California Residency

California Residency for CSU Tuition

To qualify for California residency for CSU tuition purposes, the student (or parent/guardian if under age 19 by the Residence Determination Date) must meet both of the following:

1. Physical Presence: Be physically present in California for more than one year (one year and one day) prior to the Residence Determination Date for the term. 

   For example, if a student plans to attend the CSU for the Fall 2026 academic term, and the Residence Determination Date for that term is September 20, 2026, the student must establish physical presence in California no later than September 19, 2025.

2. Intent: Demonstrate intent to make California a permanent home and sever ties with any previous state or country of residence. Additionally, there must be sufficient documentation to demonstrate that intent was established more than one year (a minimum of one year and one day) prior to the Residence Determination Date.

   Intent may be supported by documentation such as: California driver’s license or ID, Voter registration and voting history, California state tax filings, Employment in California, Lease agreements or property ownership, or Financial accounts with a California address.

For more information about an initial classification of residency in California, see California Education Code Section 68017 and California Code of Regulations Title 5, Sections 41904 and 41905.

Important

• Residency requirements are established by California law and cannot be waived.
• Living in California for 12 months alone does not guarantee eligibility.
• Moving to California primarily to attend school does not qualify a student for in-state tuition.
• Maintaining ties to another state (e.g., taxes, license, or voter registration) may result in non-resident classification.
• Financial hardship is not considered in residency determinations.
• Financial support from parents may impact eligibility for reclassification.
• Residency reclassification is not retroactive and applies only to future terms.

You must establish California residency one full year before the term’s Residence Determination Date:

To request a correction of your residency status as a new student, submit a CSU Residence Questionnaire with supporting documents.

A complete packet must include:

1. A fully completed CSU Residence Questionnaire (Incomplete forms will be canceled)
2. If you are a citizen of another country (not the United States), proof of U.S. immigration status
3. Proof of California Residency* - At least three (3) supporting documents that show Physical Presence and Intent to Stay in California, for a minimum of one year and one day prior to the Residence Determination Date (RDD):
   • At least one document from List A; and
   • Remaining documents from List A and/or List B

*If the student is under 19 years old by the Residence Determination Date (RDD), the documents must pertain to the parent or legal guardian, unless an exception applies.

NOTE: Additional documents (like high school transcripts, letters from county social workers, verification of attendance from a school, medical coverage) may be requested.

Eligible nonresident students may qualify for a nonresident tuition exemption if you completed 3+ years of formal schooling in California.

Required documentation includes:

1. Fully completed California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request (AB 540)
2. Documentation of 3+ years of formal schooling in California high schools, California adult schools, campuses of the California Community Colleges, or a combination of those schools
   • Transcripts, proof of attendance, and if applicable, GED certificate.
   • If you are a first-time freshman currently enrolled in high school, you are not required to submit a high school transcript with the AB 540 form. However, you must submit your official final high school transcript by the admission term’s final transcript deadline.

For more information about resources for Undocumented Students, please visit the CSU Office of the Chancellor Resources for Undocumented Students webpage.

Review Request Deadlines

Please submit all documents by the term's Residency Review deadline (late submissions must wait until the next term):

Things to Keep in Mind

• Before submitting, ensure all forms are fully completed and all required supporting documents are included.
• Incomplete submissions will be automatically canceled, and a new request must be submitted.
• Processing typically takes 3-4 weeks
• You’ll receive email updates to the preferred email address listed in your GET account

Submission Methods

• Online (recommended): Admissions Uploading Documents Page
• Mail:
    Cal State LA Admissions
    ATTN: Residency
    5151 State University Drive
    Los Angeles, CA 90032
    (Do not mail original identification documents)
• In Person:
  Admissions & New Transfer Center
  Student Services Building, 1st Floor

Students awaiting a residency decision may enroll in a deferred payment plan for nonresident tuition.

To learn more, or to sign up for this plan, please visit Student Loan Services and Collections in the One Stop Financial Services (Student Services Building, Room 2380); this plan is not available online via TransAct.

Be aware: If it is determined that you do not qualify for a reclassification to resident status for CSU tuition purposes, the non-resident fees will become immediately due and must be paid before you may enroll for the next term.

If you are a continuing Cal State LA student and were previously classified as a nonresident for CSU tuition purposes, you can apply for reclassification. 

To qualify, you must:

• Show physical presence in California
• Demonstrate intent to remain in California indefinitely
• Meet the financial independence requirement (per Title 5 CCR § 41905.5)

To request a reclassification, complete the CSU Residence Questionnaire Form, and submit all required supporting documents. See above for link to the form.

Financial Independence Requirement

41905.5. Residence Reclassification - Financial Independence Requirement

Any nonresident student requesting reclassification to CA resident for tuition purposes must demonstrate financial independence:

• Student has not and will not be claimed as an exemption for state and federal tax purposes by his/her parent in the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the three calendar years prior to the reclassification application
• Student has not and will not receive more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) per year in financial assistance from his/her parent in the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the three calendar years prior to the reclassification application
• Student has not lived and will not live for more than six weeks in the home of his/her parent during the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the three calendar years prior to the reclassification application

Note: Students who receive a government scholarship and/or financial assistance should be viewed the same as state and federal financial aid, and athletics grants-is-aid; and should not be counted as parental support.

Who is exempt from Financial Independence?

Starting Fall 2020, you don’t need to meet financial independence if you meet at least one of the following:

• You are a dependent of a parent who has California residence for more than one year immediately preceding the residence determination date;
• You are enrolled in a graduate or post‐baccalaureate program, regardless of age;
• You are 24 years of age by the residence determination date;
• You are married or registered domestic partner as of the residence determination date;
• You are active duty members serving in the U.S Armed Forces or a Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces;
• You have legal dependent other than spouse or registered domestic partner;
• You are a former ward of the court, foster youth, or both parents are deceased;
• You were declared by a court to be an emancipated minor; or
• You are an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

You’ll need to submit documentation (such as tax returns, court documents, or military records) to verify eligibility.

Important Notes

• If you are financially dependent on nonresident parents, you are not eligible for reclassification
• Your campus will review your application and notify you of the decision
• If your request is denied, you may appeal to the CSU Chancellor's Office if you meet the appeal criteria (see below Appeal section)

Students classified as nonresidents may appeal to the Chancellor's Office within 30 calendar days of the issuance of the notification of the final campus decision. The campus decision may be appealed only if at least one of the following applies:

1. The decision was based on:
   • a significant error of fact;
   • a significant procedural error; or
   • an incorrect application of law which, if corrected, would require that the student be reclassified as a resident; and/or,
2. Significant new information, not previously known or available to the student, became available after the date of the campus decision classifying the student as a nonresident and based on the new information, the classification as a nonresident is incorrect.

Students must explain why the appeal meets one or more of the above appeal criteria and provide supporting documentation. For example, a "significant error of fact" could be demonstrated by stating that the campus incorrectly determined that a specific document, such as a driver's license, was untimely and by providing a copy of the document establishing the error. An appeal that only states "a significant error of fact," will be denied.

If you decide to appeal, you must submit an online appeal at www.calstate.edu/residency.

Appeals via email, fax and U.S. mail will not be accepted. A student with a documented disability that prohibits the student from submitting an appeal through the California State University website should contact:

The California State University
Office of the Chancellor
Student Affairs & Enrollment Management
401 Golden Shore, 6th Floor
Long Beach, California 90802-4210