Residency Requirements for Tuition Purposes

The University of California uses the following information in establishing residency for purposes of tuition and fees

• Student Information (pdf)
• 10 Things Undergraduates Need to Know about Residence for Purposes of Tuition
  and Fees (pdf)
• 10 Things Graduate Students Need to Know about Residence for Purposes of Tuition
  and Fees (pdf)
• UC Residence Policy and Guidelines (pdf)
• Application for Appeal (pdf)

Forms

Requires Acrobat Reader 5.0+ to use; if you do not have Acrobat Reader, you can download it from Adobe’s web site.

• For new and readmit students who have not submitted a Statement of Legal Residence: Statement of Legal Residence (SLR)
• For continuing students classified nonresidents for tuition purposes: Residency Reclassification
• Enterable Application for AB540 Nonresident Tuition Exemption. For more information, go to www.ucop.edu/sas/sfs/docs/ab540_faqs.htm.

Residency Filing Deadlines

Filing Periods for New Students to Submit the Statement of Legal Residence Form (SLR), if Required

Filing Periods for Continuing Students

The above dates are availability and filing deadlines for continuing UC Santa Cruz students.  Petitions for Change of Legal Residence Status forms are available at the Office of the Registrar’s website Residency for Tuition Purposes.  Petitions received in our office after the closing filing date will be denied for failure to file by the deadline.  No exceptions will be made.

Other Deadlines

The documentation deadline applies to the submission of documents only; you must have already filed your Statement of Legal Resident form or Reclassification Petition by the filing deadline (see Filing Ends Dates in charts above.) All dates are subject to change. The above dates are deadlines for all students to submit requested documentation to the UCSC Residence Office. Any information submitted after the deadline will be accepted but not evaluated. Your outstanding file will be closed for failure to respond.

Residence Determination Dates

IMPORTANT:  Students who have not been classified as of the registration fee deadline are liable for payment of their total assessed registration fees.

Residency Information for Tuition Purposes

Adult students (over age 18) may establish residence for tuition purposes if they are a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or other non-citizen who is not precluded from establishing a domicile in the United States; and they meet the criteria described in the links below. Students who do not qualify as California residents must pay a Nonresident Tuition Fee in addition to all other fees (see Expenses and Financial Resources and graduate Fees and Expenses). The residence determination date is the day instruction begins at the last of the University of California campuses to open for the quarter.

• Regulations Governing Residence
• Who Is a Resident?
• Requirements for Financial Independence
• Establishing Intent for California Residency
• General Rules Applying to Minors
• Specific Rules Applying to Minors
• Exemptions from Nonresident Tuition
• Temporary Absences
• Petitioning for Change of Classification
• Time Limitation on Providing Documentation
• Incorrect Classification
• Inquiries and Appeals
• Privacy Notice

Frequently Asked Questions

The following specific questions and answers are based on the assumption that the inquirer is a U.S. citizen or eligible Noncitizen. If you still have questions after reviewing this information, please contact the UCSC Residence Deputy at reg_fees@ucsc.edu.

Q: What if my parents are divorced or separated?
A:  You may be able to derive California status from a California resident parent if you moved to California to live with that parent on or before you 18th birthday. If you move to California after your 18th birthday, you may be eligible for instate tuition as a Dependent of a California resident parent through the Condit exemption. You must be able to provide evidence that the California resident parent meets the U.C. residence requirements and that you are his/her dependent. This is usually documented by providing the most recent tax return indicating you have been claimed as a dependent, or by providing a court-ordered child support document.

Q:  Who is exempt from the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition?
A:  There are several categories of students that can be exempt from payment of the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition, including those who are a member or dependent of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces in California, faculty member dependent, University employee dependent, deceased law- enforcement dependent, California resident dependent, BIA school graduate, California public school district employee, Olympic athlete in training, California high school graduate, etc.  See Exemptions from Nonresident Supplemental Tuition.

Q:  What happens after I submit my SLR?
A:  The Residence Deputy will review your SLR in the order it was received. You may be contacted if additional documentation is needed.  After your residence status has been determined, you should be able to view your resident status in your MyUCSC portal, usually within a few weeks after you submit the SLR.  Please note that processing time may be longer during peak times of the year.

Q:  Can I deliver my SLR or Petition in person and have the Residence Deputy review it in front of me?
A:  You can meet with the Residence Deputy during drop in hours:

MWF 10-11am
T TH 2-3 pm

Because of the time involved and the high volume of SLR forms and Petitions received, the Residence Deputy may not have the time to fully review your form. Your form will be checked for missing information, missing dates, etc. 

If you feel your residence situation is unique or would like consideration of an extenuating circumstance, you are strongly urged to explain your situation in a statement attached to your form.

Q:  I filed a petition for change of resident status last term and was denied. Do I have to submit all requested documents again when I file a new petition for a subsequent term?
A:  No.  On your new petition, indicate the last term for which you filed a Petition for Change of Legal Residence Status and the existing documentation will be located. If you have additional documentation to provide; however, you should include it with your new petition.   

Q: I am a resident of New York and a member of the U.S. military stationed in California on active duty. Am I exempt from the nonresident tuition?
A: You could be. If you have not been present in California for more than 366 days, you may be entitled to an exemption of the nonresident tuition fee if you meet the requirements of a member of the military.

