Residency

California Residency for Tuition Purposes

The Office of Admissions is responsible for determining the residency status of all new and returning students at California State University, Bakersfield for CSU tuition purposes. This determination is based on information supplied in the CSU Admission application, the CSU Residence Questionnaire, and, as necessary, other evidence furnished by the student.

A student who fails to submit adequate information to establish eligibility for California resident classification will be classified as a non-resident for CSU tuition purposes. For more information, please refer to the CSU Office of the Chancellor Residency webpage.

The deadline to apply for residence reclassification is:

  • August 1st for Fall admissions
  • December 1st for Spring admissions

Documents submitted after the deadline date may not be processed in time for the payment deadline. Students must meet payment deadlines to avoid disenrollment, and will be responsible for non-resident fees if all required documentation is not received.

Establishing California Residency for Tuition Purposes

All students attending CSU Bakersfield must be classified as either a resident or nonresident for tuition purposes. The requirements for establishing residency for tuition purposes are independent from those of other types of residency, such as for tax purposes, or other state or institutional residency.

To be classified as a resident for tuition purposes, a student (or parent, in the case of a minor) must demonstrate the following one year and one day immediately prior to the Residence Determination Date.

Physical Presence. The student must establish a physical presence in California more than one year and one day immediately prior to the Residence Determination Date of the term for which classification as a resident is requested. Continuous physical presence is not mandatory, but a student who leaves California has the burden of clearly demonstrating their retention of California residence during periods of absence. Failure to do so will result in a determination of nonresident.

Intent. The student must demonstrate through objective documentation that their physical presence was coupled with the intent to make California his or her permanent home. Evidence of intent must be in place one year and one day immediately prior to the Residence Determination Date. Intent is an independent element of residence, and is demonstrated by establishing residential ties in California, and relinquishing ties to the former place of residence. Physical presence within California solely for educational purposes does not constitute establishment of California residence. Proofs of intent must be in place one year and one day prior to the Residence Determination Date, and can include, but are not limited to:

Residency Determination Dates

  • Fall Terms - September 20
    • Must establish California residency by September 19 of the prior calendar year to qualify for resident tuition
  • Spring Terms - January 25
    • Must establish California residency by January 24 of the prior calendar year to qualify for resident tuition
  • Summer Terms - June 1
    • Must establish California residency by May 31 of the prior calendar year to qualify for resident tuition
Residency Reclassification
Nonresident Tuition Exemption
Western Undergraduate Exchange Program
Residency Determination Appeals

Frequently Asked Residency Questions

Every student attending a California State University must be classified as either a California resident, or as a nonresident, for tuition purposes. This classification is important because nonresident students pay an additional amount per unit each semester. Eligibility criteria are established by state law and the California Code of Regulations. The California State University system implements these laws and regulations.

The term "California Resident" for tuition purposes may differ from other definitions of California residency. A person who has a California driver license/vehicle registration or who is a California resident for tax, voting, or welfare purposes may have established legal residence in the state but might not necessarily be considered a resident for tuition purposes.

Regulations were established not to determine whether a student is a resident or nonresident of California, but rather to determine whether a student should pay University fees on an in-state or out-of-state basis. The University cannot alter or waive the eligibility criteria for any reason.

The laws governing residency for tuition purposes at the California State University are California Education Code sections 68000-68090, 68120-68134, and 89705-89707.5, and California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Subchapter 5, Article 4, sections 41900-41916. This material can be viewed on the internet by accessing the California State University's website.

Refer to your checklist on your myCSUB portal. If you have not submitted all of the requested documents to establish your residency, you will be classified as a non-resident for tuition purposes. If there are no items on your checklist, complete the Residency Questionnaire and submit the supporting documents.
You can apply to have your residency reviewed once you submit your admissions application to the university. Residency form and supporting documents will be accepted through the 15th day of classes.
A student classified as a nonresident for a prior term may seek reclassification in any subsequent term; however, reclassification requires that, in addition to satisfying the requirements of physical presence and intent to remain indefinitely in the state, the student must also satisfy the requirement of financial independence.

This requirement does not apply to incoming students. However, financial independence is a requirement for students who entered CSU Bakersfield as a nonresident student in a previous term and wish to reclassify to California resident for tuition purposes in a subsequent term. In such cases, the University must consider whether the student is financially dependent on their parent(s), as defined in the California Education Code, section 68044. Students must provide documentation that proves their financial independence from their parents, both in the current year, and in the prior three years. A student shall be considered financially independent for purposes of this section if the applicant meets all of the following requirements:

  • Has not and will not be claimed as an exemption for state and federal tax purposes by his or her parent in the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the three calendar years prior to the reclassification application.
  • Has not and will not receive more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) per year in financial assistance from his or her parent in the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the three calendar years prior to the reclassification application.
  • Has not and will not live with parents for more than 6 weeks per calendar year in the current calendar year nor in any of the previous three calendar years.

This is a non-negotiable requirement for reclassification requests, applicable to students in their second term with the University, or after.

Students not classified as California residents for tuition purposes may qualify for an exception or an exemption from payment of nonresident tuition. Detailed information regarding qualification for these exceptions and exemptions can be found online by visiting the Office of the Chancellor's website.

Minor students derive their legal residency from the parent with whom the minor maintains, or last maintained, his or her place of residence. The residence of a minor cannot be changed by:

  • The minor's own act, by the appointment of a legal guardian
  • The relinquishment of a parent's right of control as long as the minor's parents are still living

The parent must be a California resident, as established by the California Education Code, for at least one year and one day immediately prior to the Residence Determination Date for the minor to qualify for California residency. Supporting documentation must be submitted for both the parent and the student.

Students 19 years of age or older by the Residence Determination Date (RDD) are considered adults for residency purposes. To be eligible for California resident status, adult students must:

  • Be a US Citizen, or possess an allowable immigration status for one year and one day prior to the RDD
  • Maintain a physical presence in California for one year and one day prior to the RDD
  • Demonstrate evidence of intent to make California your permanent home

Generally, to be eligible for California resident classification, a person must be able to establish or verify the following, prior to the Residence Determination Date:

  • The legal right to establish California residency
  • Maintain a physical presence and permanent residence in California for one calendar year
  • Demonstrate the intent to make California their permanent home

Residence Determination Dates (RDD)

  • Fall Terms - September 20
    • Must establish California residency by September 19 of the prior calendar year to qualify for resident tuition
  • Spring Terms - January 25
    • Must establish California residency by January 24 of the prior calendar year to qualify for resident tuition
  • Summer Terms - June 1
    • Must establish California residency by May 31 of the prior calendar year to qualify for resident tuition
Pay the Resident portion of your tuition bill while you wait for your residency determination. You can petition any late fees if you have a pending residency application. Use the CSUB Estimated Cost of Attendance to calculate what amount that would be. All residency applications have been processed and are waiting for student action to proceed.