Fee Waivers and Exemptions
The California Education Code includes provisions for the waiver or exemption of mandatory systemwide tuition fees as follows:
Section 66025.3 – Qualifying children, spouses/registered domestic partners, or unmarried surviving spouses/registered domestic partners of a war period veteran of the U.S. military who is totally service-connected disabled or who died as a result of service-related causes; children of any veteran of the U.S. military who has a service-connected disability, was killed in action, or died of a service-connected disability and meets specified income provisions; any dependents or surviving spouse/registered domestic partner who has not remarried of a member of the California National Guard who in the line of duty and in active service of the state was killed or became permanently disabled or died of a disability as a result of an event while in active service of the state; and undergraduate students who are the recipient of or the child of a recipient of a Congressional Medal of Honor and meet certain age and income restrictions;
Section 68120 – Qualifying children and surviving spouses/registered domestic partners of deceased public law enforcement or fire suppression employees who were California residents and who were killed in the course of active law enforcement or fire suppression duties (referred to as Alan Pattee Scholarships); and
Section 68121 – Qualifying students enrolled in an undergraduate program who are the surviving dependent of any individual killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C., or the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in southwestern Pennsylvania, if the student meets the financial need requirements set forth in Section 69432.7 for the Cal Grant A Program and either the surviving dependent or the individual killed in the attacks was a resident of California on September 11, 2001. Students who may qualify for these benefits should contact the Admissions/Registrar’s Office for further information and/or an eligibility determination.
Section 68122 – Students who are victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes who have been granted T or U visa status are exempt from paying nonresident tuition if they (1) attended high school in California for three or more years; (2) graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent; and (3) registered as an entering student or are currently enrolled at a CSU campus.
Section 68130.5 – Students who are not residents of California are exempt from paying nonresident tuition if they (1) attended high school in California for three or more years; (2) graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent; and (3) registered as an entering student or are currently enrolled at a CSU campus. In addition, students without lawful immigration status will be required to file an affidavit stating that they have filed an application to legalize their immigration status, or will file an application as soon as they are eligible to do so. This exemption from paying nonresident tuition does not apply to students who are nonimmigrant aliens within the meaning of 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15), except as provided by Section 68122 above.