Q: I am currently a nonresident student at UC Santa Cruz and will be trying to obtain residence next year. I meet the financial independence requirement and have established ties with California that will be a year old by the time I wish to be a resident. I have a terrific job working in my previous state during summers, holiday vacations, etc. If I return to work there how will this affect my residence petition?
A: If you return to your former place of residence (outside of California), you will be presumed to be in California solely for educational purposes and only strong 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 his/her own stay.

Q: I am classified as a resident of California at the community college I attend. Does that mean that I will automatically be considered a resident at UC Santa Cruz?
A: No.  Some students transferring from California Community Colleges or from Cal State who were classified as residents there may be classified as nonresidents at UC Santa Cruz for various reasons. Most often it is because their parents are from out of state and the students do not meet the University of California's requirements for financial independence or intent.

Q: How are Financial Independence and Self Support Determined?
A: When you claim to be financially independent, for purposes of tuition and fees, you may be asked to demonstrate your self-sufficiency (complete self-support) for the two full years immediately prior to the quarter you are claiming a resident status.
Upon reviewing your Statement of Legal Residence after you are admitted, or when you Petition for a Change of Legal Residence Status as a continuing student, the Residence Deputy at the Office of the University Registrar will require you to present a budget showing how you are able to support yourself with the funds you claim during the two full years immediately prior to the quarter you claim to be resident and verification of your sources of income to demonstrate your self-support for that entire 24 month period.

Q: What is self-support?
A: Self-support is defined as money you have earned through your own employment or loans obtained on your own credit, without a co-signer. Any support you received from others within the two years immediately prior to the quarter you are claiming to be a resident may result in a Nonresident classification.
Self-Support includes, but is not limited to:

• Employment earnings. Your earnings must be verifiable with copies of W2s
• Institutional Loans obtained on your own credit, without a co-signer
• Financial aid loans obtained without a co-signer, and
• California-based scholarships and grants can be considered your income

Other Support is considered any support received from parents, family members or others during the two full years immediately prior to the quarter you are claiming resident status.
Other Support includes, but is not limited to:

• Loan income such as parent-based (PLUS) loans, bank loans made to you with a parent or other adult cosigning, or non-institutional loans made to you
• Housing, room and board, or work in exchange for housing
• Other gifts to you from a parent, grandparent, or other family members

Q: How do I prepare to demonstrate my Financial Independence?
A: To verify financial independence (self-support) you need to prepare copies of:

• Your state and federal income tax returns for the past two tax years (social security numbers redacted)
• Your parents' returns for at least the past two tax years (social security numbers redacted)
• You should also prepare documentation of all other sources of income you may have had during the past two tax years and the current year:
• Copies of current pay stubs
• W2 copies for the past two tax years
• Copies of financial aid award letters
• Copies of promissory notes for loans
• Trust, savings, investment account documents that show history, ownership and transaction summaries of each account back to your age 14 (Trust Instruments for each trust account)
• Verification of the origins of all cash, electronic and credit card payments made into your campus student account.

Reclaiming California Residence

Q: I was born in California, but my family moved away a couple of years ago. I am currently attending high school out of state where my family lives, but my parents still own a house in California which they pay property taxes on. Does this qualify me as a resident?
A: No.  If you are an unmarried minor (under age 18), the residence of the parent with whom you live will be considered to be your residence. Owning property in California is not enough to qualify you or your parents as California residents for tuition purposes. If your parents were once California residents and they consider their absence to be of a temporary nature, the burden will be on your parents to verify that they did nothing inconsistent with their claim of a continuing California residence during their absence. See temporary absences for information about retaining California residence during absences. In the event your parents are no longer California residents, you will be required to demonstrate financial independence in addition to meeting the current 366-day physical presence requirement as an adult, and intent requirements when seeking resident classification for tuition purposes.

Q: I am a 24 year-old UC graduate student and left California to pursue another degree out of state. While I was in school in California I was considered a resident. Am I still a resident?
A: You could be. Your temporary absence from the state for business, pleasure, or educational purposes will not result in loss of California residence unless during your absence you acted inconsistently with a claim of California residence.

Q: I am a 17 year-old senior in a California high school. My family moved to California from another country ten years ago when we were granted permanent residence status. Two years ago, my parents moved back to our former country to live and work there, leaving me and my older brothers in California. My brothers and I are financially dependent on our parents. My parents own the home we live in and pay Los Angeles County property taxes. Will I be a resident for tuition purposes?
A: No, since you are a minor and your parents are no longer California residents. Unless you are married, the residence of the parent with whom you live or last lived is considered to be your residence. If you have a parent living, you cannot change your residence by your own act, by the appointment of a legal guardian, or by the relinquishment of your parent's right of control. If you are not the dependent child of a parent who meets the University’s requirements for California residence for tuition purposes, you will be required to demonstrate financial independence in addition to meeting the current 366-day physical presence requirement as an adult, and intent requirements when seeking resident classification for tuition purposes.
Although you will not be classified as a resident for tuition purposes, you may be eligible for an exemption from nonresident fees; see the Exceptions from Nonresident Supplemental Tuition.

Revised 5/8/12