attendance for more information.

Graduate students classified as Nonresident for tuition purposes also pay a Nonresident Supplemental Tuition fee. Graduate student tuition and fees depend on the program, please visit Graduate Education Tuition & Fees for more information. 

All Students are presumed to be Dependent Students, which requires that both Students and Parents must satisfy all applicable Residency Requirements, until the Student has been determined to qualify as an Independent Student, or qualify for a Special Circumstances, Exemption or Waiver provision.  

If you're an undergraduate under the age of 24 and your parent(s) are not California residents, it is very unlikely that you will be able to qualify as a California resident for purposes of UC tuition. If you’ve moved to California primarily to attend the University of California, you are here for educational purposes and may not be eligible for a resident classification for purposes of tuition and fees.

Inquiries regarding UC residency for the purposes of tuition should be directed to a campus Residence Deputy. Contact information is located at the bottom of this website. No other office, entity, or individual is authorized to provide Residency information on behalf of the University of California.

For prospective students and their parents, the Residence Deputy is not able to give a determination on your current circumstances or if you qualify for a Resident Classification. The student must have submitted a complete application for admission and a Statement of Legal Residence before more detailed discussions can occur.

No Residency Determinations are made outside of the Statement of Legal Residence process. Applicants are able to complete a Statement of Legal Residence after they apply for admission to UC San Diego. Final determinations are available after admissions decisions are released in spring.

The UC San Diego Residency Determination is made based on the information the student provides on their Statement of Legal Residence – failure to answer questions accurately, respond to requests for information, or to provide documents may result in a Nonresident classification.

All Students are presumed to be Dependent Students, which requires that both Students and Parents must satisfy all applicable Residency Requirements, or Students must qualify as Independent, or qualify for a Special Circumstances, Exemption or Waiver provision.

Where a Dependent Student’s Parents were never married or are divorced or legally separated, or where one Parent qualifies as inaccessible because of incapacitation, incarceration, formal removal, or circumstances involving domestic violence, only the Student and the Parent with whom the Student resides will be required to fulfill the Residency Requirements. In all other circumstances, both the Dependent Student and their Parents must fulfill the Residency Requirements.

Residency for purposes of UC tuition is specific to the University of California and separate from the California Community Colleges and California State University systems and may be different from residency for purposes of UC admission and other state rules or regulations governing residency for other purposes.

Although a California ID is a required item of intent, only having a California ID is not sufficient.

To establish residence, you must be physically present in California with the intent to make California your permanent home. Once you have established your residence in California, you must reside in California for more than one year (366 days) before you will be eligible to be classified as a resident for tuition purposes.

Residence can be established only by the union of physical presence and intent. Physical presence alone is insufficient; intent alone is insufficient.

There are many nonimmigrant visas that are eligible for a Resident classification, subject to fulfillment of the Residency requirements by the Student and Parents.

Students must provide documentation of an eligible visa and corresponding valid I-94 with the Statement of Legal Residence application, to include subsequent renewals and change of status documents as applicable. Dependent Students must provide documentation for both the principal and dependent visa holders.

Please view the UC Residence Policy and Guidelines for information on eligible visas.

There are different military provisions, and depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for a resident classification or a nonresident exemption upon review. 

Please view the UC Residence Policy and Guidelines for information on military provisions.

When completing the UC application for admission and any Statement of Legal Residence, please make sure you answer questions about being either active duty/veteran military member or a dependent of active duty/veteran military member. If you are admitted and accept, we will reach out to you to obtain documentation (Permanent Duty Station orders, Leavings and Earning Statement, etc.).

UC Residence Policy is specific to the University of California for the purposes of determining UC tuition and may be different from other state rules or regulations governing residency for other purposes.

All new students, including transfer students, will have to complete a Statement of Legal Residence and will be evaluated for residency, regardless of their classification at their current institution. Some transfer students who are classified as a Resident at their current community college/university may be classified as a Nonresident for tuition purposes at UC San Diego due to different UC Residency requirements.

Undergraduate applicants provide residency information in the Statement of Legal Residence portion of the UC application for admission. Students whose residency status is unclear from the responses on the UC application for admission will be asked additional questions on either a systemwide or campus Statement of Legal Residence.

No Residency Determinations are made outside of the Statement of Legal Residence process.

The evaluation of Residency for tuition purposes is a separate process from admission to UC San Diego. It will not affect your admission application to UC San Diego. 

Documented evidence of any answer given in the Statement of Legal Residence may be requested to support a claim of California residency.

