Residence for Tuition Purposes: Temporary Absences

Find out how leaving the state might affect your residence status.

If you are a nonresident student who is in the process of establishing a residence for tuition purposes and you return to your former home during noninstructional periods, your presence in the state will be presumed to be solely for educational purposes, and only convincing evidence to the contrary will rebut this presumption. (A student who is in the state solely for educational purposes will not be classified as a resident for tuition purposes regardless of the length of stay.)

If you are a student who has been classified as a resident for tuition purposes and you leave the state temporarily, your absence could result in the loss of your California residence. The burden will be on you (or your parents if you are a minor) to verify that you did nothing inconsistent with your claim of a continuing California residence during your absence.

Steps that you (or your parents) should take to retain a California residence include:

1. Continue to claim California residence and address on all records such as educational, employment, or military.
2. Retain your California voter's registration and absentee ballot.
3. Maintain a California driver's license and car registration, or change them back within the time prescribed by law.
4. Return to California during all your breaks, vacations, holidays, etc.
5. Continue to satisfy California tax obligations.
   Note: If you are claiming California residence, you are liable for payment of income taxes on your total income from the date you establish residence in the state, including income earned in another state or country.
6.  Maintain a residence in California.
7. Store personal belongings in California.
8. Maintain active bank accounts in California.