Residency for In-State Tuition
What is Residency?
Texas law classifies each person who applies for admission to a Texas public college or university as a resident of Texas, nonresident, or foreign (international) student. This classification determines if a student will pay the in-state or out-of-state tuition rate.
Resident students are also eligible for other benefits such as being able to apply for financial aid awarded by the state and to take certain courses offered to resident students.
Residency for tuition purposes is different from residency for voting, obtaining a driver’s license, or tax purposes.
Determining Residency
When students apply for admission, the university uses information provided on their ApplyTexas applications to make an initial determination of residency status. This determination will remain on a student’s record and continue for each semester in which a student is enrolled if no changes are made.
Changes in Residency Status/Correcting Errors in Classification
Sometimes, based on the information provided by the student, an incorrect residency status determination can be made. Also, a student may not meet all the requirements to be classified as a Texas Resident at the time of submitting their application for admission, but afterwards, they take the necessary steps to meet the requirements. In either circumstance, a student can apply for a reclassification of residency status.
To update or change their residency status, students must submit a copy of the Core Residency Questions form along with supporting documentation to prove they have met the requirements to be classified as a Texas Resident for tuition purposes.
The Office of the Registrar and the Office of Admissions have the right to update a student’s residency status based on information provided by the student.
Please note: It is the responsibility of each student to verify his/her residency status prior to the start of a semester and request any change or update any errors to their residency status prior to the census date of that semester.
Deadlines in Reclassification
In order to update their residency status for a semester, students must meet all requirements, submit the Core Residency Questions form, and submit all necessary supporting documentation prior to the official census date of a semester. Meeting residency requirements or submitting documentation after a census date will result in residency reclassification being considered for a future semester.
Establishing Residency