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Non-Res Tuition Waiver-AB 540/AB 2000

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For Eligible California High School Graduates

Any student (other than one with a USCIS nonimmigrant visa status) who meets all of the following requirements, shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition at Orange Coast College if they meet the following requirements and submit required documents.

 

Requirements

The student must satisfy one requirement from each section below.

Section A:

  • Attended a high school (public or private) in California for three or more years, or
  • Attained credits earned in California from a California high school equivalent to three or more years of full-time high school course work and attended a combination of elementary, middle and/or high schools in California for a total of three or more years, or
  • Attended a combination of California high school, California adult school, and/or California Community College for the equivalent of three or more years of full-time attendance

Section B:

  • The student must have graduated from a California high school and received a high school diploma or attained the equivalent prior to the start of the term (for example, passing the GED or California High School Proficiency exam), or
  • Completed an associate degree from a California Community College, or
  • Completed the minimum requirements at a California Community College for transfer to a California State University or University of California

Section C:

  • The student must file an affidavit with the college or university stating that 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. (Submission of the AB540 Non-Resident Tuition Exemption Request Form can satisfy this requirement.)

 

AB540 and AB2000 Documents

Meet the requirements listed above? Please submit the following documents:


Only if applicable:

  • Official elementary or middle school transcripts
  • Proof of associates degree from CA community college
  • Official transcripts from CA community college

All documentation should be submitted to the Enrollment Center. Official high school transcripts may be sent electronically to occtranscripts@occ.cccd.edu.  Once you receive a confirmation that your transcript has been opened, you may submit your California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request Form (AB540/AB2000) to the Enrollment Center in person or e-mail it to occresidency@occ.cccd.edu in PDF format. Please note that all information provided is confidential.

Qualifications and Important Notes

  • Students who are nonimmigrants who are victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes who have been granted T or U visa status, under Title 8 of the United States Code, sections 1101(a)(15)(T) or (U) are eligible for this exemption.

  • Students who are nonimmigrants, other than those with T or U visa status as noted above, [for example, those who hold F (student) visas, B (visitor) visas, etc.] are not eligible for this exemption.

  • The student must file an exemption request including a signed affidavit with the college that indicates the student has met all applicable conditions described above. Student information obtained in this process is strictly confidential unless disclosure is required under law.

  • 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".

  • 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.