<p>Different states have different rules about qualifying as an independent and instate tuition. Besides not being a dependent on parents taxes, I think many require proof of residency that includes paying utility bills, source of income, etc. And I believe the person has to document intent to live there on an ongoing basis, not just for the purpose of education.</p>
<p>As for the “buggy” terminology, I believe that is a british-anglican term. We had a Welsh au pair who called the shopping cart a “buggy” and the trunk of the car (where we put the groceries) the “boot”. The term “buggy” stuck in my head and thats what I now always call it, and what my kids now call it. Older s said he got weird looks from his college roommates when he called it a “buggy”. He was in Tx, not NC, but that said, while I don’t know if they call it a “buggy” in NC, they most likely did when the OP lived in England. Oh, and my other favorite phrase fromtat au pair-- she called everything “brilliant”. I loved it!</p>
<p>Whatever you do, find out what the rules are and follow them. You don’t want to be happily retired in some other state and suddenly get a huge tax bill from NC (or where ever) or even worse, find yourself (or your child!) facing fraud charges.</p>
<p>Better yet, move to Washington DC. You get the in state tuition rate at ANY public university in the country. You have to be a resident and have graduated from high school in DC, or demonstrate that you’ve lived in DC for at least five years.</p>
<p>Public school in DC - not known for being what one would choose. Private school-- expensive, and might end up being a wash when comparingits cost to OOS public school tuition</p>
<p>I can’t speak to UNC Chapel Hill specifically for grad school or professional school. BUT my son DID go to a public college in NC for grad school. We are from OOS. He was OOS for the first year…and there was NO WAY that would have been any different. You cannot establish residency WHILE you are attending college. He “could” have established residency for his SECOND year there by renting an apartment, paying his bills, NOT being declared on our income taxes as a dependent, paying state income tax, registering to vote, having utility bills in his name AND having a NC driver’s license. ALL of this had to be done ONE YEAR prior to the date when he planned to declare himself a resident of NC…so for him…that would have been a year PLUS a few weeks before he enrolled for his second year. </p>
<p>NOW…we would have lost him as a deduction on our taxes. He would not have been able to be carried on our health, homeowners, or car insurance, and we would have lost the tax credit for his senior year of undergrad tuition too.</p>
<p>In the end…we chose to pay the OOS tuition (which was very modest, by the way…and he also got a nice assistantship too). He didn’t intend to remain in NC after his two years of grad school at all. Didn’t want to go through the hassle of ALL the above changes…ALL were required…just to have to do them all again the following year here.</p>
<p>Health insurance alone would have been expensive…and car and homeowners for him too. Wasn’t worth it.</p>