This page summarizes UC Residence Policy and Guidelines and may not address all questions or cover all circumstances. Content on this website is merely for advising purposes and does not guarantee any residency determination. Although each campus may adopt different administrative procedures, University regulations regarding residency for tuition purposes are exactly the same for all UC campuses. Changes may be made in the residence requirements between the publication of this statement and the relevant residence determination date.
The definition of residency varies between offices, such as for admissions or financial aid purposes. This means that information from the admissions office (or on your financial aid award letter) does not necessarily mean you are a UC resident for purposes of tuition.
Residency Requirements
There are four requirements that must be fulfilled in order to be a UC resident for tuition purposes. All of these requirements must be met by the residence determination date (RDD) of the quarter for which a resident classification is requested.
1.
Physical Presence
Students* must be continuously physically present in California for more than one year (366 days) immediately prior to the residence determination date of the term for which they request resident status. If a student* moved to California primarily to attend the University of California, they are here for educational purposes and may not be eligible for a resident classification for purposes of tuition.
2.
Intent to Remain in California
Students* must establish their intent to make California their home more than one year prior to the residence determination date of the term for which they request resident status.
3.
Financial Independence
- If a student is an unmarried undergraduate under the age of 24 and your parent(s) are not California residents, you must be able to verify financial independence for one full year immediately preceding the term you wish to enroll.
- Graduate students are presumed to be financially independent.
4.
Immigration Status
Students* must have the legal ability to establish a permanent domicile in the United States, meaning that they must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold a valid, qualifying nonimmigrant visa.
* Students are considered to be Dependent Students, with both Students and Parents concurrently fulfilling all the Residency Requirements, or Students must qualify as Independent as described above (Financial Independence).
Questions?
For all questions about residency for tuition purposes and the Statement of Legal Residency (SLR), please contact the Residence Deputy
By Phone: Join the line to speak with the Residence Deputy (Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-12pm, pacific time)
By Email: Residency@sa.ucsb.edu
Beyond the Residency Staff in the Office of the Registrar, no other University personnel are authorized to supply information regarding residence requirements for tuition.
If you have any questions about information on this page, please email Residency@sa.ucsb.edu.