The California Assembly has passed a bill restricting the number of out-of-state students the University of California system can enrol.

The limits the proportion of non-Californian students at the nine campuses to 10 per cent of total enrolment by autumn 2022. Out-of-state undergraduates currently make up 15.5 per cent of total undergraduates on the system¡¯s campuses.

It also requires the university to admit only non-resident students who exceed the academic qualifications of residents.

The bill was passed after a state audit of the university system in March 2016, which concluded that it was enrolling less-qualified students from outside the state in order to boost revenue ¨C a move that it concluded has ¡°disadvantaged California resident students¡±.

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According to the , non-resident enrolment rocketed by 82 per cent between 2010-11 and 2013-14. It added that the university system ¡°could have taken additional steps to generate savings and revenue internally¡± to mitigate the impact of its admissions and financial decisions on residents, noting that the campuses¡¯ spending on employee salaries increased in eight of the past nine financial years, despite the state¡¯s fiscal crisis.

The presumptive Democrat nominee for president, Hillary Clinton, backed the legislation, according to .

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¡°We have got to get back to using public colleges and university for that they were intended,¡± she said. ¡°If it is in California, for the children in California. If it is in New York, for the children in New York.¡±

The bill has been passed to the California State Senate for consideration.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com