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Question about out-of state tuition?

A question about what is considered an "in-state" college tuition fee.?

  • Okay so i have a situation type question. Here goes: If i am applying for a college in a state that i am not a resident of, but i am moving to, and I pay the out of state tuition fee for a year, would I only have to pay the In State fee after living in the state for a year, even though I am currently paying the Out Of State fee? Or should i just live in the state for a year, then apply? Many Thanks!

  • Answer:

    This is a question that gets asked here a lot, because it's an excellent question. Unfortunately, most of the answers that people offer for this question are incorrect. Some of the answers you have been given are partially correct, but as usual, there are some that are just not going to help you very much. Every state has different rules, because the rules are a matter of state law - and of course, every state's legislature establishes its own laws. That being said, the general underlying principle in every state is pretty much the same: You can not move to a new state and attain residency if your primary purpose is to attend school. Most (but not every state) share another significant stipulation: You are automatically a resident of the state where your parents are domiciled, unless you are both a legal adult and completely financially independent of your parents. In other words, only a legal adult can establish residency in a state other than the one where their parents live. You will frequently see advice that suggests that you can move to a state and attend school for a year as an out-of-state residence, and that this will allow you to magically become a state resident for years two, three and four. That is not true. If you go back above, to where I said that you must move to a new state for a purpose other than to attend school - this is where the misunderstanding comes from. All states begin with the presumption that you are not moving to that state with the present purpose of making that state your permanent resident. You must overcome that presumption as one part of your residency process. You can overcome that presumption by performing certain acts - such as: Living in the state for a year Getting a job and paying state taxes Buying a home or renting an apartment Registering a car Registering to vote Getting a state driver's license These are all actions that help you demonstrate that you intend to make this new state your permanent residence - HOWEVER - you could perform every single one of these acts, and that wouldn't make you a state resident - you must still be able to satisfy all of the other parts of the state residency requirements. Some states have near impossible standards. In many of these states, for example, you must be able to demonstrate that you are living off income and assets that are tied to and kept in that state. In others, you must demonstrate that the new state is your permanent residence by pretty much spending all of your time there. Go and visit your parents for more than 3 weeks in a year, and some states will automatically conclude that you're not really a permanent resident. Generally speaking (there are exceptions), it is not possible to move to another state so that you can attend college there as a state resident. The rules are specifically designed to prevent exactly this. People who are trying to help are offering information based on what someone told them, or what they honestly believe to be true, but I would strongly recommend that you carefully review the state statute in any state that you are thinking of moving to for school. The quickest way to find that statute is to enter the terms "tuition", "state residency" and the name of the state in a search engine. Good luck to you - I hope this information helped.

Elby J at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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If you're able to support yourself for the year that you're not considered an in-state resident by the college, that sounds like the more financially sound method. A friend of mine to moved to CA from NH and she did the same thing - she waited to apply to school until she had lived there long enough to be eligible for the in-state tuition. She was happy she waited.

hipster_bingo

If you are a resident in that state at the time you apply, than you would be "in state". If you won't be a resident in that state for at least the first month or two of school, than you would put "out-of-state." If you plan on moving during the first month or two than contact the school and see what they say.

Ashley A

Typically, you have to be a resident of said state for a year before you can get instate tuition. Check with the rules and regulations of the college you're applying to, but I'll bet you have to live off campus for a year, and change your drivers license and plate. You're not a resident if you have out of state plates, etc. I'd check with the administration dept for specifics though, nobody here can know the specific rules of an unknown college.

Joe M

You need to check with that school/university/college to see what their definition of in-state means. When I was in college in South Carolina, you had to have lived there for six months before applying for the in-state status but some states have different rules - you should be able to go to the admissions page in the catalog or website to ascertain their definition of the term. If in doubt, see if there is a phone number listed in admissions and call asking to speak to a counselor or admissions clerk to make certain of their definition. If you move to some areas, they see you have a local address and consider you as in-state but you need to find out their procedures and rules.

nuzlady_29388

You need to speak to the admissions office. The should have residency or domicile application. Every school has a different set of criteria for determining who is a resident and who is not. If you come to the school as at out-of-state student, you will have to prove to your school that you are in that state for purposes other then attending school. You will most likely have to have a residence other then dorm, and a lease or mortgage with your name on it. Usually you have to have your driver's license in the new state as well as insurance and register your car in the new state. You usually have to have a job in that state and file state income taxes to that state, and be able to show that you earn enough money to support yourself without your support coming from your parents, who live in your old state. So while you can't actually apply until a year from now, I would advise you to get the form/application now so you can see the criteria and have the whole year to make sure you are meeting all of the criteria and then you can actually submit the application at the appropriate time.

srs2teach

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