<p>Minnesota has a number of state colleges that do not charge out of state tuition. South Dakota’s tuition, even OOS, is lower than some places in-state tuition. The tuition at USD, including room and board, is around 15K for OOS. A full Pell and the independent stafford of 10k would cover a lot.</p>
<p>Look into vocational rehabilitation-- they are a government program that may pay your tuition costs if more education would minimize the impact of your health problems.</p>
<p>It looks like vocational rehab is only for veterans. I am not on disability and don’t have the time to sit around for years and wait for it to come through, nor do I really want to be on it if I can work a job using my mind.</p>
<p>As for becoming an Arizona resident, I thought colleges were ‘hip’ to that, that is claiming residency just to receive in-state tuition. It is nearly impossible to find a job not requiring hand use without a degree. I am not in a position to move to Arizona and rent an apartment, find a job and work for another year. I need to get into school ASAP before I completely fall apart. One with housing preferable out of the arctic zones of America. Thanks again for your help. I wish I could have found out this info here before I went through all of the admission stuff to get into AZ. I guess I am screwed. Community college is OK, but it probably won’t be very impressive on any job app. i was really wanting to go to a quality university, but I guess that is only for the rich.</p>
<p>^^
Then you need to go to a school in a state that doesn’t charge OOS rates like U South Dakota. Or see what Kentucky’s rules are. I’ve heard Kentucky’s rules are lenient.</p>
<p>Because you are an independent for fin aid purposes, the rules are not as difficult to meet as they are for dependent students in terms of getting in state status. Basically, if you can find an reason and way to move to Arizona, get a job, and just fulfil their residency requirement, probably a year, you gotta look, you are set for in state rates. But, yes, you do have to move and find a job or reason to go there. If you have friends that can take you in while you look for work, that might work.</p>
<p>I have friends who have done that with relatives. The relative moves in with them to help out and immediately established residency with change of drivers license, etc. They then find a job to get through the year waiting period, and then they are in like Flynn for state rates and benefits.</p>
<p>The other thing you can do is look up community coleges in Arizona. Some may have housing help for those who move there, and their rates, even for OOS might be doable with your maximum Stafford and PELL. An intrepid young woman who posted here is doing this in NY. She found a very inexpensive CC in NY that has housing contacts and will help students find cheap housing, rooms near the CC. She then moves there with her PELL and Staffords funding it, and will find a job once there to make up the difference. </p>
<p>You would have to have seed money to do this since fin aid will likely NOT release any Stafford or PELL money until past the drop date of the term to you. But the same would have been the case at UAz. The difference is that even OOS cc costs are usually very low, or one can find one that is. You then reapply to UAz next year. Take courses to help you get through UAZ a bit quicker, like ones that will go towards your Bachelor’s. You might want to find any kind of work or reason to move there as well, because to get instate status there is often that stipulaion that you are not moving there just to get an education there. </p>
<p>But yes, it can be done. Look for some AZ CCs with low OOS tuition that have some housing arrangements. If you can find something in the neighborhood of UAZ, so much the better. Look for work there. The weather is such that many go there for health reasons, I hear.</p>
<p>Dine College on an Indian Reservation is dirt cheap. Look at what courses and offering it might have for you. Call and see if they’ll take you and are able to find some cheap housing. Learn what you can from the unusual setting–heck, I 'm tempted to do it myself. PELL and Staffords will cover your cost beyond seed money to get you there. They at that fin aid offic will know how to milk the federal teat for sure as many of their students are full need . Then transfer next year to UAZ with instate status.</p>