California State University, Fresno
General Catalog
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Admissions



You are in the official 2001-2002 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.

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Admissions

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Photo of two students in the Pavilion.

Joyal Administration Lobby
(559) 278-2261
VIVIAN FRANCO, Interim Director

For applications, please visit our online request page.

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Requirements for admission to California State University, Fresno are in accordance with Title 5, Chapter 1, Subchapter 3, of the California Code of Regulations. If you are not sure of these requirements, you should consult a high schoolsor community college counselor or the Admissions Office. Applications may be obtained at California high schools or community colleges or from the Admissions Office at any of the campuses of the California State University.

Electronic versions of the CSU undergraduate and graduate applications are accessible on the World Wide Web at http://www.csumentor.edu. The CSUMentor system allows students to browse through general information about 22 CSU campuses, view multimedia campus presentations, send and receive electronic responses to specific questions, and apply for admission and financial aid.

Importance of Filing Complete, Accurate, and Authentic Application for Admission Documents. The CSU advises prospective students that they must supply complete and accurate information on the application for admission, residence questionnaire, and financial aid forms. Further, applicants must submit authentic and official transcripts of all previous academic work attempted. Failure to file complete, accurate, and authentic application documents may result in denial of admission, cancellation of academic credit, suspension, or expulsion (Section 41301 of Title 5, California Code of Regulations).

Applicants are required to include their correct Social Security number (individual taxpayer identification numbers) in designated places on applications for admission pursuant to the authority contained in Section 41201, Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code. The university uses the Social Security number to identify records pertaining to the student, to identify the student for purposes of financial aid eligibility and disbursement, and to identify the student's repayment of financial aid and other debts payable to the institution. Also, the Internal Revenue Service requires the university to file information returns that include the student's Social Security number and other information such as the amount paid for qualified tuition, related expenses, and interest on educational loans. This information is used by the IRS to help determine whether a student, or a person claiming a student as a dependent, may take a credit or deduction to reduce federal income taxes.

Taxpayers who claim Hope Scholarship or Lifetime Learning tax credit will be required to provide their name, address, and Taxpayer Identification Number to the campus.

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Undergraduate Application Procedures

Prospective students, applying for part-time or full-time undergraduate programs of study in day or evening classes, must file a complete undergraduate application as described in the undergraduate admissions booklet or on our Website. The $55 nonrefundable application fee should be in the form of a check or money order payable to The California State University and may not be transferred or used to apply to another term. Credit card payment is acceptable for the application.

An alternate campus and major may be indicated on the application, but applicants should list as an alternate campus only a CSU campus that also offers the major. Generally, an alternate major will be considered at the first choice campus before an application is redirected to an alternate choice campus.

For undergraduate admission to California State University, Fresno you must:

  1. Submit a current application with a nonrefundable application fee to the Admissions Office.
  2. Request institutions formerly attended to send directly to the Admissions Office transcripts of credits from high school and colleges. College transcripts are required in duplicate. Failure to include all colleges attended may result in cancellation of your registration. All transcripts submitted by students are retained by California State University, Fresno.
  3. Take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I) or American College Test (ACT) and request official scores be sent to California State University, Fresno if you are a lower-division applicant. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all foreign applicants and applicants who do not have at least three years of full-time schooling at the secondary level or beyond where English is the principal language of instruction.
  4. Take any additional proficiency or placement tests required. (See Systemwide Placement Tests Requirements.)

In addition to the other documents required, a veteran should file a copy of the Notice of Separation (DD 214) from the armed services with the application for admission. Academic credit will be awarded for service time and service schools completed as recommended by A Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services. Veterans who are California residents may be exempt from certain admission requirements. Special admission may be granted if the applicant is judged likely to succeed academically. Standard admission procedures should be followed.

Applications will not be accepted after admissions categories have closed. Eligibility for admission cannot be determined until all required documents have been received. Due to staff limitations, an evaluation of transfer credit will generally not be available until sometime during the first semester's enrollment.

A maximum of 70 semester units of credit is allowed toward the bachelor's degree for work completed in a community college. However, community college credit in excess of 70 units may be used to satisfy subject requirements. No upper-division credit will be given.

Remedial course units are not accepted for degree credit. For limitations on extension and correspondence credit, see Extension Classes.

Students desiring university housing or financial aid should file special applications with the appropriate offices concerned as soon as possible.

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Impacted Programs

The CSU designates programs as impacted when more applications are received in the first month of the filing period than can be accommodated. Some programs are impacted at every campus where they are offered; others are impacted at some campuses. You must meet supplementary admissions criteria if applying to an impacted program.

The CSU will announce with the opening of the fall filing period which programs are impacted and the supplementary criteria campuses will use. That announcement is published in the CSU Review, distributed to high school and college counselors. Information about the supplementary criteria is also sent to program applicants.

You must file your application for admission to an impacted program during the first month of the filing period. Further, if you wish to be considered in impacted programs at two or more campuses, you must file an application to each.

Supplementary Admission Criteria. Each campus with impacted programs uses supplementary admission criteria in screening applicants. Supplementary criteria may include ranking on the freshman eligibility index, the overall transfer grade point average, completion of specified prerequisite courses, and a combination of campus -developed criteria. If you are required to submit scores on either the SAT I or the ACT, you should take the test no later than November if applying for fall admission.

The supplementary admission criteria used by the individual campuses to screen applicants appear periodically in the CSU Review and are sent by the campuses to all applicants seeking admission to an impacted program.

Unlike unaccommodated applicants to locally impacted programs who may be redirected to another campus in the same major, unaccommodated applicants to systemwide impacted programs may not be redirected in the same major but may choose an alternate major either at the first choice campus or another campus.

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Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Application Procedures

All graduate and postbaccalaureate applicants (e.g., master's degree applicants, those seeking credentials, and those interested in taking courses for personal or professional growth) must file a complete graduate application as described in the graduate and postbaccalaureate admissions booklet. CSU students who completed undergraduate degree requirements and graduated the preceding term are also required to complete and submit an application and a nonrefundable application fee. Since applicants for postbaccalaureate programs may be limited to the choice of a single campus on each application, redirection to alternate campuses or later changes of campus choice will be minimal. To be assured of initial consideration by more than one campus, it will be necessary for any applicant to submit separate applications (including fees) to each. Applications may be obtained from the Graduate Studies Office or the admissions office of any California State University campus. An electronic version of the CSU graduate application is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.csumentor.edu/.

Postbaccalaureate students seeking a second undergraduate degree must file a undergraduate admission application. For additional information, see the Division of Graduate Studies.

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Returning Students

Applicants who seek readmission after an absence of one semester or more must file an application for admission. Applicants absent one semester only are exempt from the $55 application fee providing no academic work was taken in the interim at any other institution. Students absent on an approved planned educational leave are not required to file an application for admission and are exempt from the application fee. (See Planned Educational Leave. )

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Application Filing Periods

Each campus accepts applications until capacities are reached. Many campuses limit undergraduate admission in an enrollment category because of overall enrollment limits. If applying after the initial filing period, consult the campus admissions office for current information.

  • Applications for the fall semester are accepted beginning November 1. Student notification begins in December.
  • Applications for the spring semester are accepted beginning August 1. Student notification begins in September.

Applications postmarked or received during the initial filing period will be given equal consideration within established enrollment categories and quotas. There is no advantage in filing before the initial filing period. Applications received before the initial filing period may be returned, causing a delay in processing. With the exception of the impacted undergraduate program areas, applications will be accepted well into the extended filing periods until quotas are filled.

Application Acknowledgment. You may expect to receive an acknowledgment of your application. The notice will also include a request that you submit the records necessary for the campus to evaluate your qualifications. You may be assured of admission if the evaluation of your qualifications indicates that you meet CSU admission requirements and campus requirements for admission to an impacted program. Such a notice is not transferable to another term or to another campus.

Hardship Petitions. The campus has established procedures for considering qualified applicants who would be faced with extreme hardship if not admitted. Petitioners should write to the Admissions Office regarding specific policies governing hardship admission.

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Undergraduate Admission Requirements

Freshman Requirements. You qualify for regular admission as a first-time freshman if you are a high school graduate, have a qualifiable eligibility index (see table) and have completed with grades of C or better each of the courses in the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory subject requirements. (See Subject Requirements.) Courses must be completed prior to the first enrollment in The California State University.

