Residency for in-state tuition

madgurl77 · 05-07-2012, 04:04 PM

Hi

I am currently establishing my residency now and I have about 5 months left. I have established all proofs that this is my intended place of residence. However, I had to go back to the country that my parents are living at now for a month or two in the summer due to family commitment and religious holiday.. and so won't be i breaking the 12 months consecutive stay?
I can show my rental lease and also my pay stubs (i work at home) until my application, will the residency office have any way to find out?
I know it seems malicious and unrighteous but I really do have a sick relative and it would be absurd to be absent due to residency establishment. Furthermore, I really do have my intentions to live here and I really can't afford non-resident tuition in the long run. I'm afraid all these will not be possible due to a short trip to visit a family.

Thank you so much for your help.

Cheers

somemom · 05-07-2012, 04:19 PM

Which state?

The answer is maybe, so we need to know more about your state.

cptofthehouse · 05-07-2012, 05:57 PM

More importantly, which school? If you are an undergrad, your residency might come down to where you parents live. If neither live in that state, the fact that you do may not mean a thing if you are not independent for college purposes. And colleges have an age 24 rule unless you are married, have a dependent, are a veteran of the armed forces or have a court ruling declaring you independent (usually for abuse/neglect/emancipation reasons). That is very difficult to get.

As you can see in the thread right near yours, others are seeking the same thing. Every year hordes of kids seek in state status for OOS publics and usually they don't get it because of the way the rules are stated and enforced. You can be a state resident for voting, driving,paying taxes. just about everything, but not for in state tuition rates at many schools. So you had better check the rules carefully. Your parents are out of the country, but where was their last legal residence in the US? The rules are often set up deliberately to keep undergrad from getting in state status for tuition while they are going to college.

madgurl77 · 05-07-2012, 05:59 PM

Hi thanks for replying. State of WA my school is UW.
prospects of it to be considered seems to be bleak from my opinion.. sigh.. what do you think? thanks

madgurl77 · 05-07-2012, 06:03 PM

yes i am an undergrad at UW. My parents used to be American citizens and lived in Dallas,TX but they gave it up to keep their other citizenship. Does that even take into an account of everything? because it doesn't state that on the residency requirement page.
I'm applying as an independent student

cptofthehouse · 05-07-2012, 06:06 PM

I don't know. Are you an international student? Were you parents citizens or green card holder when they were here? Which UW campus is this? Most importantly, how does this particular school operate in terms of monitoring in state/out of state status? Some schools don't care at all; some are vigilant. You do need to look on the website as to what their actual rules are so that if you find that they do not enforce them, you know where you are vulnerable. Schools have gone on crusades to beat out the OOS kids "passing" as in states, and that is the risk you take if you manage to slip by the registrar initially.

madgurl77 · 05-07-2012, 06:23 PM

no, Im an American but my parents are not anymore..
I really don't know if my school is strict on this..I just know that you have to submit your applications with all the documents which I am able to prove for all. just that im wondering if i should take the risk of being absent.. im trying to appeal too.
hoping if anyone from WA has any experience on this.
worse case situation is that i just have to go back on winter break.. which is an option that i dont really want to take.

mom2collegekids · 05-07-2012, 06:43 PM

how old are you. If you're under 24, you can't just declare yourself independent.

somemom · 05-07-2012, 08:02 PM

Contact the residency department at UW, they are very nice and should be able to confirm that you would be able to be a resident on your own or not and then, if so, assist you in ensuring you do not make an error in your international travels.

thumper1 · 05-07-2012, 08:13 PM

What is your basis for being an "independent student"? You can't just decide to do this...and it is not something done for the sake of getting in state tuition. At most schools, the place of residency for undergrad students is where their parents reside.

