California Veterans Education Opportunities Partnership

Cal Vet:

A student who meets all of the following criteria may be exempt from payment of certain mandatory fees if he or she:

• is the dependent spouse (who has not remarried),
• is the registered domestic partner (who has not reregistered or subsequently married), or
• is a child (natural or adopted) of a resident of California who:
  • was killed while in active service or
  • was permanently disabled or died from a service-related disability while in active service.
• The student must live in a household with an annual income at or below the poverty level (as most recently calculated by the Bureau of Census).

Student is exempt from paying the following mandatory fees: educational, registration, special medical/law school, disability insurance (medical/dental students) and professional degree fees.

Dependent of Deceased or Disabled Member of the California National Guard:

A student may be exempt from payment of certain mandatory fees if he or she:

• is the surviving dependent spouse (who has not remarried),
• is the registered domestic partner (who has not re-registered or subsequently married), or was the natural or adopted child or stepchild who was living or domiciled with the deceased person at the time of his or her death, and
  • was claimed on the tax form most recently filed by the deceased person prior to that person's death, or
  • received 50 percent or more of his or her support from that deceased person in the tax year immediately preceding the death of the deceased person.

Student is exempt from paying the following mandatory fees: educational, registration, special medical/law school, disability insurance (medical/dental students) and professional degree fees.

Recipient of a Congressional Medal of Honor:

A California-resident undergraduate student who is the recipient of a Medal of Honor or the dependent child (under 28 years old) of a recipient of the Medal of Honor is exempt from payment of certain mandatory fees if the student's annual income, including support from a parent, does not exceed the national poverty level (as most recently calculated by the Bureau of Census).

If the student's parent was the recipient of the award, the parent must be a California resident for more than one year immediately prior to the residence determination date or, if deceased, must have been a California resident at the time of his or her death.

Student is exempt from payment of mandatory educational and registration fees and nonresident (out-of-state) tuition.

Dependent of Active Duty Military:

An undergraduate student who is the dependent spouse, registered domestic partner or child (natural, adopted or stepchild) of a member of the armed forces of the United States stationed in California on active duty is entitled to a resident classification. A graduate or professional student will be eligible for this exemption only until he or she has resided in California the minimum time necessary to become a resident for tuition purposes (366 days).

If, while the student is in attendance at the University of California, the member of the military is transferred outside of California (where he continues to serve on active duty) or retired from active duty (immediately after serving in California), the dependent student will not lose his exemption until he or she has resided in the state the minimum time necessary to become a resident (366 days).

Contact a campus residence deputy for additional information related to establishing California residence. 

A student with California resident classification is exempt from payment of nonresident (out-of-state) tuition.

Active Duty Military:

An undergraduate student who is stationed in California on active duty is entitled to classification as a California resident unless the student's assignment is for the purpose of attending an institution of higher education. For active duty graduate and professional students, there is a one-year limit. Following the period of exemption, graduate students become ineligible for the waiver and must be reevaluated to determine whether the student qualifies for classification as a resident.

A student stationed in California on active duty for more than one year immediately prior to his or her discharge is eligible for California resident classification for up to one year while he or she establishes a residence. Financial independence is not required.

Contact a campus residence deputy for additional information related to establishing California residence. 

Student is entitled to resident classification and is thus exempt from payment of nonresident (out-of-state) tuition.

Non-Resident Tuition Exemption for Students Who Attended a California High School:

A student who meets all of the following requirements may qualify for an exemption from payment of nonresident tuition:

• attended high school in California for three or more years,
• graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent thereof,
• enrolled, or is registering to be enrolled, at the University of California after Jan. 1, 2002, and
• completed an application and affidavit stating that if he or she does not have a lawful immigration status, he or she has filed an application to legalize his or her immigration status or will file an application as soon as he or she is eligible to do so.

Graduation from a California public high school requires passage of the California High School Exit Exam.

Non-immigrant (i.e., international) students are not eligible for tuition exemption.

Note: this exemption is also available to all qualified students, not just family members of U.S. Armed Forces personnel.

Student is exempt from payment of nonresident (out-of-state) tuition.