Eligibility Index. The eligibility index is the combination of your high school grade point average and your score on either the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I) or the American College Test (ACT). For this purpose, we compute your grade point average on your final three years of high school studies, excluding physical education and military science, and use bonus points for approved honors courses. CSU may offer you early, conditional admission based on work completed through the junior year of high school and planned for your senior year.

You can calculate the index by multiplying your grade point average by 800 and adding your total score on the SAT I. Or, if you took the ACT, multiply your grade point average by 200 and add 10 times the composite score from the ACT. If you are a California high school graduate or a legal resident of California for tuition purposes, you need a minimum index of 2800 using the SAT I or 694 using the ACT. The Eligibility Index Table illustrates several combinations of required test scores and averages.

If you neither graduated from a California high school nor are a legal resident of California for tuition purposes, you need a minimum index of 3502 (SAT I) or 842 (ACT).

If your grade point average is 3.0 or above (3.61 for nonresidents), you are exempt from submitting test scores. However, you are urged to take the SAT I or ACT since all campuses use test results for advising and placement purposes.

You will qualify for regular admission when the university verifies that you have a qualifiable eligibility index and will have completed the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory subjects and, if applying to an impacted program, meet supplementary criteria.

Graduates of secondary schools in foreign countries must be judged to have academic preparation and abilities equivalent to applicants eligible under this section.

Honors Courses. Grades, in up to eight semesters of honors courses in approved subjects and taken in the last two years of high school, receive additional points in grade point average calculations. Each unit of A in approved courses receives a total of 5 points; B, 4 points; C, 3 points; D, 1 point; and none for F grades.

Subject Requirements. The California State University requires that first-time freshman applicants complete, with grades of C or better, a comprehensive pattern of college preparatory study totaling 15 units. A "unit" is one year of study in high school. Within the 15 units completed, up to 1 unit (one year) in visual and performing arts or foreign language may be missing and offset by college preparatory course(s) in other areas. The missing unit of visual and performing arts or foreign language must be completed either prior to, or by the end of, the first year of CSU enrollment. This provision is effective through the 2002-2003 academic year.

  • 4 years of English
  • 3 years of mathematics (algebra, geometry, and intermediate algebra)
  • 1 year of U.S. history or U.S. history and government
  • 1 year of laboratory science (biology, chemistry, physics, or other acceptable laboratory science)
  • 2 years of the same foreign language (subject to waiver for applicants demonstrating equivalent competence)
  • 1 year in the visual and performing arts (art, dance, drama/theater, or music)
  • 3 years of electives selected from English, advanced mathematics, social science, history, laboratory science, foreign language, and the visual and performing arts

Applicants seeking admission as first-time freshmen for the fall 2003 or later terms will have the same preparatory course requirements for admission to both the California State University and the University of California. The preparatory course admission requirements for both systems will be the completion of the following courses with a grade of C or better: four years of English, three years of math (algebra, geometry, and intermediate algebra), two years of U.S. history or social science, two years of laboratory science, two years of foreign language, one year of visual or performing arts, and one year of electives chosen from one of the areas previously listed.

Foreign Language Subject Requirement. The foreign language subject requirement may be satisfied by applicants who demonstrate competence in a language other than English, equivalent to or higher than expected of students who complete two years of foreign language study. Consult with your school counselor or any CSU campus Admissions or Relations with Schools offices for further information.

Subject Requirement Substitution for Students with Disabilities. Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to complete college preparatory course requirements if at all possible. If an applicant is judged unable to fulfill a specific course requirement because of his or her disability, alternate college preparatory courses may be substituted for specific subject requirements.

Substitutions may be authorized on an individual basis after review and recommendation by your academic adviser or guidance counselor in consultation with the coordinator of a CSU Services for Students with Disabilities office. Although the distribution may be slightly different from the course pattern required of other students, students qualifying for substitutions will still be held responsible for 15 units of college preparatory study.

Students should be aware that failure to complete courses required for admission may limit later enrollment in certain majors, particularly those involving mathematics. For further information and substitution forms, contact the coordinator of disabled student services at your nearest CSU campus.

High School Students. Students still enrolled in high school will be considered for enrollment in certain special programs if recommended by the principal and the appropriate campus department chair and if preparation is equivalent to that required of eligible California high school graduates. Students should have at least a 3.0 GPA in college preparatory subjects or exhibit unusual academic abilities. Such admission is only for a given program and does not constitute the right to continued enrollment. Contact our Admissions Office.

Provisional Admission. California State University, Fresno may provisionally admit first-time freshman applicants based on their academic preparation through the junior year of high school and planned for the senior year. The campus will monitor the senior year of study of those provisionally admitted to ensure that they complete their senior year of studies satisfactorily - including the required college preparatory subjects - and graduate from high school.

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Transfer Requirements

Students who have completed 55 or fewer transferable semester college units are considered lower-division transfer students. Students who have completed 56 or more transferable semester college units (84 or more quarter units) are considered upper division transfer students. Students who complete college units during high school or through the summer between high school graduation and fall enrollment in the California State University are considered first-time freshmen and must meet those admission requirements. Transferable courses are those designated for baccalaureate credit by the college or university offering the courses.

Lower-Division Transfer Requirements. You will qualify for admission as a lower division transfer student if you have a grade point average of 2.0 (C or better) in all transferable units attempted, are in good standing at the last college or university attended, and meet any of the following standards:

  1. you will meet the freshman admission requirements in effect for the term to which you are applying (see Undergraduate Admissions Requirements section); or
  2. you were eligible as a freshman at the time of high school graduation, have made up the missing subjects, and have been in continuous attendance in an accredited college since high school graduation; or
  3. see footnote.

Applicants who graduated from high school prior to 1988 should contact the Admissions Office to inquire about alternative admission programs.

Upper-Division Transfer Requirements. You will qualify for admission as an upper-division transfer student if the following apply:

  1. you have a grade point average of 2.0 (C or better) in all transferable units attempted; and
  2. you are in good standing at the last college or university attended; and
  3. see footnote.

__________

* You have completed at least 30 semester units of college coursework with a grade of C or better in each course at a level at least equivalent to courses that meet General Education requirements. (Courses are to be selected from English, arts and humanities, social science, science, and mathematics.) The 30 units must include all the General Education requirements in communication in the English language and critical thinking (at least 9 semester units) and the requirement in mathematics/quantitative reasoning (usually 3 semester units) or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) requirements in English communication and mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning.

For this requirement, transferable courses are those designated for baccalaureate credit by the college or university offering the courses.

Effective fall 2000 admission, all upper-division transfer students should contact the Admissions Office to inquire about alternative admission programs.

Making up Missing College Preparatory Subject Requirements. Lower-division applicants who did not complete subject requirements while in high school may make up missing subjects in any of the following ways.

  1. Complete appropriate courses with a C or better in adult school or high school summer sessions.
  2. Complete appropriate college courses with a C or better. One college course of at least three semester or four quarter units will be considered equivalent to one year of high school study.
  3. Earn acceptable scores on specified examinations.

Please consult with any CSU Admissions Office for further information about alternative ways to satisfy the subject requirements.

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Test Requirements. Freshman and transfer applicants who have fewer than 56 semester (84 quarter) units of transferable college credit must submit official scores -- unless exempt (see Eligibility Index ) -- from either the ACT or the SAT I of the College Board. Students applying to an impacted campus program who are required to submit test scores should take the test no later than November or early December if applying for fall admission or no later than November. Test scores are also used for advising and placement purposes. Registration forms and dates for either test may be obtained from high school or college counselors or from a CSU campus testing office. Or, write or call:

The College Board (SAT I)
Registration Unit, Box 6200
Princeton, New Jersey 08541
(609) 771-7588

ACT
Registration Unit, P.O. Box 414
Iowa City, Iowa 52243
(319) 337-1270

TOEFL Requirement. Regardless of citizenship, all undergraduate applicants who have not attended schools at the secondary level or above for at least three years full-time where English is the principal language of instruction must present a score of 500 or above on the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Applicants taking the Computer-Based Test of English as a Foreign Language must present a score of 173 or above. Individual campuses may require higher scores for specific majors. All graduate applicants must submit a minimum TOEFL score of 550, unless they have a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education in which English is the language of instruction.

