California Code, Education Code - EDC § 68044

The governing boards shall adopt rules and regulations for determining a student's classification and for establishing procedures for review and appeal of that classification. The adopted rules and regulations shall include provisions requiring that the financial independence of a student classified as a nonresident seeking reclassification as a resident shall be included among the factors to be considered in the determination of residency.

The adopted rules and regulations shall, beginning the 1983-84 school year, exempt nonresident students who have been appointed to serve as graduate student teaching assistants, graduate student research assistants, or graduate student teaching associates on any campus of the University of California or the California State University, and who have been employed on a 0.49 or more time basis, from the requirement of demonstrating his or her financial independence under this section for purposes of reclassification as a resident.

A student shall be considered financially independent for purposes of this section if the applicant meets all of the following requirements: (a) has not and will not be claimed as an exemption for state and federal tax purposes by his or her parent in the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the three calendar years prior to the reclassification application, (b) has not and will not receive more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) per year in financial assistance from his or her parent in the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the three calendar years prior to the reclassification application, and (c) has not lived and will not live for more than six weeks in the home of his or her parent during the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the three calendar years prior to the reclassification application.

Other factors which may be considered in determining California residency shall be defined by the governing boards. In addition, the adopted rules and regulations shall include, but are not limited to, the evidence necessary to determine residence, procedures for obtaining residence information and procedures for administering oaths in connection with taking of testimony relative to residence. A district governing board may adopt rules and regulations which are not inconsistent with those adopted by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.