Residency > California Residence Requirements

In accordance with the California Education Code, upon your admission to Cabrillo, we will classify you as a resident or nonresident of California. This affects how much you pay per unit.

We will classify you as a resident if you:

are 19 years of age or older and
have resided in California for at least one year and one day prior to the beginning of the term and
can prove presence and intent by providing us with certain documents

If you are under 19 years of age, we determine your residency based on your parent or legal guardian's residency status.

See the documents we accept as evidence of residency (72Kb PDF)

To request a change in status from non-resident to resident, submit a new application for admission in person to Admissions and Records at the Aptos Campus or Watsonville Center the semester before your status changes. Remember to bring along the supporting documents for verification.

Note: Your residency classification will not be changed automatically, you must request it. We cannot process a retroactive change of status.

If you are not a United States citizen, or permanent resident, or on a visa that allows you to establish California residency, then --in addition to the documents we accept as evidence of residency-- you must provide verification that you have applied for residency with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at least one year and one day prior to the beginning of the term.

For a document containing all the gritty details, see Residency Regulations and Requirements (56Kb PDF) on the Chancellor's Office website.

Questions about California Residency? Call us a (831) 479-6201.