All statements and documents submitted to the University of California to support a Residency Classification for purposes of UC tuition are submitted under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California. The Student, and Parents or Qualifying Individual when applicable, are required to declare under oath, declaration or affidavit, that all statements and supporting documents are true and correct.

Information and documentation is requested to verify fulfillment of the UC Residence Policy requirements and only the Residence Deputy will be accessing your residency information. 

The UC San Diego Applicant Portal is a secure site. If you still have concerns, please reach out to a Residence Deputy.

Dependent Students and Parents must concurrently satisfy the Residency Requirements. One of the requirements is to be in an eligible immigration status for at least one-year immediately prior to the Residence Determination Date.

Documented evidence of any answer given in the Statement of Legal Residence may be requested to support a claim of California residency.

Documentation is reviewed only by the Residence Deputy.   

Based on the Statement of Legal Residence, the applicant and/or parent(s) do not meet the residency requirements. The AB540 exemption allows qualifying individuals to be exempt from the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition fee. 

To apply for the AB540 exemption, the applicant must submit to the Applicant Portal:

• A completed University of California AB540 Affidavit
• Proof of Immigration status (U.S. Citizens are also eligible for this exemption) 
• California high school transcripts
• California community college transcripts (if applicable)
• Adult school transcript or letter (if applicable)

If approved, the student will be classified as a Nonresident, but will have all the nonresident supplemental tuition fees waived each quarter. 

Students can petition for reclassification for a future term based on a change in qualifying circumstances and if the Student and Parent(s) meet the residency requirements. 

It is your burden to prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that you have satisfied all applicable UC residence requirements. The University of California cannot alter or waive the eligibility criteria for any reason. Financial hardship cannot be considered in evaluating whether you are able to qualify for California residence for purposes of tuition.

Please visit the How to Apply for a Change of Classification page for more information. 

A Student who receives a Nonresident Classification will retain that status unless the Student files a Petition for Reclassification by the relevant campus deadline and then qualifies for a Resident or NRST Exempt Classification. A Student who fails to file a Petition for Reclassification is not entitled to retroactive reimbursement of NRST assessments.

Please make sure you understand the Residency requirements and the process on How to Apply for a Change in Classification. 

You do not become a resident for purposes of tuition simply by living in California for 366 days or more. The length of time you attend the University of California or live in California is not the sole determining factor of residency.

Graduate students are considered as Independent regardless as to age and will be evaluated without regard to Parents or source of financial support. They must fulfill one-year of continuous physical presence immediately before the Residence Determination Date, and acquire governmental evidence of intent by the relevant deadlines.

Please visit Graduate Student Residency Requirements for more information.

The intent of the financial independence provision is based on social policy considerations consistent with the mission of the University to accommodate undergraduate students who are not supported by their parents.

A Dependent Student who wishes to qualify as an Independent Student on the basis of financial independence must fulfill the University of California financial independence requirements and demonstrate that the Student has been fully self-supporting beginning at least one-year prior to the applicable Residence Determination Date and continuing through the duration of their career.

That a student has sufficient funds to be self-supporting does not necessarily qualify for this provision.

A Student who has received a Resident Classification and loses eligibility by virtue of the Student's acts (or a Parent's act) is required to notify the campus Residence Deputy within 30 days of the effective date of the change in circumstance. The Residence Deputy will complete a new evaluation at that time.

Once you submit all the requested documentation, the Residence Deputy will make a residency determination. This process can take anywhere from two to six weeks. Please note:

• Not submitting all required documentation will cause a delay in a decision.
• After an initial review of your petition, the Residence Deputy may request additional information or documents. You are required to submit all the requested documentation in order for the Residency Deputy to make a residency determination.
• If you do not submit all of the requested information or documents, the Residence Deputy will make a decision based on the documents or information available. In these cases, you will be considered a nonresident and held responsible for nonresident tuition.
• After the Residence Deputy has made a decision about residency, no additional information or documentation is accepted and the decision is considered final at the campus level for that quarter.

A student may appeal a final residency decision within 30 calendar days of the issue date of the final campus nonresident decision. Appeals will be accepted only if at least one of the following applies: (1) a significant error of fact by the campus, or (2) a significant procedural error by the campus; or (3) an incorrect application of policy, or significant new information not previously known or available became available after the date of the final campus nonresident decision and prior to the appeal deadline. Please refer to the UC Residence Policy and Guidelines (RPG), Sec. V. Appeals, for instructions and the application.