In your original post, you stated that you had met most of the requirements...could you please elaborate on this?

violao · 05-07-2012, 08:29 PM

At many schools it is a matter of doing exactly what you propose -- just move to the state get all the licenses changed and get a job. You don't have to be independent from your parents. Contact the domicile dept at the university or look up the policies online.
Some schools even allow you to go to a CC part time while establishing residency. This varies from state to state I am sure. It takes one year in Arizona to accomplish this generally speaking.

cptofthehouse · 05-07-2012, 08:36 PM

Were your parents WA residents before moving out of state?

CCs are a whole other story. Around here and where I used to live, you just fill out the app with your addresss and attest you have been living in state and you get in state tuition. They didn't seem to care about looking to closely. However, major universities are often a whole other issue. OP needs to look around and see what others have done in the same situation and also know the university's rules on citizenship very well.

sybbie719 · 05-07-2012, 08:41 PM

are you financially dependent on your parents? Have you already attended UW and have taken 7 or more credits? Did you file taxes?

Quote:

Students who are financially dependent upon parents or legal guardians (provide court documentation verifying the guardianship is valid) must provide documentation to prove their parents/legal guardians have established a bona fide domicile in the state of Washington. Students must also provide documentation to show they are dependents claimed by the parents/legal guardians on the most recent U.S. Federal Income Tax return.

Students whose parents or legal guardians are either divorced or legally separated may be classified as residents if the following conditions are met:

The students are claimed as a dependent on the most recent U.S. Federal Income Tax return by one of the parents/legal guardians.

At least one parent or legal guardian has established a bona fide domicile in the State of Washington.
UW Residency - Financially Dependent Student

Financially independent

Quote:

Financially Independent Student

For students 25 years of age or younger

Students must show establishment of a bona fide domicile in the state of Washington if they are under the age of 25 and if their parents or court-appointed legal guardians do not reside in Washington.

Students must also provide documentation showing independent payments of the majority of their expenses for the previous calendar/tax year and independent payment of, or the ability to independently pay, the majority of their expenses for the current calendar/tax year. These documents include:

A copy of the students' most recent tax return (first two pages only showing income).

A copy of the parents' most recent tax return (top half of first page only), showing dependents claimed.

Verification of year-to-date earnings (i.e., a copy of the student's most recent pay stub with year-to-date earnings total listed).

Note: A married student applying for residency status should apply as a financially independent student.

Prove conclusively that they have not come to the state primarily for educational purposes.
Current guidelines require that students enrolled for 7 credits or more a quarter must be employed at least 30 hours per week at a non-student job to overcome the presumption of educational purposes.

Live in the state for 12 consecutive months as legal residents.

A legal resident is an individual who has relinquished all valid legal ties (for example, driver's license, voter registration, etc.) with their former state of residence and established such ties in Washington in accordance with state and local legislation.

Establish legal ties:

Employment.

Driver's license/state ID. If students possess current, out-of-state driver's licenses, they must obtain a Washington State Driver's License within 30 days of arrival. If they do not have a driver's license from any state, they must obtain a Washington State Identification Card.

Vehicle registration. If students own or drive vehicles in Washington, the vehicles must be registered in Washington.

Voter registration. If students have current, out-of-state voter's registrations, they must be registered to vote in Washington.

Establish a bank account in Washington.

Be financially independent for the current and prior calendar years.

UW Residency - Financially Independent Student

thumper1 · 05-07-2012, 08:55 PM

Violao...I do not think this is as easy as you are making it sound at MOST schools.

If it were THAT easy, there would be very few students paying OOS tuition...and that is simply not the case.

violao · 05-07-2012, 09:22 PM

Thumper - At the University of Arizona and ASU it is exactly that easy and this isn't hearsay.

At UT Austin a friendships paid one year oos and purchased a very cheap lot and was changed to in state as a Texas land owner for the sophomore year -- she is in her junior year. The land was $2,500 and as she now pays state real estate tax, thus she qualified.

I can only vouch for Arizona where I live -- the current domicile rules are mandated by the board of regents and of course subject to change with the economic problems of the state.