University of California In-State Rules

In-state residency regulations vary by university; so do the costs and benefits of earning in-state status.  Below, you will find an overview of the major in-state requirements for University of California, an exact accounting of what’s at stake, as well as a consideration of in-state residency’s influence on financial aid including popular University of California grants and scholarships.

Nicknames:

UC-Berkeley, University of California-Berkeley, UCal, UCal-Berkeley, Berekeley

 

University of California Tuition Overview:

$35,850 out-of-state tuition

$12,972 in-state tuition

$22,878 tuition savings/year

 

University of California Total Cost of Attendance:

$55,046 out-of-state residents

$32,168 in-state residents

$22,878 savings/year

 

University of California In-State Requirements:

Very similar to UCLA with some subtle differences outside the scope of this overview.

Ultimately, it’s tough!  The University of California system as a whole is carefully constructed to prevent you from earning in-state residency status.  Of course you can still get it…unless you’re a typically aged, not independently wealthy, undergrad…oh wait that’s you and almost every out-of-stater that exists…then you’re out of luck.

Exceptions and weird quirks do abound.  If you’re under 14 and your parents have some extra money to set aside, we have secret trick up our sleeves.  Alternatively, if you have a UTMA that becomes yours soon or recently…that can help in a big way.

Ultimately, there’s a two year financial independence requirement (which means utter financial independence by the4 way) that poses an extremely major obstacle to most people.

But there are special considerations to think about and it just plain depends on your situation.  How old are you and how old will you be when you graduate?  Are you going to grad school?  Does or did one of your parents live in California recently?  Do you have family in California?  How are you paying for school exactly?

With so much money at stake, it may behoove you to make sure definitively one way or the other whether in-state is a real possibility or simply a pipe dream.

 

Want more, a definitive report detailing everything important you need to know?  Check out In-State Angels’ UC-Berkeley Report.

If you’d prefer we just take your information and tell you what your in-state prospects are at UC-Berkeley, you may want In-State Angels’ UC-Berkeley Customized Report.

To discuss UC-Berkeley with an expert, check out Consulting.

Or maybe you’re interested in having In-State Angels completely oversee your quest for in-state residency and guarantee your results, you may want to check out In-State Angels’ Full-Client Assessment.

 

University of California Out-of-State Tuition vs. In-State Tuition:

An annual tuition difference of $22,878 is substantial, that’s worth over two years of in-state tuition!  This extreme difference helps establish UC-Berkeley firmly among the universities with the biggest difference between in-state tuition and out-of-state tuition, rivaled only by a handful of schools.

 

University of California Financial Aid:

A couple things you need to know about financial aid as it relates to earning in-state residency at University of California:

1) Any financial aid including grants and scholarships that requires your being a tax dependent of somebody OR requires you to be an out-of-state resident will in general disqualify you from establishing residency.  This means that by accepting such awards, you will be getting no closer to in-state tuition.  There are some exceptions to this whereby certain awards you can accept during your domicile period but will automatically surrender upon earning in-state status.

2) Your financial aid is re-assessed after earning in-state status and your Expected Family Contribution will be taken into consideration in light of the vastly reduced tuition you will owe.

See article: Do Your FAFSA…You Will Thank Us Later

 

University of California Grants:

Grants are the most desirable form of financial aid because they do not need to be repaid. This school participates in the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.

 

University of California Scholarships:

UC Berkeley is very affordable for California residents.  The Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan makes sure that qualified California students will receive enough in grants and scholarships to fully fund tuition and fees. Students with additional financial need may qualify for funds to cover other educational expenses, such as books, housing, and transportation.

Undergraduate Merit Scholarships

The Berkeley Undergraduate Scholarship

This competitive scholarship is awarded to 2,500 students a year based on academic merit. A weighted high school GPA of 4.1+ is required for consideration.

Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarships

These highly competitive scholarships have extra benefits including smaller class sizes, a faculty mentor, guaranteed housing in a University Residence for the duration of the Scholarship, priority enrollment for classes, and includes a monetary award for students with financial need (up to scholar’s full financial need) and without financial need ($2,500/year).