Systemwide Placement Test Requirements. The California State University requires each entering undergraduate, except those who qualify for an exemption, to take the CSU Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) examination and the CSU English Placement Test (EPT) after admission and prior to enrollment. These placement tests are not a condition for admission to the CSU, but they are a condition of enrollment. They are designed to identify entering students who may need additional support in acquiring basic English and mathematics skills necessary to succeed in CSU baccalaureate-level courses. Undergraduate students who do not demonstrate college-level skills both in English and in mathematics will be placed in appropriate remedial programs and activities during the first term of their enrollment. (See Academic Placement for EPT and ELM.)

Adult Students. As an alternative to regular admission criteria, applicants who are 25 years of age or older may be considered for admission as adult students if they meet all of the following conditions:

  1. Possess a high school diploma (or have established equivalence through either the Tests of General Educational Development or the California High School Proficiency Examination).
  2. Have not been enrolled as a full-time student for more than one term during the past five years. (Part-time enrollment is permissible. )
  3. Earned a C average or better in all college coursework attempted.


Consideration is based on the applicant's probability of academic success and includes an assessment of basic skills in the English language and mathematical computation. For information, call the Reentry Office at (559) 278-3040.

Graduation Requirements in Writing Proficiency. All students must demonstrate competency in writing skills as a requirement for graduation. Information on currently available ways to meet this graduation requirement may be obtained from the Evaluations Office or the Testing Office.

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Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Admission Requirements

All graduate and postbaccalaureate applicants (e.g., master's degree applicants, those seeking credentials, and those interested in taking graduate-level courses for personal or professional growth) must file a complete graduate application as described in the graduate and postbaccalaureate admissions booklet. CSU students who completed undergraduate degree requirements and graduated the preceding term are also required to complete and submit an application and a nonrefundable application fee. Since applicants for postbaccalaureate programs may be limited to the choice of a single campus on each application, redirection to alternate campuses or later changes of campus choice will be minimal. To be assured of initial consideration by more than one campus, it will be necessary for any applicant to submit separate applications (including fees) to each. Applications may be obtained from the Graduate Studies Office or any admissions office of any California State University campus or any California community college.

Postbaccalaureate students seeking a second undergraduate degree must file an undergraduate admission application. For additional information, see the Division of Graduate Studies.

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International (Foreign) Students

The California State University must assess the academic preparation of foreign students. For this purpose, "foreign students" include those who hold U.S. visas as students and exchange visitors.

The CSU uses separate requirements and application filing dates for international students who are seeking admission from international secondary schools or transferring from recognized international post-secondary schools. Applicants must have completed a comprehensive pattern of college preparatory courses. Verification of English proficiency (see the section on TOEFL Requirement) and academic performance are required. Applicants who are seeking admission from American secondary or post-secondary schools must fulfill all requirements (see Admission Requirements). Academic records from foreign institutions must be on file at least eight weeks before registration for the first term, and, if the records are not in English, must be submitted in the native language and accompanied by certified English translations. No final admission decision will be made until required materials have been submitted to International Admissions.

Priority in admission is given to residents of California. There is little likelihood that nonresident applicants, including international students, will be admitted either to impacted majors or to those with limited openings. (See Impacted Programs.)

Application Forms. All foreign students requesting admission for undergraduate or graduate study at California State University, Fresno must complete and file the international student application. Applicants must submit the following:

  • an international application
  • a $55 nonrefundable processing fee (note that checks must be drawn on a U.S. bank account)
  • a current official bank statement from financial sponsor
  • an official TOEFL score taken no earlier than two years prior to attendance at California State University, Fresno
  • official original or certified true copies of academic documents and other school records in the native language and in English translation

Graduate students must also submit current GMAT/GRE scores and letters of recommendation.

All documents submitted become the property of California State University, Fresno and will not be returned. They will be kept permanently for those students who actually attend; however, documents for those students who do not enroll will be retained for only one year.

Application Deadlines. The international application, fee, and all required documents, transcripts, and test scores must be received no later than:

Undergraduate
Fall Semester - June 1
Spring Semester - November 1

Graduate
Fall Semester - March 1
Spring Semester - October 1

Academic credentials will be evaluated for academic eligibility in accordance with the general regulations governing admission to California State University, Fresno. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate English proficiency. (See TOEFL below.)

