Residency Determination for Tuition Fees Purposes

At the time of the application (or reapplication) for admission, a student’s residency status will be determined based on the answers provided on the application for admission. After the minimum one year waiting period has been met, a student capable of establishing residence, must submit the “Request for Review of Residence Status” form along with supporting documentation to the Admissions office in order to request a residence status change. Please consider that the residency status does not automatically change on its own.

During the waiting period to establish residence, it is important to note the following:

• A person capable of establishing residence in California must be physically present in California for one year prior to the residence determination date to be classified as a resident student.
• A student who is not a United States Citizen may establish residence unless precluded by the Immigration and Nationality Act from establishing domicile in the United States.
• A person’s residence is not derivative of his or her spouse.
• In order to establish a residence, it is necessary that there be a union of act and intent.
• The one year residence period, which a student must meet to be classified as a resident, does not begin to run until the student is both present in California and has manifested clear intent to become a California resident.
• Physical presence within the state solely for educational purposes does not constitute establishing California residence regardless of length of that presence.
• The residence of an unmarried minor who has a parent living cannot be changed by his/her own act, by the appointment of a legal guardian, or by relinquishment of a parent’s right of control.
• In determining whether the student has objectively manifested intent to establish California residence, financial independence shall weigh in favor of finding California residence and financial dependence shall weigh against finding California residence.
• When determining financial independence Palomar College shall look for evidence that the student has not and will not be claimed as an exemption for state and/or 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.
• The burden is on the student to demonstrate clearly both physical presence in California and intent to establish California residence.
• Residency status changes/ appeals must be completed by the end of the term for which you are requesting the status change for.

Please visit the following page for steps to update your residency status: Residency