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Is it true that you can go to a state school, then after 1 year of being there declare residency to that state and only have to pay in-state tuition?

By Iflyjets (Iflyjets) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 02:17 am: Edit

Doesn't work for every state. I know some students in Texas who were classified out-of-state for their entire college experience despite the fact that they were registered voters, had TX auto registration and driver's licenses. Had something to do with the fact that they came originally to TX simply to attend school, not for employment and to establish residency. Only the ones who married to spouses employed in TX were able to get in-state residency status. Now this was 7 years ago; things may have changed. But I used these stories simply as an example. I wouldn't be surprised, however, to find other states with similar limitations.

May also have to do with dependency issues as far as how much your parents cover you (things such as health insurance or % of support, etc...). Again, probably varies by state and situation. I wouldn't assume, however, that after 1 year you can be declared a resident for in-state tuition in every state.

By Collegehelp1234 (Collegehelp1234) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 02:24 am: Edit

I recommend that you research this. A supreme court case in the past few decades said that not granting benefits to new residents is unconstitutional. It violates the interstate commerce jurisdiction of the federal government.

All day and all night and everything he sees is just blue, like him, inside and outside

BLEW HIS HOUSE WITH A BLUE LITTLE WINDOW. cool

By Constellation35 (Constellation35) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 02:35 am: Edit

I couldn't really find much on it, but if anybody finds anything please let me know, I'm really curious! 8-)

By Emilyp114 (Emilyp114) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 08:24 am: Edit

My cousin moved to Texas and worked for a year then started school and was considered a state resident so only had to pay in-state fees. I would recommend, if you're that curious, that you call the school you're interested in and ask. Simple!

By Coureur (Coureur) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 09:18 am: Edit

Whether you can establish residency may depend on your status with respect to your parents. In many states you cannot claim financial independence from your parents, and hence establish residency for tuition purposes, so long as they are claiming you as a dependant on their tax returns.

By Barrons (Barrons) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 09:28 am: Edit

Most states you would want to attend school in make it very difficult.

By Constellation35 (Constellation35) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 11:01 am: Edit

If I could claim residency in Michigan after one year I could actually afford University of Michigan.

Anyone know how the situation is in Michigan with that?

By Jamimom (Jamimom) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 12:51 pm: Edit

In many states you become a resident for tution purposes when your parents have a residence in the state and have paid taxes for a year. That is what they look for when they verify state residency. Most state schools have a section on their websites addressing this very issue.

By Drusba (Drusba) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 02:39 pm: Edit

The answer is no, you cannot easily become a resident paying in state tuition after attending a year. The rules vary somewhat from state to state but basically someone who starts as an out-of-state resident will remain such for all 4 years at the college absent the student's parents moving to the state.

By Asknot11 (Asknot11) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 02:58 pm: Edit

Michigan sucks! I live in Illinois, but my family has a lakehouse in Michigan. HOWEVER, the damn school has a rule stating the residency tuition applies to those who primarily live in Michigan, and attended an MI high school.

By Bobmcc (Bobmcc) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 03:41 pm: Edit

not in NCarolina. My wife (whose dad's family is from NC, though she applied to colleges from PA) started at duke, left after 1.5 ys, lived, paid taxes, voted, was "self-supporting", had taken a couple of evening college courses at UNC and still had a MAJOR fight getting herself declared an "instate" resident 5 yrs later. Her application got denied at the first two levels and finally, on the 3rd appeal at the highest level, got approved. And i don't think it's gotten any easier for undergrads aince.

You'd have a better chance moving, working for a couple of years (and being able to prove that you're "self-supporting") and then applying.

By Becks777 (Becks777) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 05:55 pm: Edit

Does having 15 of your rich family members living in that state help you in establishing residency?

By Constellation35 (Constellation35) on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 05:59 pm: Edit

If not, just ask those 15 relatives to pay the difference between in-state and out of state tuition.

By Gadad (Gadad) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 04:28 pm: Edit

As a college administrator who hears appeals of in-state residency, let me offer some basic concepts. First of all, this is a state-by-state determination, so you'll need to talk to colleges in your particular state. But in general, state-supported schools are financed in part with taxpayers' dollars from that state, so it becomes a matter of ethics to ensure that those who reap the benefits of the state subsidy are the ones who have helped to pay it. Accordingly, many state systems determine that once you've been a bona fide resident of the state (and usually a taxpayer) for at least the 12 months immediately prior to attending college there, you've met the litmus test for in-state residency. If you got credit for living in the state WHILE you attended school, then all sophomores at state schools would be in-state residents without contributing to the tax base. In many states, merely owning property in the state, have a driver's license or working a part-time job is not sufficent to become a "resident." Circumstances vary, so this is often a judgment call on the part of a campus committee.
But what about someone who moves to a new state the summer before their dependent starts college there? They haven't been in the new state for 12 months and possibly wouldn't qualify to be an in-state student in the former state of residence. Many states will grant residency in under 12 months if there's a clear situation in which the family has relocated for professional reasons - not voluntarily came to the new state looking for a job, mind you, but came for sound career reasons unrelated to the student's intent to begin college. Again, a judgment call. As a rule of thumb, if you have to work too hard to construct a rationale for why you're a "resident" of a state that hasn't been your full-time home for the past 12 months, it's probably not going to be accepted.

