Establishing Residency

Certain nonresident students (including U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented individuals) who have attended, graduated, or achieved the equivalent from a California school may be exempted from paying nonresident tuition. Such students must remain classified as "nonresidents" for residence classification and financial aid eligibility purposes. Students seeking exemption from nonresident tuition must satisfy attendance requirements and graduation/transfer requirements. Students must also complete and submit the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request form, along with supporting documents (i.e., transcripts, proof of attendance) to the campus Admissions and Records Office.

Attendance Requirements

California Education Code Section 68130.5 states that a student shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California State University and the California Community Colleges if the student meets the following requirements:

Section A

A total attendance of – or attainment of credits earned while in California equivalent to – three or more years of full-time attendance or attainment of credits at any of the following:

• California high schools.
• California high schools established by the State Board of Education.
• California adult schools established by any of the following entities:
  • ​A county office of education.
  • A unified school district or high school district.
  • The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
• Campuses of the California Community Colleges*
• (v) A combination of those schools set forth in (i) to (iv), inclusive.

Please note that only two (2) years of community college attendance can be used to satisfy this requirement. A third year must be taken from attendance at one of the schools listed above (i-iii).

*A year's equivalence at a California community college is either a minimum of 24 semester units of credit or 54 quarter units. Only two (2) years of full time attendance in credit courses at the California community colleges will count towards the three (3) or more years of attendance. Full-time attendance at a California adult school is a minimum of 420 hours of attendance for each school year.

Section B

Three or more years of full-time high school coursework, and a total of three or more years of attendance in California elementary schools, California secondary schools, or a combination of California elementary and secondary schools.

Graduation/Transfer Requirement

Students must satisfy the graduation/transfer requirement by fulfilling any of the following:

1. Graduation from a California high school or attainment of the equivalent thereof; or
2. Attainment of an associate degree from a campus of the California Community Colleges; or
3. Fulfillment of the minimum transfer requirements established for the CSU for students transferring from a campus of the California Community Colleges.

Remember, students will not be considered for this exemption unless the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request form is completed and submitted along with supporting documents (i.e., transcripts, proof of attendance at a California school) to our Residency Specialist at residency@csusb.edu. 

Additionally, a student who was a lawful non-immigrant individual during his/her high school attendance, but who is no longer a non-immigrant (e.g., a student whose valid non-immigrant visa has expired, but who has not applied for any other non-immigrant status or a student who has applied for permanent residence, asylum, or another immigration classification other than as a non-immigrant), is entitled to this exemption provided s/he has met all other requirements for the exemption. 

California law provides for specific exceptions to nonresident tuition. A full list of exceptions is available on the California State University webpage. You may contact our Residency Specialists at residency@csusb.edu to verify your eligibility for an exception or exemption. 

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. a significant error of fact;
2. a significant procedural error; or
3. an incorrect application of law which, if corrected, would require that the student be reclassified as a resident; and/or

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” and does not provide proper documentation will be denied.

More information, including the link to submit the Residency Appeal is available on the California State University website.

Students with an undetermined residency statuses will have a request for residency items on their myCoyote To Do list.

All residency related items for the Fall term must be submit by February 15th to ensure that you residency status is classified correctly for tuition and financial aid purposes. Spring applicants must submit residency items by October 1st. 

You may contact our Residency Specialist at residency@csusb.edu for more information on what you may need to submit.

Undocumented students may find more resources through our Undocumented Student Success Center, or more information may be found on the California State University website.