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Establishing
California Residency
California state law requires that each student enrolled in or
applying for admission to a California community college provide
information and evidence to determine his/her residence classification
for tuition purposes. The guidelines below will help you determine
if you are a California resident for purposes of attending a California
community college.
To qualify as a resident, the student must meet the following
requirements:
- Must have been physically present in California
- Must
have taken steps to make California his/her sole state of residence
as of one year and one day prior to
the first day
of the semester for which the student is being admitted.
If the student was born outside of the United States, he/she must
have met the above mentioned requirements, along with INS documentation
that is dated at least one year and one day before the first day
of classes for the semester he/she plans to attend.
Non-U.S. citizens will be evaluated for residency based on immigration
status as permanent residents or on the type of visa held, length
of stay in California, and intent to maintain California
as a permanent home. Students on B, C, D, F, H-2, H-3, J, M, O-2, P, or Q visas
and students not in the United States legally are precluded from
establishing residency.
If the student is under 19 years of age, residency may be derived
from his/her parent or legal guardian.
Residency Determination
The college will make the final determination of residency, but
the burden of proof is on the student to demonstrate clearly,
with proof, both physical presence in California and intent to
establish California residence.
Each student at the time of admission or readmission will be classified
according to his/her legal residence.
Be sure to submit all documents necessary to establish residency
to the Admissions and Records Office.
The following will be accepted as proof of intent to establish
California residence for tuition purposes:
- State and federal tax returns with W-2 forms
- Automobile registration
- California driver's license/California ID card
- Voter registration
- Documentation of California as the home state of record as
required by the military
- Bank account statements, active for one year prior
to residence determination date (must show California
resident
address,
not P.O. Box address).
California license for professional practice
- Petitioner for divorce in California
Utility bills (for one year prior to residency
determination)
- Proof of employment (pay stubs for one continuous
year prior to residency determination)
- Mortgage statements
- Verification of public assistance
Conduct inconsistent with a claim for California residence includes
but is not limited to:
Driver's license and/or vehicle registration in another state
Being a petitioner for a divorce or lawsuit as a resident in another
state
Attending an out-of-state institution as a resident of that state
Declaring nonresidence for California income tax purposes
In the U.S. with a nonresident visa
Please note the following requirements:
At least two pieces of evidence must be presented, and additional
evidence may be required. The more evidence you can present to
show intent, the easier it is to become a California resident for
tuition purposes. A person begins to establish intent by doing
as many of the above mentioned actions AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after
his/her arrival in California.
This information has been extracted from the California Education
Code sections 68000 and after, and California Code of Regulations,
Title 5, sections 54000-54072.
Last Modified: 2009-08-26.
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