Undocumented Students

The CSU is deeply committed to ensuring academic opportunities are available to all the state's students, regardless of citizenship status.

CSU Resources for Undocumented Students

If you are undocumented, the CSU has many resources available; please refer to the Resources for Undocumented Students website. In addition, each campus has a dedicated staff to help you navigate the campus and provide you with resources to succeed. To contact the campus Dream Center staff, refer to campus contact.

California Nonresident Tuition Exemption (AB 540 Exemption)

Nonresident students (including US citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented individuals, including students with a T visa U visa, DACA, asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile visa holder, VAWA, or TPS) may be exempted from paying nonresident tuition (out-of-state tuition). Students seeking the AB 540 Exemption must satisfy attendance and graduation/transfer requirements from a California school (e.g., K-12, adult school, and community college). Students must have a CSU California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request form (AB 540 form) with official transcripts on file with the campus admissions office and remain classified as nonresidents.

Additional Information:

• Students eligible for this exemption who are transferring to another California public college or university must submit a new request (and documentation if required) to each college under consideration.
• Nonresident students meeting the criteria will be exempted from the payment of nonresident tuition, but they will not be classified as California residents. They continue to be “nonresidents."
• It is important to note that students who take adult school or community college courses while concurrently enrolled in a CSU to qualify for the AB540/ SB68 exemption will continue to be charged out-of-state tuition as nonresidents until the exemption requirements are fulfilled.
• students who already earned a high school diploma or the equivalent from another state may not take courses to obtain a California high school diploma or the equivalent in order to be granted the exemption.

Deadlines:

It is the responsibility of the student to verify all fee balances prior to the start of the term. Out-of-state tuition will be charged if the student did not meet the residency or Non-Resident Tuition Exemption (AB540) requirements. If a student paid out-of-state tuition in previous terms, the CSU is unable to grant retroactive requests or change residency status as evidence of California residency was not provided to the campus by the stated deadlines.

Current CSU Students:

If you are a current student and are submitting the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request form for the first time, you must submit the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request form with official transcripts from all institutions previously attended in California by the last day of the term. Any documents received after the last day of the term will be processed for the following term. If a student has a break in enrollment requiring an application for readmission or a student applies to a graduate program, you will need to resubmit a new AB 540 form at the time of reapplication.

New Student Applicants:

It is important to contact the campus Admissions Office to know when the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request form (AB 540 form) with official transcripts can be submitted to the campus Admissions Office. All 23 CSU campuses will offer "conditional admission" based on transcripts or work-in-progress. It is the applicant's responsibility to submit transcripts from all institutions previously attended in California. A final transcript will be requested prior to enrollment.

If you think your status is an error, please contact the campus Admissions Office or refer to the California State University website, www.calstate.edu/residency, for additional information.

California Dream Act (California Financial Aid for those Granted AB 540)

The California Dream Act allows certain students who have been granted the AB 540 Exemption to qualify for California financial aid. Students wanting to be eligible for the California Dream Act must have a California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request Form on file and remain classified as nonresidents. It is encouraged for students, particularly students with DACA or TPS, to review the eligibility requirements and seek financial aid advice from the campus Financial Aid Office to learn more about the California Dream Act.

Additional Information:

• The California Dream Act extends Cal Grant A and B Entitlement awards, Cal Grant C awards, Chaffee grants, and institutional financial aid to students that meet these criteria as well as the applicable criteria for eligibility for specific types of financial aid.
• AB540 does not provide federal student financial aid eligibility for undocumented students. These students remain ineligible for federal financial aid.
• Undocumented students who are eligible for AB540 will remain ineligible for federal financial aid.

Contacting Your Campus Financial Aid Office:

It is encouraged for students to review the eligibility requirements and seek financial aid advice from the campus Financial Aid Office to learn more about the California Dream Act or FAFSA.

Other Immigration Statuses

The Immigration and Nationality Act allows individuals of certain nonimmigrant statuses to establish permanent residency in the United States. Therefore, they are entitled to establish California residency for tuition purposes. Students must hold an eligible visa status at least one year before the Residence Deter​​mination Date to be eligible to establish California residency for tuition purposes. Review the Nonimmigrant list for a complete list of eligible visas and other eligible categories.

The campus has dedicated staff in the campus Admissions who can you help you review the campus eligibility requirements for AB 540 and residency status.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS):

Students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are also eligible to establish residency for tuition purposes. Also, students adjusting their immigration status, such as asylum, may qualify for residency depending on where they are in the application process. Please ask to speak to a Residency Specialist, after you have been admitted to the campus to determine your eligibility.

Students with Expired Visas:

Nonimmigrants (valid visa holders) whose visas have expired and are no longer classified as nonimmigrants (e.g., a student whose valid nonimmigrant visa has expired but who has not applied for any other nonimmigrant status or a student who has applied for permanent residence, asylum, or another immigration classification other than as a nonimmigrant), is eligible for to the Nonresident Tuition Exemption (AB 540) provided the student has met the AB 540 requirements (attendance and graduation) for the exemption. The student is responsible for submitting the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request form with supporting documents (official transcripts) to the campus Admissions Office.

Free Immigration Services

The CSU offers free immigration services for students, faculty, staff, their immediate family (spouses, parents, siblings, and children), and alumni (up to 2 years after graduating) from a CSU campus; please refer to the campus Dream Center to make your appointment.

To Determine if You Qualify for AB 540 or California Residency for Tuition Purposes: