Below will be some facts about non-resident fees, tuition, etc. First off, non-resident tuition (NRT) is large. You can't always avoid paying it but there are ways to lessen the burden.

There is a limited amount of time for which you get an NRT remission. The remission lasts for 3 years (6 consecutive semesters) and becomes active after you advance to candidacy. 99.999% of non-residents get their NRT covered in the first year, because 99.999% of all resident students get the same treatment. Most PhDs in ESPM take 6.7 years to complete. If you can to linear algebra you can see the problem:


Year 1 (Dept coverage) + Year 2 (???) + Years 3-5 (resident equivalency) + Years 6, etc. (???)

What happens in year 2 and years 6+? This is something that you need to have an open conversation about with your guiding professor. Some things to consider, most of which deal with balancing making some money to keep afloat in the Bay Area while finishing and minimizing how much of that money needs to go to pay your tuition:

1. You should NEVER be "forced" to take your orals in your first year, especially if you don't have a masters.
2. It's unclear who's responsibility it is to pay the NRT in year two. If you have a fellowship that covers it, congrats. There are efforts starting at GPC that will make Year 2 NRT the responsibility of the guiding professor, but for this to be the case it has to (had to) be in your admissions letter. Sometimes divisional funds can be used to bridge one or two semesters of NRT before your orals, but that is something that you have to talk to the Divisional Chair about.
3. In years 6+ if there still isn't any funding you can do a number of things, each with their own consequence:
    Withdraw....you don't owe tuition in this case, but you can only withdraw once. When you are withdrawn you can't work as a GSI or GSR, and if you are a non-resident you are therefore officially unemployable in the USA.
    Register in absentia. This sort or registration is reduced and maintains your health care and keeps your university accounts active, but it is intended only for students that are off campus conducting field research, and again you can't work as a GSI or GSR.
    Go on filing fee. If you are in the last semester of your degree and you are CERTAIN THAT YOU WILL FINISH, you can go on filing fee. The cost is 240 dollars. You do not get to keep your SHIP, or to work as A GSI/GSR, but you are still considered registered, so you can work on campus. If you don't manage to file by the deadline there is a penalty: 1/2 of the registration fees for the next semester, and you must enroll in the next semester...that's about 25K...so be careful.