• They entered the US without inspection

• They entered the US legally but overstayed

• They have or had Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status

• They are in the process of legalizing

• They are vulnerable immigrants

You are eligible if you meet any of these requirements :

• Are undocumented

• Have a valid or expired DACA status

• Are a U visa holder

• Have Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

• Meet the non-resident exemption requirements under AB 540

• Males 18-25 yrs. old must register for Selective Service

Students must meet the following requirements:

1. Time and Coursework Requirements (either A or B)

a. Attendance for three full-time years or the equivalent at any combination of the following:

1. • • • California high school

       • California adult school (including non-credit courses offered by a California community college) [#]

       • California community college (maximum of two years of credit courses can count toward this requirement)

b. Three years of California high school credits, along with three years of total attendance at a California elementary school, California secondary school, or any combination of the two [†]

2. Degree or Unit Requirements (completion of any of the following):

   • • Graduation from a California high school or the equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC, CHSPE)

     • Attainment of an Associate degree from a California Community College

     • Fulfillment of the minimum transfer requirements from a California Community College to a UC or CSU campus

3. Register or Enroll in an Accredited and Qualifying California College or University. This requires registration as a student at an accredited institution of higher education in California. See a list of Cal Grant eligible schools.

4. Submit a Signed California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request Form(PDF). This form states that you meet all the requirements to qualify for a non-resident exemption under AB 540 and, if you are undocumented, that you are in the process of legalizing your immigration status (or will do so as soon as you are eligible to do so). This form is confidential and will not be shared with other agencies.

Exemption Requirements Footnotes

# A year's equivalence at a California community college is either a minimum of 24 semester units or 36 quarter units of credit. For non-credit courses, a year's attendance is a minimum of 420 class hours per year (a semester is equivalent to a minimum of 210 hours and a quarter is equivalent to a minimum of 140 hours). Full-time attendance at a California adult school is a minimum of 420 hours of attendance for each school year.

† This provision addresses both a coursework and an attendance requirement, which can both be satisfied in three or more years.

Information provided on the CADAA is not provided to the federal government nor is it checked against any federal databases.

CADA information is protected by privacy and information security laws. CADA students will be required to submit parental income and asset information.

The demographic information students provide on the CADAA typically overlaps with information students have already given to their high schools.