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AB 540/AB2000

Exemption from Payment of Nonresident Tuition

California Undocumented Students

If you are a nonresident student (including U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented individuals) who has attended, graduated, or achieved the equivalent from a California school, you may be exempted from paying nonresident tuition. You will remain classified as "nonresident" for residence classification and financial aid eligibility purposes.

Students seeking exemption from nonresident tuition must satisfy attendance requirements and graduation/transfer requirements.

Attendance Requirements

Section A

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

    1. California high schools
    2. California high schools established by the State Board of Education
    3. California adult schools established by any of the following:
      • A county office of education
      • A unified school district or high school district
      • The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
    4. Campuses of the California Community Colleges
    5. A combination of the above

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 years of full-time attendance in credit courses at the California community colleges will count towards the three 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

You must satisfy this requirement by fulfilling any of the following:

  1. Graduation from a California high school or attainment of the equivalent thereof

  2. Attainment of an associate degree from a campus of the California Community Colleges
  3. Fulfillment of the minimum transfer requirements established for the CSU for students transferring from a campus of the California Community Colleges.

Submitting Your Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request

You will need to complete and submit the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request form, along with supporting documents (i.e., transcripts, proof of attendance) to the campus Admissions Office.