I lived with my mom from March 2017 to June 2018 (staying with family for two months out of state during July and August of 2017).
At the end of June 2018, I moved out of state with family and have been here since, however my mom is still in North Carolina.
I am 21 years old, and I have a child in a different state as well.
My question is, can I move back to NC with my mom and still have my in-state residency determination? I was considered in-state a couple months ago till I moved out of state but it’s only been a couple months. I want to go to a local CC and then transfer to NC State in my junior year, but it sounds like I won’t be considered instate.
@AlmostThere2018 When I was still living in N.C. in March, I filled one of those out. I was considered in-state, but since, I’ve been temporarily at my grandparents in PA for a little less than three months.
Does your mother still claim you as a dependent and pay NC taxes? If so, you may be OK, especially if you were only with your grandparents for a short part of the year.
Did you change your drivers license, register to vote, or do anything that would suggest your original intent was to stay permanently with your grandparents? If not, you might be considered temporarily absent.
Did you recently turn 18? Did you go to high school in NC?
I think the key thing is to show that you never really established domicile with your grandparents. You should complete it again and if it doesn’t come out positive you should appeal. Here’s the full guidelines which are pretty dense but might help.
I’m not expert but since you’re 21 it’s more about you and than your Mom b/c you’re independent. Did you file taxes in NC last year for 2017? That would help. Along with NC driver’s license. Again, fill it out and then appeal if you don’t get residency the first time around.
@happymomof1 How should I go about that? I shot NCSU an email asking what they thought. I wonder if, in the case I was considered OOS, that I can just go to CC for two years in NC, work, and apply for in-state residency and stand a good chance of being approved due to my mom being a resident.
@AlmostThere2018 - ezj1996 might or might not be independent for financial aid purposes. In most cases, students are not considered independent (and therefore cannot establish in state residence on their own) until they turn 24.
@ezj1996 - Yes ask NCSU if you are considered in state. NC clearly was your primary residence in the past couple of years. There also is the possibility that you would qualify based solely on your mother’s residence there. Usually, a student’s residency depends on where the parent lives as long as that student is considered dependent for financial aid purposes. Since you do have a child, whether or not you are considered independent for financial aid purposes might hinge on the amount of support you are providing for that child. Read through the FAFSA instructions carefully.
Is there any particular reason for you to be in PA? Is this just an every-summer-vacation thing? If you do want to complete your education in NC, your best option probably is to move back to NC as soon as possible, find a job, and work for a bit so that it is clear you really are there to stay. Then once you definitely know your residency status, either start studying at a CC to prepare for eventual transfer, or apply directly to NCSU.
Sending good thoughts to your mom and any friends and family affected by the hurricane.