Community college does end up saving you a lot of money, and it is a very good method to get to the same point, like you said. Tuition as an international student is super expensive so community college does sound like a really good plan. What are the main benefits of going to a UC for all 4-years compared to 2 years after CC?
I did a quick google search and got the same answer that re-classifying as an OOS student is very difficult. But, if it is an option, it is much better than paying 80k a year. This is all considering UCs, but I still have to broaden my view and check other colleges.