Do I qualify for in-state tuition?

Applying to College
1

I’m not sure this is the right category, let me know if there’s a better place for it.

Basically, my parents have been separated and later divorced for about five years now (three years divorced). Almost five years ago, my mom moved to Florida while my dad stayed in our original state, where I went to high school and now attend a public university.

Though I like my current university, I can no longer justify the emotional toll living with my dad takes on me. I spend mostnof the academic year with my dad, and large portions of any breaks with my mother in Florida. My mother has had legal residency in Florida for most of five years now, and can prove it with her ID, voter’s registration, and proof of rent and utility payments.

Though I live with my dad during the academic year, my mother provides most of my financial support. I am her dependent and am able to claim her on my FAFSA without any problems.

I’m hoping to transfer to a Florida university next year so I can live with her year-round and because the university has a better program for my major, but my concern is if I have residency for tuition purposes. It seems like I might, but I can’t seem to find any information about what happens when your parents live in different states.

Anyone have a clue? Thanks.

2

You need to check the webpages of your target colleges in FL. Even publics within a state have rules that vary from each other. Asking here won’t help you. You need to spend time on their sites.

3

Call the universities.
Depending on how they handle residency, you might or might not need to wait one year before enrolling.

4

I very much doubt that. Room and board are most of your support. Those would come from your father.

Uh, no. The person you lived with the most the prior year is who gets placed on FAFSA as the supporting parent.

That doesn’t mean that you might not be able to get in-state rates for colleges in FL. It would seem you probably will qualify:

https://www.flvc.org/documents/96858/97588/Guidelines+on+Florida+Residency+for+Tuition+Purposes.pdf/1375dcd4-a273-4319-a833-d54a51f48bbc

But @Fredjan is absolutely right you need to contract the universities to confirm that.