By Ariesathena (Ariesathena) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 04:49 pm: Edit

I know that CT will grant in-state after one year: you have to have an apartment, change your voter's registration, car registration, and driver's license over. This, however, applies to law school there - and grad students are automatically considered independent of their parents.

Check out reciprocity agreements. If your state school does not have the major you are looking for (ex., textiles), and a nearby state does, then you can go to that other state school for their in-state tuition price. I know of a few people who have done this, but you must stick with the major that cannot be found within your state.

By Becks777 (Becks777) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 06:12 pm: Edit

It s easy to become instate for wisconsin too

and GADAD, i have a question, the UCs say you have to be " financially independant". What exactly does that mean? Are they saying that they will grant residency only when your parents stop paying for your college tuition?...which is next to impossible for undergards

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 08:23 pm: Edit

Becks, the UC's are pretty clear: they want you not to be receiving any income or support from your parents plus show proof that you've been supporting yourself for a year (tax returns, etc.). And, yes, it is impossible for most full-time undergraduates which is exactly the point.

By Barrons (Barrons) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 09:32 pm: Edit

Wisconsin is NOT easy.

By Becks777 (Becks777) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 09:43 pm: Edit

Ummm...i just know someone who became a state resident of wisconsin after just one year- even when she came back home on every vacations. so i just assumed it would be easy

By Constellation35 (Constellation35) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 10:17 pm: Edit

Is Washington easy?

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 11:14 am: Edit

No, Washington is not easy for undergraduates who are dependent on their parents financially. Here is a link that explains what you need to do:

http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/residency.html

To establish domicile in the State of Washington you must provide documentation showing you meet the following guidelines:
Prove conclusively that you have not come to the state primarily for educational purposes.
Live in the state for 12 consecutive months as a legal resident.
Establish ties:
Employment.
If you have a current out-of-state driver's license, you must obtain a Washington State Driver's License within 30 days of arrival. If you don't have a driver's license from any state you must obtain a Washington State Identification Card.
Register to vote in Washington.
Establish a bank account in Washington.
If you own or drive a vehicle in Washington, you must register it in Washington.
Medical/automobile insurance independent of parents
Financially independent for the current and prior calendar years. Examples of other factors that might help one establish proof of domicile include severance of all ties with the former state of residence, participation in local community organizations, and generally becoming involved in activities that will help prove their intent to make Washington their official place of residence.


 

By Gadad (Gadad) on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 12:07 pm: Edit

Becks, Carolyn is right; in addition, financial independence often means that you are fully emancipated from your parents as a dependent.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 01:07 pm: Edit

GaDad - correct me if I'm wrong but does that mean your parents can't claim you as a dependent on their taxes?

By Barrons (Barrons) on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 02:36 pm: Edit

That's what it means.

By Becks777 (Becks777) on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 04:43 pm: Edit

Can my parents not claim me as adependant on thier tax returns and still pay for my tuition?

By Gadad (Gadad) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 08:09 am: Edit

In Georgia, financial support from outside the state would negate the assertion that you're a bona fide resident.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 02:57 pm: Edit

And in the UC system that is also the case. You have to be paying it yourself in order to claim financial independence.

By Becks777 (Becks777) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 06:15 pm: Edit

How do they expect undergraduates to earn over 30000 a year?,thats so BS, isnt that close to like an average slaary of a college graduate- Why dont they directly say that out staters will never be considered in state for tuition purposes

By Garland (Garland) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 07:48 pm: Edit

You're missing the point here. Instate tuition is subsidized by the taxes instate residents pay. If you're still being supported by someone paying taxes in some other state, why should you get that subsidy?

By Becks777 (Becks777) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 11:18 pm: Edit

Wait...why cant the taxes be transferred from one state to another or something? Otherwise what about someone whos from a state like mississipi or wyoming that doesnt have a good public school system?
Oh..wait, my dad did work in California for a year, is that gonna help?

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 12:20 am: Edit

Since many states have too many students instate who want to attend state schools, let alone out of state students, they have to have some way to reducing the numbers.
Residents pay taxes, they expect the legislature to fund education with those taxes.
State taxes are not transferable, however if you pay out of state income tax, you can take it off on your federal tax.

The UW is waiting for the legislature to give them permission to raise rates for instate residents as they have many more students than they recieve funding for from the state.
I expect that if they do raise tuition, that taxpayers will be watching to insure that they don't give price breaks to out of state students.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2001831423_tuition07m.html
The Legislature last year gave state institutions the ability to set tuition for graduate students and out-of-state undergraduates. But lawmakers, concerned about keeping college affordable, kept control over tuition for in-state undergraduates. They set a 7 percent cap on increases this school year, and all universities increased tuition that amount.

The UW, the state's flagship institution, has increased undergraduate tuition by 21.6 percent in the past two school years. Tuition at the UW is $4,458 a year, not including fees.

Some state universities do have reproprocity agreements with neighboring states, not generally all schools, but you often can get a discount on out of state rates.
Probably not Florida to Washington however.