Graduate applications will be reviewed by the individual academic departments to determine eligibility for the requested graduate program.

TOEFL. All undergraduate, graduate, and postbaccalaureate applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose native language is not English, must demonstrate competence in English.

To qualify for undergraduate admission, all students must present an official TOEFL score, taken within the last two years, of 500 or better on the pencil-based exam or 173 or better on the computer-based exam.

All graduate and postbaccalaureate applicants must present an official TOEFL score, taken within the last two years, of 550 or better on pencil-based exam or 213 or better on the computer-based exam. TOEFL will be waived for those students who hold a bachelor's degree from a U.S. university. The TOEFL score required for admission to specific programs may be higher than the 500/173 for undergraduates and 550/213 for postbaccalaureate applicants indicated above. Students should check these TOEFL requirements in the departmental listings.

To ensure that students are prepared to take advantage of the educational opportunities available at California State University, Fresno, each international student who must submit TOEFL scores will be required to participate in a post-admission testing program. The test will be administered during orientation immediately before the student's first matriculated semester. The purpose of the testing program (e.g. the University English Exam) is to assess strengths and weaknesses in written English. As a result of the post-admission testing, a student may be required to enroll in certain English as a Second Language (ESL) courses.

An undergraduate student whose academic qualifications are acceptable, but who has not achieved an acceptable TOEFL score, may be granted a conditional admission. Such a student must obtain an I-20 form (Certificate of Eligibility) from an English language school and attend an English as a Second Language (ESL) program. In order to transfer from a language school to California State University, Fresno, a conditionally admitted student must present an official TOEFL score of 500 on the pencil-based exam or 173 on the computer-based exam, on a test taken within the last two years.

Insurance Requirement. Effective August 1,1995, as a condition of receiving an I-20 or IAP-66 form, all F-1 and J-1 visa applicants must agree to obtain and maintain health insurance as a condition of registration and continued enrollment in the California State University. Such insurance must be in amounts as specified by the United States Information Agency (USIA) and NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The campus president or designee shall determine which insurance policies meet these criteria. Further information may be obtained from the International Student Services and Programs Office at 278-2782

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Determination of Residence for Nonresident Tuition Purposes

The campus Admissions Office determines the residence status of all new and returning students for nonresident tuition purposes. Responses to the application for admission and, if necessary, other evidence furnished by the student are used in making this determination. A student who fails to submit adequate information to establish a right to classification as a California resident will be classified as a nonresident.

The following statement of the rules regarding residency determination for nonresident tuition purposes is not a complete discussion of the law but a summary of the principal rules and their exceptions. The law governing residence determination for tuition purposes by The California State University is found in California Education Code Sections 68000-68090, 68120-68134, and 89705-89707.5, and in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, Sections 41900-41912. A copy of the statutes and regulations is available for inspection at the campus Admissions Office.

Legal residence may be established by adults who are physically present in the state and who, at the same time, intend to make California their permanent home. Steps must be taken at least one year prior to the residence determination date to show an intent to make California the permanent home with concurrent relinquishment of the prior legal residence. The steps necessary to show California residency intent will vary from case to case. Included among the steps may be registering to vote and voting in elections in California; filing resident California state income tax forms on total income; ownership of residential property or continuous occupancy or renting of an apartment on a lease basis where one's permanent belongings are kept; maintaining active resident memberships in California professional or social organizations; maintaining California vehicle plates and operator's license; maintaining active savings and checking accounts in California banks; maintaining permanent military address and home of record in California if one is in the military service.

Students who are within the state for educational purposes only do not gain the status of resident regardless of the length of their stay in California.

In general, an unmarried minor (a person under 18 years of age) derives legal residence from the parent with whom the minor maintains or last maintained his or her place of abode. The residence of an unmarried minor who has a parent living cannot be changed by the minor's own act, by the appointment of a legal guardian, or by the relinquishment of a parent's right of control.

A married person may establish his or her residence independent of his or her spouse.

