University of California

Who is eligible for the tuition exemption?

If you're otherwise subject to systemwide nonresident supplemental tuition charges but can answer yes to both of the following questions, you are eligible for the AB 540 nonresident tuition exemption.*

• Did you attend a California high school for three or more years?
• Did you graduate (or will you graduate) from a high school in California or the equivalent? A High School Equivalency Certificate issued by the California State GED Office or a Certificate of Proficiency resulting from the California High School Proficiency Examination are considered equivalent to high school graduation.

In addition, if you answer yes to both of these questions but do not have legal immigration status, you must certify that you are taking steps to legalize your immigration status or will do so as soon as you are eligible.

* Nonimmigrant students are not eligible for this exemption. Nonimmigrants include, but are not necessarily limited to, students holding visas in one of the following categories: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, TN/TD, U, TWOV and NATO.

How to apply for the exemption

UC accepts the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request or the University of California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Application and Affidavit, which are available below or at campus registrars' offices. You should complete and submit the form after you have been admitted and submitted your Statement of Legal Residence to the campus residence deputy and received a nonresident classification. You may be asked to provide official high school transcripts and proof of high school graduation.

Once you have been determined to be eligible for the exemption, you need not reapply as long as you are continuously enrolled at a single UC campus.