Residency Request Instructions

New CSUDH students seeking residency classification or continuing students applying for
reclassification for CSU tuition purposes should follow these steps to ensure accurate
determination:

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

Table 1.1

Important Note:

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

All Students:

1. Download & Complete a Residence Questionnaire [PDF] form.
2. Submit a minimum of three documents to verify residency. At least one document
   must be from List A, and the remaining documents can be selected from either List A or
   List B.

        Options to meet the requirement:

                 1. Option 1: One document from list A and two documents from List B

                 2. Option 2: Two documents from list A and one document from List B

                 3. Option 3: All three documents from list A (for example, CA driver's license,
                                   CA vehicle registration, and CA Voter Registration card)

                  List A:

                         1. California State Income Tax Return

                         2. Ownership of residential property as a primary residence in
                             California (must meet RDD)

                         3. Continuous occupancy of rented or leased property in California
                             (must meet RDD)

                         4. Obtaining a California Driver's License or Identification Card (must
                             meet RDD)

                         5. Registering To Vote and Voting history (must meet RDD)

                         6. Registering a Motor Vehicle Operated in California (must meet
                             RDD)

                         7. Permanent Military Address or Home of Record on Military Records
                             (must meet RDD)

                         8. Receipt of California state services (e.g., unemployment, disability,
                             CalFresh) (must meet RDD)

                         9. Payment of nonresident tuition at an out-of-state institution if
                             attended within the past year

                   List B:

                        10. Federal Income Tax Return with a California address

                        11. Utility bill (e.g., cell phone, gas, electrical) with same California
                              address (must meet RDD, and only one utili​ty bill will be accepted)

                        12. Maintaining Active Resident Memberships in Professional 
                              Organizations (e.g., police union, teacher's union) (must meet
                              RDD)

                        13. Maintaining an Active Bank Account with a California address (must
                              meet RDD)

                        14. Employment in California (e.g., verification of employment, W-2,
                              pay stubs) (must meet RDD)

                        15. Vehicle insurance with a California address (student must be listed
                              in the policy) (must meet RDD)

                        16. Selective Service Registration with a California address

                        17. 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:

                      1. Copy of Green Card (front and back)
                      2. Visa or Employment Card (front and back)

      4. For Continuing Students Seeking Reclassification:

For continuing students seeking reclassification as residents for tuition purposes, demonstrating
financial independence is essential. According to Title 5 CCR § 41905.5, this requires that:

• The student has not been claimed as a tax dependent by their parents in the current
  year or in any of the three prior years.
• The student has not received more than $750 in financial support from their parents during the same period.
• The student has not lived with their parents for more than six weeks in any of those years.

In addition to financial independence, students must satisfy the requirements for eligible immigration status, physical presence, and intent to remain indefinitely in the state. To pursue reclassification, complete a Residence Questionnaire Form, and provide supporting documents. For more information, see Reclassification after Initial Residency Determination.

      5. AB 540 students should complete both the “CSU Residence Questionnaire” and the
          “California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request (AB 540).” For additional guidance, see the page CSU Financial Aid and CSUDH Financial Aid CA Dream Act page.

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

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*

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

Below are some examples of possible exceptions or exemptions:

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

Residency Document Deadline*

_{*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, become 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.

A campus residency classification appeal must be submitted online.

Students with a documented disability may contact residencyappeals@calstate.edu for assistance with submission.