An alien may establish his or her residence, unless precluded by the Immigration and Nationality Act from establishing domicile in the United States. An unmarried minor alien derives his or her residence from the parent with whom the minor maintains or last maintained his or her place of abode.

Nonresident students seeking reclassification are required by law to complete a supplemental questionnaire concerning financial independence.

The general rule is that a student must have been a California resident for at least one year immediately preceding the residence determination date in order to qualify as a resident student for tuition purposes. A residence determination date is set for each academic term and is the date from which residence is determined for that term. The residence determination dates are:

Quarter Term Campuses
Fall - September 20
Winter- January
Spring - April 1
Summer - July 1

Semester Term Campuses
Fall - September 20
Winter* - January 5
Spring - January 25
Summer - June 1

__________

* Applies only to winter term at California State University, Stanislaus.

The residence determination dates for the four stages on CalStateTEACH are as follows:

Stage 1 - September 20
Stage 2 - January 5
Stage 3 - June 1
Stage 4 - September 20

There are exceptions from nonresident tuition, including:

  1. A student below the age of 19 whose parents were residents of California and left the state while the student, who remained, was still a minor. When the minor reaches age 18, the exception continues until the student has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident.
  2. Minors who have been present in California with the intent of acquiring residence for more than a year before the residence determination date and have been entirely self-supporting for that period of time. The exception continues until the student has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident.
  3. Persons below the age of 19 who have lived with and been under the continuous direct care and control of an adult or adults, not a parent, for the two years immediately preceding the residence determination date. Such adult must have been a California resident for the most recent year. The exception continues until the student has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident.
  4. Dependent children and spouse of a person in active military service stationed in California on the residence determination date. There is no time limitation on this exception unless the military person transfers out of California or retires from military service. If either of those events happen, the student's eligibility for this exception continues until the student resides in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident.
  5. Military personnel in active service stationed in California on the residence determination date for purposes other than education at state-supported institutions of higher education. Effective January 1, 1994, this exception continues until the military personnel has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident.
  6. Military personnel in active service in California for more than one year immediately prior to being discharged from the military. Eligibility for this exception runs from the date the student is discharged from the military until the student has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident.
  7. Dependent children of a parent who has been a California resident for the most recent year. This exception continues until the student has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident, so long as continuous attendance is maintained at an institution.
  8. Graduates of any school located in California that is operated by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, including, but not limited to, the Sherman Indian High School. The exception continues so long as continuous attendance is maintained by the student at an institution.
  9. Certain credentialed, full-time employees of California school districts.
  10. Full-time state university employees and their children and spouses; state employees assigned to work outside the state and their children and spouses. This exception continues until the student has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a California resident.
  11. Children of deceased public law enforcement or fire suppression employees, who were California residents, and who were killed in the course of law enforcement or fire suppression duties.
  12. Certain amateur student athletes in training at the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. This exception continues until the student has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident.
  13. Federal civil service employees and their natural or adopted dependent children if the employee has moved to California as a result of a military mission realignment action that involves the relocation of at least 100 employees. This exception continues until the student has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident.
  14. State government legislative or executive fellowship program enrollees. The student ceases to be eligible for this exception when the student is no longer enrolled in the qualifying fellowship.

Students, following a final campus decision on their residence classification, may make a written appeal to

The California State University
Office of General Counsel
401 Golden Shore
Long Beach, California 90802-4210

within 120 calendar days of notification of the final decision by the campus of the classification. The Office of General Counsel may make a decision on the issue, or it may send the matter back to the campus for a further review. Students classified incorrectly as residents or incorrectly granted an exception from nonresident tuition are subject to reclassification as nonresidents and payment of nonresident tuition in arrears. If incorrect classification results from false or concealed facts, the student is subject to discipline pursuant to Section 41301 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. Resident students who become nonresidents, and nonresident students qualifying for exceptions whose basis for so qualifying changes, must immediately notify the Admissions Office. Applications for a change in classification with respect to a previous term are not accepted.

The student is cautioned that this summation of rules regarding residency determination is by no means a complete explanation of their meaning. The student should also note that changes may have been made in the rate of nonresident tuition, in the statutes, and in the regulations between the time this catalog is published and the relevant residence determination date.

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