<p>I live in North Carolina, but work in Virginia. I am actually a state employee in VA working at a Community College. I file tax returns for both VA and NC. My son is a junior and looking at engineering schools. He will graduate from a North Carolina high school in 2015. NC State is top on his list, and I'd also like him to look at UVA and VA Tech, as well as a couple of others.</p>
<p>My son is currently claimed on my ex-husband's tax return. My ex-husband lives out of the country most of the year, but he does file a tax return in the US (retired military). He might be willing to let me claim my son on my return if it opens up the college choices. </p>
<p>Would my son be eligible for in-state tuition in VA and NC if he was on my return? Thanks for any help you can offer!</p>
<p>Try googling Section 23.7-4 Code of Virginia regarding eligibility for in-state tuition charges.</p>
<p>Who claims a child on tax returns is irrelevant for financial aid and generally irrelevant for residency. For financial aid, the parent who supplies the financial info is the custodial parent, the one with whom the child lives most in the 12 months preceding filing. Most schools that use CSS profile and schools with their own finaid forms also ask for non-custodial parent(NCP) financial info. Fafsa does not ask for NCP info.</p>
<p>Residency requirements can vary among public schools in the same state so check each schools website. Generally, if you google ‘name of school residency’ you can find it that way too.</p>
<p>Right…who claims your child does NOT matter for residency.</p>
<p>Since it sounds like you live in a border city, you need to find out if that qualifies your child for instate tuition. some states allow that.</p>
<p>I don’t think there will be a question that he is in-state for NC since you live there, he’s graduating from HS there, and I assume you vote and have your car registered there. VA may also allow you to qualify for in-state rates because you are employed by a school there. He may also qualify for whichever state his father claims as his home state. Several states allow military kids to qualify, especially if the last duty station was in that state.</p>
<p>My husband worked in Massachusetts when one of our kids applied to college. BUT we reside in CT. We filed MA taxes as non-residents. My guess is YOU do the same for VA.</p>
<p>Your son, in my opinion, is a resident of North Carolina. That is where you, and he,many your family reside. You do not reside in Virginia.</p>