Residency Form & Instructions

Incoming Applicants

The information in this section is intended for applicants who have not yet attended the University, and are requesting to change/correct reported residency information that may affect their CSU tuition and fees. This form and instructions also apply to returning students who have lost continuing student standing and are now reapplying, or returning students who are seeking a new degree and are now reapplying.  

Provide clear copies of documents that support your claim for residency. Minor students must submit supporting documents for their parent(s). Documents must be dated one year and one day prior to the Residence Determination Date* for the term in which you are seeking residence status for tuition purposes. These dates are as follows:

Residence Determination Date*

Fall Semester              September 20th
Spring Semester         January 25th
 Summer Semester      June 1st

*Documents must be dated one year and one day prior to the Residence Determination Date.   

  1. Complete a Residence Questionnaire [PDF] form.
  2. A minimum of THREE DOCUMENTS is required. At least one document must be from list A, and the remaining documents may be selected from either List A or List B.

    Options to meet the requirement: 

    • Option 1: One document from list A and two documents from List B
    • Option 2: Two documents from list A and one document from List B
    • Option 3: All three documents from list A (for example, CA driver's license, CA vehicle registration, and CA Voter Registration card)

      List A:

      • California State Income Tax Return
      • Ownership of residential property as a primary residence in California (must meet RDD)
      • Continuous occupancy of rented or leased property in California (must meet RDD)
      • Obtaining a California Driver's License or Identification Card (must meet RDD)
      • Registering To Vote and Voting history (must meet RDD)
      • Registering a Motor Vehicle Operated in California (must meet RDD)
      • Permanent Military Address or Home of Record on Military Records (must meet RDD)
      • Receipt of California state services (e.g., unemployment, disability, CalFresh) (must meet RDD)
      • Payment of nonresident tuition at an out-of-state institution if attended within the past year

      List B:

      • Federal Income Tax Return with a California address
      • Utility bill (e.g., cell phone, gas, electrical) with same California address (must meet RDD, and only one utili​ty bill will be accepted)
      • Maintaining Active Resident Memberships in Professional Organizations (e.g., police union, teacher's union) (must meet RDD)
      • Maintaining an Active Bank Account with a California address (must meet RDD)
      • Employment in California (e.g., verification of employment, W-2, pay stubs) (must meet RDD)
      • Vehicle insurance with a California address (student must be listed in the policy) (must meet RDD)
      • Selective Service Registration with a California address
      • Court documents (e.g., ward of the court, divorce decree, or child support)

      *Actions and/or documents that show residential ties to a State or country other than California may cause a denial of residency.

  3. If you are a citizen of another country, you must additionally submit paperwork on your current immigration status such as:
     
    • Copy of Green Card (front and back)
    • Visa or Employment Card (front and back)
       
  4. Submit your complete residency packet to our Residency Questionnaire Dropbox by clicking on the button below:
*All documents must be in PDF form. Please note, documents received by CSUDH will become the property of the University and will not be returned to the student or forwarded to any other institution or agency. For further information concerning residency determination, click here. The residency document deadline* is:

Residency Document Deadline*

Fall Semester              September 20th
Spring Semester         January 25th
 Summer Semester      June 1st

*A complete request must be submitted for review by the residency document deadline.  Documents will not be accepted late and your current residency status for tuition purposes will remain final.  

Continuing Students

The information in this section is intended for applicants who have not yet attended the University, and are requesting to change/correct reported residency information that may affect their CSU tuition and fees. This form and instructions also apply to returning students who have lost continuing student standing and are now reapplying, or returning students who are seeking a new degree and are now reapplying.  

Provide clear copies of documents that support your claim for residency. Minor students must submit supporting documents for their parent(s). Documents must be dated one year and one day prior to the Residence Determination Date* for the term in which you are seeking residence status for tuition purposes. These dates are as follows:

Residence Determination Date*

Fall Semester              September 20th
Spring Semester         January 25th
 Summer Semester      June 1st

*Documents must be dated one year and one day prior to the Residence Determination Date.   

  1. Complete a Residence Questionnaire [PDF] form.
  2. A minimum of THREE DOCUMENTS is required. At least one document must be from list A, and the remaining documents may be selected from either List A or List B.

