Residency Requirements: Undergraduate Students
Find out how to fulfill the residency requirements as an Undergraduate Student.
Residence Deputy Availability
The Residence Deputies are unavailable for in-person or phone advising. Please review the contact information located at the bottom of this page for other ways to connect with a Residence Deputy.
Residency Requirements
To receive a Resident Classification for purposes of UC tuition, the 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
*All Undergraduate Students under the age of 24 are presumed to be Dependent Students, which requires that both Students and Parents must satisfy all applicable Residency Requirements listed above. Please note that in two-parent households, both parents and the Student must fulfil the residency requirements.
In rare cases, students may demonstrate eligibility for a Special Circumstances Resident Classification which includes eligible immigration status.
A Student deemed to be an Independent Student based on satisfaction of one of the financial independence criteria listed in the UC Residency Policy (except for bullet point "I") will be evaluated for fulfillment of the Residency Requirements on their own and without regard to Parents.
Note: Financial Independence Provision
If you’re an unmarried undergraduate under the age of 24 and your parent(s) are not California residents, you must be able to document (for example, using tax returns, W-2 forms, bank statements) that you have been totally self-sufficient starting one full year prior to the residence determination date, supporting yourself, through jobs, financial aid, commercial/institutional loans in your name only, and documentable savings from your earnings. This also means you can't have been claimed as an income tax dependent by any individual or have accepted gifts (cash or other support) that contributed to your subsistence for the tax year immediately preceding the term. Please ensure that you read the Financial Independence criteria in the UC Residency Policy thoroughly to ensure you meet the requirements before submitting a claim of financial independence.It is extremely difficult for most undergraduates to qualify for classification as a California resident for tuition purposes under this provision.
Requirements: Dependent Undergraduates
Eligible Immigration Status
All Students, and Parents of Dependent Students, must have the legal ability to establish a permanent domicile in the United States, meaning that they must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold a valid, qualifying nonimmigrant visa. Further, Students and Parents of Dependent Students, must demonstrate at least one-year of continuous physical presence immediately prior to the Residence Determination Date while in an eligible immigration status, and which continues for duration of enrollment.
Read the full policy on immigration status (pdf)
Physical Presence
All Students, and Parents of Dependent Students, must provide objective evidence of a permanent Domicile and physical presence in California on a continuous basis for a period of at least one year immediately before the relevant Residence Determination Date (dates indicated in the tables below). Physical presence in California solely for educational purposes does not constitute the establishment of California residence, regardless of length of stay. Students or Parents whose absences exceed 6 weeks in total during this qualification period are presumed to be disqualifying.
Read the full policy on physical presence (pdf)
Intent
All Students, and Parents of Dependent Students, must establish required legal ties to California through acquisition of governmental evidence of intent* by the relevant deadlines and failure to fulfill all four requirements by the relevant deadline is disqualifying. Further, any and all ties to the past place of residence must have been severed at least one year prior to the Residence Determination Date for the relevant term.
Required Governmental Evidence of Intent (subject to applicable deadlines indicated in the tables below below):
* All evidence listed below is required.
- State of California Driver License or State of California Identification Card for non-drivers and the
relinquishment of driver licenses or ID cards issued by other states - Valid voter registration in California, if legally eligible to register
- State of California car registration for all motor vehicles owned by Students and/or Parents
- State of California tax return filed as “resident” status effective with date of declared California residency; tax
returns amended after the submission of a Statement of Legal Residence, Petition for Reclassification, or
issuance of a Nonresident Classification will not be accepted for the Residence Determination Date term being evaluated; state and
federal tax transcripts may be requested
Please note: A Dependent Student or Parent who takes steps to establish residence in California but whose activities and circumstances suggest temporary or indeterminate residence will be considered as Nonresidents for purposes of UC tuition. Such activities and circumstances include, but are not limited to, maintaining ties to and the continued maintenance of the prior residence, the Student is dependent on a nonresident parent including for purposes of FAFSA applications and income tax returns, and returning to the prior residence during periods of non-instruction.
Read the full policy on intent to remain in California (pdf)
Requirements: Independent Undergraduates
Eligible Immigration Status
All Students must have the legal ability to establish a permanent domicile in the United States, meaning that they must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold a valid, qualifying nonimmigrant visa. Further, Students must demonstrate at least one-year of continuous physical presence immediately prior to the Residence Determination Date while in an eligible immigration status, and which continues for duration of enrollment.
Read the full policy on immigration status (pdf)
Physical Presence
All Students must provide objective evidence of a permanent Domicile and physical presence in California on a continuous basis for a period of at least one year immediately before the relevant Residence Determination Date (dates indicated in the tables below). Physical presence in California solely for educational purposes does not constitute the establishment of California residence, regardless of length of stay. Students or Parents whose absences exceed 6 weeks in total during this qualification period are presumed to be disqualifying.
Read the full policy on physical presence (pdf)
Intent
All Independent Students must establish required legal ties to California through acquisition of one or more items of required governmental evidence of intent listed below by the relevant deadlines. Any and all ties to the past place of residence must have been severed at least one year prior to the Residence Determination Date for the relevant term.
Required Governmental Evidence of Intent (subject to applicable deadlines indicated in the tables below):
- State of California Driver License or State of California Identification Card for non-drivers and the relinquishment of driver licenses or ID cards issued by other states
- Valid voter registration in California, if legally eligible to register
- State of California car registration for all motor vehicles owned by the Student
- State of California tax return filed as “resident” status effective with date of declared California residency; tax returns amended after the submission of a Statement of Legal Residence, Petition for Reclassification, or issuance of a Nonresident Classification will not be accepted for the Resident Determination Date for term being evaluated; state and federal tax transcripts may be requested
Please note: An Independent Student who takes steps to establish a residence in California but whose activities and circumstances suggest temporary or indeterminate residence will be considered as Nonresidents for purposes of UC tuition. Such activities and circumstances include, but are not limited to, maintaining ties to and the continued maintenance of the prior residence, and returning to the prior residence during periods of non-instruction. Independent Students who have satisfied the one-year physical presence requirement and have acquired one or more items of required governmental evidence of intent but have not timely obtained other California legal indicia and/or continue to hold out-of state legal indicia may be denied a Resident Classification for the term for which a Resident Classification has been requested.
Read the full policy on intent to remain in California (pdf)
Residence Determination Dates and Deadlines to Acquire Intent
Undergraduate Dates and Deadlines
| 2024 - 2025 Academic Year | Establish Physical Presence | Residence Determination Date | Deadline to Acquire Intent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | 09/26/2023 | 09/26/2024 | 12/15/2023 |
| Winter Quarter | 01/06/2024 | 01/06/2025 | 03/22/2024 |
| Spring Quarter | 03/31/2024 | 03/31/2025 | 06/14/2024 |
| 2025 - 2026 Academic Year | Establish Physical Presence | Residence Determination Date | Deadline to Acquire Intent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | 08/27/2024 | 08/27/2025 | 12/15/2024 |
| Winter Quarter | 01/05/2025 | 01/05/2026 | 03/31/2025 |
| Spring Quarter | 03/30/2025 | 03/30/2026 | 06/15/2025 |
Contact Us
Prospective students may email the Residence Deputy.
Current students may email the Residence Deputy or drop-in to Zoom for virtual office hours.
NOTE: Zoom Office Hours will be unavailable on the following date(s): 11/28/24 & 12/11/24