<p>I have been told that if you're a military member and have lived overseas for over X amount of years, you automatically qualify for in-state tuition in any state in the U.S.?</p>
<p>I have also heard that if you (let's say a military member) change your state of residency to Washington D.C. that you also become eligible for in-state tuition at any school in the country? </p>
<p>My dad and I have been living overseas in Turkey for about 5 years now, he's U.S. Navy and I'm really worried about tuition for the school I want to go to (University of Washington in Seattle) because it's quite expensive for out-of-state residents, but essentially we're not a resident of any state, can anyone help me with these questions? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>The first is incorrect; the second is a little more complex. You will be considered an in-state resident in the state that the military member is considered a resident of -- for example, that is answered by looking at such things as where he had his residence before, where he maintains his voting status, where he pays state taxes. A second way to qualify, even if he is not officially a resident of a state, is you attended at least three years of pre-college schooling in a state while residing with the military member stationed in that state (any years in grade school through high school count) and you graduated from a high school in that state (meaning you did your senior year there). </p>
<p>Under federal law, Washington D.C. residents will have their tuition subsidized at any state college in any state so their out-of-pocket cost is the in-state tuition rate (the federal government pays the difference between that cost and the out-of-state cost). However, when applying to a state college that college will consider you as an out-state-resident for the purpose of determining admission (and most state colleges favor in-state residents for admission) unless the state or particular college has chosen to treat you as an in-state resident for the purpose of determining admission (it is not required to do so). I believe only Maryland and Virginia do that.</p>