Generally, students who start school in August or September and then expect to qualify for in-state tuition the following school year are "going to get a rude awakening," Reindl says. "In most places, that 12 months has to be spent outside the university. You have to be working, doing something other than being a full-time student." Myth #3: If I marry an established state resident, I'm a state resident, too.
Resident-by-marriage theories sound good but don't hold much legal water. What's more, a couple moving together to a new state doesn't have it easy, either. When Wright moved from Arkansas to Florida as a graduate student, he and his wife filed a "declaration of domicile" as soon as they arrived in the Sunshine State. A year later, when he applied for residency for tuition purposes, it took rent receipts, his voter registration, his Florida tax return, and letters from both of their employers to forge a successful residency case.
Myth #4: It can't hurt to try to qualify.
While it's true that college admission and residency status are separate issues, a ruling that you're a nonresident can affect your admission status. "The paperwork is all there at the same time," Reindl says. "If Johnny applies and makes the case he's a resident, but the school determines he's not and it's really close to their line of resident/nonresident mix, it can mean the difference between him being wait-listed or not."
Institutions aren't just being sticklers. States often limit the representation of nonresident students at state public institutions of higher education to a particular percentage, explains Wright. There is often, however, some wiggle room to account for larger state schools recruiting internationally. Regardless of the admissions decision, accepted students found to be nonresidents will need to pay off that higher tuition bill to stay. Myth #5: Once eligibility is determined, you're home free.
When someone files a questionable residency status claim that's accepted, it's not a case-closed situation. "Campuses pay more attention to this than folks might think. And they've become fairly good about sniffing out a nonresident," Reindl says. Being outed as a nonresident midway through the school year or college career can spell disaster for a carefully constructed college financing plan. Conversely, it can be more than frustrating to have legitimate residency denied. That's where the right to appeal can come in handy.
Myth #6: It's impossible to qualify for in-state tuition anywhere but in your home state.
Now for the good news. Yes, in-state tuition rules are designed to weed out nonresidents. "A fair chunk of the population feels that state taxpayers support these universities and they're for the state citizens," Reindl says. And the burden of residency proof is on the applicant. However, that doesn't mean you can't proudly attend school in another state at a discounted price.
Some institutions have historically offered in-state tuition to residents in bordering counties of a neighboring state, says Wright. Then there are reciprocity programs, which offer reduced tuition to nearby state residents, such as the
Southern Regional Education Board's Regional Contract Program, the
New England Regional Student Program and the
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education's Student Exchange Programs.
Where these programs don't exist, exceptions to residency rules likely do. Children of active-duty military service members are a notable exception, with policies varying by state. Other groups may include children of divorced parents (i.e., who is paying for school), and even children of state-college alumni. Tuition waivers and discounts may apply to students with athletic, musical or other desired talents, as well. The key is checking on policies while shopping around for schools, Reindl says. Always ask the institution; for residency standards by state, visit the
College Board online. Wright says no college decision should be made based on cost alone. "If you end up with a financial bargain that doesn't meet your other needs," he says, "then it's not really a bargain at the end of the day."
Melissa Ezarik is a Connecticut-based freelance writer.
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