I’m 21 and I plan on applying to colleges next fall for undergrad. I’ve been looking at four in Texas (UT Austin, Texas Tech, University of Houston and Texas State.) Could someone pay out-of state tuition at one of these schools for one or two years and pay in-state tuition for the next three or two years? If I lived in an apartment off campus and worked a part or full-time job for 12 months, would that be enough residency? I’ve asked this question on some sites including Quora and I figured I would ask here. People have answered and told me yes, it was possible after 12 months of living and working in Texas and most definitely after 24 months. Thanks for any, answers.
At 21, it is your parents residency that matters, not yours. Are you self supporting now?
You can Google for the full policy.
Are you a veteran? That will matter too
In most states that would work as long as you are not enrolled in a state college.
Here is directly from the TAMU site - for INDEPENDENT (meaning self supporting - and at 21 maybe that is the case for you. Your parents CAN NOT CLAIM YOU ON THEIR TAXES.)
https://registrar.tamu.edu/Catalogs,-Policies-Procedures/State-Policies/Residency/Establishing-Residency#0-ResidencybyEstablishingandMaintainingaDomicile
If you filed as an independent (or filed jointly with your spouse) for the previous tax year on your most recent tax filing, and you do not receive the majority of your financial support from another person who is not your spouse, you may gain residency if you establish and maintain a domicile in Texas and show your intent to establish residency in Texas.
To establish residency you must meet the following criteria:
- Physically reside in Texas and have for the previous 12 consecutive months; and
2)Establish and maintain a domicile in Texas for 12 consecutive months. The following factors, if maintained for twelve consecutive months while residing in Texas, may lend support to a claim of domicile and intent to establish residency in Texas:
a. Have sole or joint-marital ownership of residential real property in Texas which is your primary residence.
b. Ownership and customary management of a business in Texas which is regularly operated without the intention of liquidation for the foreseeable future.
c. Gainful employment that is sufficient to provide at least one-half of the individual’s expenses or that represents an average of at least twenty hours of employment per week. Employment conditioned on student status, such as work study, the receipt of stipends, fellowships, or research or teaching assistantships does not constitute gainful employment.
d. Marriage to a person who has resided and maintained domicile (items a-c above) in Texas.
“You do not receive the majority of your financial support from another person who is not your spouse, you may gain residency” This is the tough one. They’ve tightened up that rule. It used to state you don’t receive the majority of your financial support from YOUR PARENTS. Our son got in-state status when the rules were looser - his grandparents paid for his first year at UT as an OOS student, so it meant they provided the majority of his support for the year so his parents didn’t. That wouldn’t have worked now. Note that even back then, just the fact that your parents didn’t claim you on their taxes wouldn’t qualify you as “independent.”
I will say that if you think you might qualify, feel free to call the school(s) and talk to their residency experts. We found them to be very helpful. They don’t mind students trying to get in-state status.
You should be able to google the requirements for each school. (they should be similar since I believe it is dictated by State law) I do not believe that you can be enrolled in school while establishing residency. (but don’t quote me!) Good luck.
OP seems to be OOS now. So the clock on qualifying as a resident isn’t ticking. And no, cant make it work if in Texas for the purpose of education.
At Texas Tech, if you are awarded any of the Presidential Merit Scholarships, you will also qualify for in-state tuition. Not sure about the other schools but something to look into.
You should talk to the office at each of these colleges that determine these things and get a good understanding of Each college’s policies … They can differ even in the same state or same state system.
What are your stats like, have you taken any classes post high school? (CC or 4 yr) what have you been doing since HS?