    Options to meet the requirement: 

    • Option 1: One document from list A and two documents from List B
    • Option 2: Two documents from list A and one document from List B
    • Option 3: All three documents from list A (for example, CA driver's license, CA vehicle registration, and CA Voter Registration card)

      List A:

      • California State Income Tax Return
      • Ownership of residential property as a primary residence in California (must meet RDD)
      • Continuous occupancy of rented or leased property in California (must meet RDD)
      • Obtaining a California Driver's License or Identification Card (must meet RDD)
      • Registering To Vote and Voting history (must meet RDD)
      • Registering a Motor Vehicle Operated in California (must meet RDD)
      • Permanent Military Address or Home of Record on Military Records (must meet RDD)
      • Receipt of California state services (e.g., unemployment, disability, CalFresh) (must meet RDD)
      • Payment of nonresident tuition at an out-of-state institution if attended within the past year

      List B:

      • Federal Income Tax Return with a California address
      • Utility bill (e.g., cell phone, gas, electrical) with same California address (must meet RDD, and only one utili​ty bill will be accepted)
      • Maintaining Active Resident Memberships in Professional Organizations (e.g., police union, teacher's union) (must meet RDD)
      • Maintaining an Active Bank Account with a California address (must meet RDD)
      • Employment in California (e.g., verification of employment, W-2, pay stubs) (must meet RDD)
      • Vehicle insurance with a California address (student must be listed in the policy) (must meet RDD)
      • Selective Service Registration with a California address
      • Court documents (e.g., ward of the court, divorce decree, or child support)

      *Actions and/or documents that show residential ties to a State or country other than California may cause a denial of residency.

  3. If you are a citizen of another country, you must additionally submit paperwork on your current immigration status such as:
     
    • Copy of Green Card (front and back)
    • Visa or Employment Card (front and back)
       
  4. Submit your complete residency packet to our Residency Questionnaire Dropbox by clicking on the button below:
*All documents must be in PDF form. Please note, documents received by CSUDH will become the property of the University and will not be returned to the student or forwarded to any other institution or agency. For further information concerning residency determination, click here. The residency document deadline* is:

Residency Document Deadline*

Fall Semester              September 20th
Spring Semester         January 25th
 Summer Semester      June 1st

*A complete request must be submitted for review by the residency document deadline.  Documents will not be accepted late and your current residency status for tuition purposes will remain final.  

Exceptions and Exemptions

Students not classified as California residents for tuition purposes under the standard rules, may qualify for an exception or an exemption from payment of nonresident tuition fees and may be eligible to qualify as a resident for tuition purposes based on certain exceptions in the Uniform Student Residency Requirements.

Provide clear copies of documents that support your request for the exception or exemption you are applying for to update your residency classification if applicable before the following dates:

Residence Determination Date*

Fall Semester              September 20th
Spring Semester         January 25th
 Summer Semester      June 1st

*Documents must be dated one year and one day prior to the Residence Determination Date.   

Below are some examples of possible exceptions or exemptions:

1. Complete a California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request also referred to as AB-540/AB-2000/SB-68.

  • Exemptions are available for students who meet the AB-540/AB-2000/SB-68 requirements.

2. Military

  • Exemptions available to active military personnel, their dependents, or to recently discharged military personnel.

3. Alan Pattee Scholarship

  • Spouse or child of a deceased law enforcement or fire suppression and prevention public employee.

4. Employees of the CSU or California State

  • Employees assigned outside California and their spouses, registered domestic partners and children are eligible.

5. Employees of California School Districts

  • A student is eligible for this exception for no more than one academic year.

6. Amateur Student Athletes

  • To determine eligibility, must provide proof of national governing body for sport in which student is competing.

For additional information on Exceptions & Exemptions, please click here.

Submit your complete exemption request to our Residency Questionnaire Dropbox by clicking on the button below:

*All documents must be in PDF form. Please note, documents received by CSUDH will become the property of the University and will not be returned to the student or forwarded to any other institution or agency. For further information concerning residency determination, click here. The residency document deadline* is:

Residency Document Deadline*

Fall Semester              September 20th
Spring Semester         January 25th
 Summer Semester      June 1st

*A complete request must be submitted for review by the residency document deadline.  Documents will not be accepted late and your current residency status for tuition purposes will remain final.  

 


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:
    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,
  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

Questions concerning the appeal changes and content may be referred to Dr. Ana Aguayo-Bryant, Assistant Director, Student Affairs Programs, at aaguayo@calstate.edu.