I am an English Student, looking to study English Literature at an
californian University. I want to pay the American prices for
University rather than the International prices. I am willing to take
a gap year to maybe earn american residency to pay American prices.
How do i pay American Prices for an Californian Univeristy when im
English rather than the International prices? (Aroudn $30,000!!!)

Each school has different requirements, and the best way to review
these requirements is to visit the individual school Web sites.
Reviewing every school?s policy is beyond the scope of the Google
Answers forum, not to mention your $10 price. However, I did check out
the Web sites of two schools, one state school (UCLA) and one private
school (USC).

Nonresident tuition adds more than $16,000 annually at UCLA. At USC,
the tuition is the same for everyone ? very high.
http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/Fees/grad.htm
http://afaweb.esd.usc.edu/dcpage2.cfm?PageBaseID=50072 

In contrast, California State, with 23 campuses in California, charges
$339 per semester unit for nonresidents, for maximum of $10,170 per
academic year in extra tuition
(http://www.calstate.edu/budget/FeeEnrll_Info/FeeInfo/Campus_Mand_Fees/04-05MandFees.pdf).

USC has no restrictive residency requirements
(http://afaweb.esd.usc.edu/dcpage2.cfm?PageBaseID=50090). Neither do
most private schools. If you can foot the bill for a private
education, you can move in the day classes begin. But given your
question, I?m guessing you want to attend a state school and pay a lot
less.

The only way for an adult student from England to avoid nonresident
fees at UCLA is to establish California residency
(http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/faq/residence.htm). That requires 366
days of residence in California before the residence determination
date for the semester when you wish to begin attending. There are
special rules for minors, but for the most part, you are considered a
resident of the country where your parents live.

The good news: You need not give up citizenship or gain immigrant
status to set up a domicile in California. Nonimmigrants who are not
precluded from establishing a domicile in the U.S. include those who
hold valid visas of the following types: A, E, G, H-1, H-4, I, K, L,
O-1, O-3, R, or V.

The bad news: Living in California for over a year is not enough to
establish residency, at least not at UCLA. According to the
registrar?s site (http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/faq/residence.htm#Anchor-How-14210):

?You must demonstrate your intent to make California your home by
severing your residential ties with your former state of residence and
establishing those ties with California shortly after arrival. If the
requisite intent is not demonstrated promptly, the waiting period for
residence classification will be extended until both presence and
intent have been demonstrated for the entire one-year period. Relevant
indicia that contribute to the demonstration of a student's intent to
make California the permanent home include, but are not limited to,
the following:

1. Registering to vote and voting in California elections
2. Designating California as your permanent address on all school and
employment records, including military records if you are in the
military service
3. Obtaining a California Driver License or, if you do not drive, a
California Identification Card
4. Obtaining California vehicle registration
5. Paying California income taxes as a resident, including taxes on
income earned outside California from the date you establish residence
6. Establishing a California residence in which you keep your personal belongings
7. Licensing for professional practice in California?

You also must establish financial independence
(http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/faq/residence.htm#Anchor-What-23240).
If you?re over 24, a veteran of the U.S. armed services, or are not
claimed as a dependent on someone else?s tax return, you probably
qualify.

According to UCLA?s residency page
(http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/faq/residence.htm#Anchor-INTENT-11481)
even students who establish residency at other state schools may not
qualify for residency at UCLA. Other state schools and community
colleges have more lenient policies.

I suggest that since each school has its own policy, you visit Web
sites of schools that interest you to learn their requirements. I have
assembled a list of Web sites of large California state colleges:

http://www.calstate.edu/
links to 23 campuses at http://www.calstate.edu/search_find/campus_admin.shtml

http://universityofcalifornia.edu/campuses/welcome.html
contains links to 10 campuses

http://www.cccco.edu/find/alphabetical.htm
contains links to dozens of community colleges


V.

Search strategy: None.
Visited UCLA, USC, and Cal State home pages, then went to state of
California page to find educational links.

Top Notch, really great effort! Thankyou so much!