Eligibility Requirements For The Military Waiver Of Nonresident Tuition

For Members of the Military

If you are member of the military, you may be exempt from nonresident fees if you are stationed in California on active duty, unless the assignment is for the purpose of attending a state-supported institution of higher education.

If you are an undergraduate student, you may be entitled to an exemption from the nonresident tuition indefinitely.

If you are a graduate or professional student, you will be eligible for an exemption for two academic years, during which time you must fulfill UC residence requirements in order to maintain waiver eligibility. Because the exemption period is limited to a two-year period for graduate and professional students, it is imperative that you designate California as the state of legal residence (not “home of record”) on appropriate military records, and take steps to establish California residency upon your arrival in California. Following the two-year exemption period, you must file an online classification petition with the Office of the Registrar to determine if you to qualify for resident classification.

The student must meet all of the following requirements. You:

1. must be on active military duty[1] in California on the residence determination date of the term for which the exemption is requested;
   AND
2. must not have been assigned to California for the purpose of attending a state-supported institution. A student who has been assigned to a military base in California with orders to attend a state-supported school will not be eligible for an exemption from the nonresident tuition;
   AND
3. A graduate student must not have been stationed in California for more than two year immediately prior to the residence determination date of the quarter for which the exemption is requested.

The student must provide the following:

• A statement from her/his commanding officer or personnel officer indicating the specific date of his assignment to California, and that the assignment to active duty is not for educational purposes.

[1]Active duty military members do not include National Guard or reserve members.

For Spouses, Registered Domestic Partners, or Dependent Children of Military Personnel

If you are a student who is a dependent natural or adopted child, stepchild, spouse or registered domestic partner of a member of the armed forces of the United Sates who is stationed in CA on active duty, you may be entitled to a resident classification.[2] If, while you are in attendance at UC, the member of the armed forces is (a) transferred outside California where s/he continues to serve on active duty or (b) is retired from active duty, you will not lose your exemption until you have resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident (366 days). Financial independence will not be a requirement and the waiver is available to all children who are dependents for federal income tax purposes; it is not limited to minors.

Requirements:

The student must be the dependent of a member of the armed forces who:

• is stationed in California on active duty on the residence determination date, or
• after serving in California on active duty has been transferred outside California where he continues to serve, or
• has retired from active duty immediately after serving in California.

The student must provide the following:

• A statement from the military member’s commanding officer or personnel officer indicating the specific date(s) of the member’s assignment to California, and that the assignment to active duty is not for educational purposes:

• Child: must provide documentation that indicates dependent status (e.g. tax forms, military records, etc.).
• Spouse or Registered Domestic Partner: must also provide documentation verifying marital/partner and dependent status (e.g. marriage certificate, tax forms, military records, etc.). Domestic Partners must provide documentation of registered partner status, as well as dependent status.

[2]Graduate and professional students are entitled to the waiver for no more than one academic year.

Sometimes students believe they will continue to pay resident fees as long as they take steps to become a California resident any time during the waiver period. This is NOT correct. If you wait to establish California residence, you delay the earliest time we can classify you as a resident. Be sure to plan ahead so that you take steps to establish California residence a full year before you lose eligibility for the waiver. Refer to the "How to Establish Residency" page.

NOTICE: This summation is not a complete explanation of the laws regarding residence. Additional information is available from the Office of the Registrar. Changes may be made in the residence requirements between the publication date of this statement and the relevant residence determination date.

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