In-State/Out-State tuition Question (Divorced Parents)

I had a question regarding wether or not I would get In-State tuition for both Ohio and Michigan colleges. So here is my situation… My parents are divorced, one living in Ohio and one living in Michigan. They have shared custody over me. I am currently a resident in Michigan, with a Michigan drivers license. I spend about equal time at both houses. I’ve attended Ohio private schools my entire life, and am soon to be graduating from an Ohio private high school (just starting my senior year this coming up spring.) I’ve been considering schools like Michigan State, Ohio State, Miami University in Oxford Ohio, and John Carroll University. Now I know there is no difference in tuition costs when it comes to private colleges, but my question is more geared towards the public universities. I’ve discussed this question with my college counselors at my school, but non of them can give me a clear cut answer. Any advice will help! Thank you.

If you are in school in Ohio 9 months of the year, how can you say you spend equal time in each state?

Read the residency requirements in each state. Read what you find on each school website too because they can differ a bit how they use the state requirements.

Michigan
http://www.reg.msu.edu/ROInfo/notices/Residency.aspx

Miami of Ohio
http://miamioh.edu/onestop/your-money/tuition-fees/residency/index.html

My father’s house isn’t too far from the Michigan/Ohio border. I can literally see Ohio from my backyard and my high school is only 15 minutes from my Michigan home.

Many states allow children of residents to pay the instate rates, even if the child doesn’t spend any time in that state. My nephew spent very little time in Colorado but would have paid instate rates. My brother never claimed him on taxes, he didn’t pay support, nephew was a resident of Florida. Just check the rules.

MSU will almost certainly consider you a Michigan resident. You have lived here your whole life and are in Ohio only for educational reasons.

I’d be surprised if Ohio schools considered you a resident but it doesn’t hurt to check.

I would email the admission offices of the public schools you are interested in and ask for clarification. You don’t want to accept a school and then have problems with residency.

I would have thought your school would have dealt with this before, but maybe not. Its the divorced parents and shared custody which is the sticking point. I am sure you are not the first person who would have this problem.

“A dependent student whose spouse or at least one of whose parent or legal guardian has been a resident of the State of Ohio for all other legal purposes for 12 consecutive months or more immediately preceding the enrollment of the student in an institution of higher education.”

Looks like Ohio will be okay with just his mother being a resident.

Thanks to everyone for your help. I will defiantly email the colleges to clarify all of this myself. I just returned from Miami of Ohio a few minutes ago. Amazing campus.

Well, don’t defiantly email them!!