My dad is being transferred in September 2025. My mom and I are staying back so I don’t have to switch schools during my senior year. My mom and I will join him after I graduate, what does that do to my residency? Our house will be sold and we will have no ties to my current state. I’m stressing over this.
It depends on your state. In some states, you would still be a resident for tuition purposes. But in others, you would lose that instate status, and you likely wouldn’t have new instate status where your family is moving. Although this can vary too…and especially since your dad will be relocating a year before you start college in your new state.
So…check your current and future state guidelines for getting instate tuition status.
Is that your concern?
But if admission is your concern…same answer…check.
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Depends on the state. Some states but not others have a provision that allows students who graduate high school within the state after some specified number of years of attendance to retain in-state tuition and financial aid. If your state is not such a state, then you may not be able to get in-state tuition and financial aid until you and your parents have lived in the new state for more than a year before the new state’s public universities’ date to determine in-state residency for tuition and financial aid.
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Talk to your school of interest. You may be fine.
When my company moved, the new state granted in state tuition. It was a big quantity move - meaning hundreds of employees but we had in state in two states if it was our graduation year.
Ask the school - don’t panic - just learn your situation.
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Here is an older thread listing states with a provision for high school graduates to retain in-state residency for tuition. However, since it is several years old, you should verify with the specific states of interest (the one you currently live in and the one you will be moving to) because state laws and policies may have changed since this list was made.
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And another ‘it depends.’ Some states might start your residency when your father moves, so it might be best to have him move officially (for tax purposes) as of July 1 or Aug 1. That might be easy to do if he gets a driver’s license, changes the state that taxes him on his paycheck, get all the utilities set up at a new place, make sure he uses everything as a local. Buy a fishing license, get a library card, register his car. Some people put those things off for a few months but in your case you may not want to delay anything.
If you tell us the states, we might be able to help more. For example, in Colorado either parent can be the state resident. Florida may be that way too and documentation of the ‘little things’ is important because they don’t have a state income tax filing requirement.
If you want to go to college in your current state, then stall stall stall!
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