You are in the official 1999-2000 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Admissions
Joyal Administration Lobby
(559) 278-2261
VIVIAN FRANCO, Interim Director
For undergraduate applications, please submit your
name, mailing address, and degree objective to Lydia Rodriquez.For graduate applications, please submit your
name, mailing address, and degree objective to Shirlee Fulton.
- Application Filing Periods
- Determination of Residence for Nonresident Tuition Purposes
- Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Admission Requirements
- Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Application Procedures
- Returning Students
- Impacted Programs
- International (Foreign) Students
- Undergraduate Admission Requirements
- Undergraduate Application Procedures
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 school or community college counselor or the Admissions Office.
Paper applications may be obtained from the admissions offices at any of
the campuses of The CSU or at any California high school or community college.
Visit http://www.csumentor.edu for
electronic versions of the CSU undergraduate and graduate applications.
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 numbers
(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 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.
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 if applying on-line.
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:
- Submit a current application with a nonrefundable application fee to the Admissions Office.
- 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.
- 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 schooling at the secondary level or beyond where English is the principal language of instruction.
- Take any additional proficiency or placement tests required. (See Systemwide Tests required.)
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.
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 before 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, 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.
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 an undergraduate admission application. For additional information,
see the Division of Graduate
Studies.
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. )
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.
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 1999-2000 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, agriculture, foreign language, and the visual and performing arts
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.
Transfer Requirements. You qualify for admission as a 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:
- You will meet the freshman admission requirements in effect for the term to which you are applying. (See Freshman Requirements.)
- You were eligible as a freshman at the time of high school graduation except for the subject requirements, have made up the missing subjects, and have been in continuous attendance in an accredited college since high school graduation.
- You have completed at least 56 transferable semester (84 quarter) units and meet the requirements listed below based on high school graduation date. Nonresidents must have a 2.4 grade point average or better. A maximum of 70 transferable semester (105 quarter) units is allowed from two-year institutions (community/junior colleges).
For this requirement, transferable courses are those designated for baccalaureate
credit by the college or university offering the courses.
Undergraduate applicants who graduated from high school in 1988 or later:
- must have completed all subject requirements in effect when graduating from high school (both high school and college coursework can be used)* or
- must have completed at least 30 semester units of college coursework with a grade of C or better in each course to be selected from courses in English, arts and humanities, social science, science, and mathematics of a level at least equivalent to courses that meet General Education requirements. The 30 units must include all of the General Education requirements in communication in the English language and critical thinking (at least 9 semester units) and the requirements 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.
Undergraduate applicants who graduated from high school prior to 1988 or later:
- Should contact the Admissions Office to inquire about alternative admission programs.
__________
* For upper-division transfers seeking admission to fall term 2000 or later, the first option will not be available to establish eligibility for admission. All applicants with 56 or more transferable semester (84 quarter) units will be required to have completed at least 30 semester units of courses at a level equivalent to courses that meet General Education requirements. The 30 semester units must include all of the G.E. requirements in communication in English language (3 courses) and at least the three semester units (typically one course) required in mathematics.
Transferable courses are those designated for baccalaureate credit by
the college or university offering the courses. Consult with any CSU Admissions
Office for further information about alternative ways to satisfy the subject
requirements.
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 Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I) of the College
Board or the American College Testing Program (ACT). Students applying to
an impacted program who are required to submit test scores should take the
test no later than early December if applying for fall admission or no later
than November if applying to San Diego, San Luis Obispo, or Sonoma. 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 to or call:
The College Board (SAT I)
Registration Unit, Box 6200
Princeton, New Jersey 08541
(609) 771-7588
American College Testing
Program (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 Tests Required of Most New Students.
The CSU requires new students to be tested in English and mathematics
after admission and prior to enrollment. These are not admission tests but
a way to determine whether you are prepared for college work and, if not,
to counsel you how to strengthen your preparation. You might be exempt from
one or both of the tests if you have scored well on other specified tests
or completed appropriate courses.
English Placement Test (EPT). Unless
exempt according to CSU policy, all students enrolling at California State
University, Fresno must take the EPT after admission and prior to enrollment.
(See Academic Placement.)
Entry-Level Mathematics (ELM) Exam. Unless exempt according to CSU
policy, all students enrolling at California State University, Fresno must
take the ELM after admission and prior to enrollment. (See Academic
Placement.)
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:
- Possess a high school diploma (or have established equivalence through either the Tests of General Educational Development or the California High School Proficiency Examination).
- Have not been enrolled as a full-time student for more than one term during the past five years. (Part-time enrollment is permissible. )
- Earned a C average or better in college coursework during the last five years.
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 our Reentry Office, 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.
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.
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 in the admission of foreign students. Verification of English proficiency (see the section on TOEFL Requirement), financial resources, and academic performance are all important considerations. Academic records from foreign institutions must be on file at least eight weeks before registration for the first term and, if 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 file 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 is to assess strengths and weaknesses in oral and 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
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, 68121,
68123, 68124, 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 (Stanislaus only)- January 5
Spring - January 25
Questions regarding residence determination dates should be directed to
the campus Admissions Office which can give you the residence determination
date for the term for which you are registering.
There are exceptions from nonresident tuition, including:
- Persons below the age of 19 whose parents were residents of California but who left the state while the student, who remained, was still a minor. When the minor reaches age 18, the exception continues for one year to enable the student to qualify as a resident student.
- 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.
- 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.
- Dependent children and spouses of persons in active military service stationed in California on the residence determination date. This exception applies regardless of their length of physical presence in California. The exception, once attained, is not affected by retirement or transfer of the military person outside the state.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Certain credentialed, full-time employees of California school districts.
- 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 applies only for the minimum time required for the student to obtain California residence and maintain that residence for one year.
- Certain exchange students.
- 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.
Students, following a final campus decision on their residence classification,
may make written appeal only to:
The California State University
Office of General Counsel
400 Golden Shore
Long Beach, California 90802-4275
within 120 calendar days of notification of the final decision on 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.
