<p>Here is some background. I was born and raised in Texas and graduated from both high school and college there (undergrad). All of my family currently still lives there. I now want to go back for grad school but I am currently living abroad and am an independent student so far as I know (I'm 24 and I'll be 26 when intend to go back). Will I still be able to qualify for instate tuition or will I have to wait a year after I return? </p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Hi, Yuno, here is a link to the legal provisions that apply to all Texas public universities. See the definitions of domicile and temporary absence in section 21.22–as long as you limit your absence from Texas to less than five years, you can argue that your international gig was a temporary absence from the state that did not destroy your Texas domicile. </p>
<p><a href=“http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=1&ch=21&sch=B&rl=Y”>http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=1&ch=21&sch=B&rl=Y</a> (You’ll have to copy and paste into your browser)</p>
<p>Here’s UT’s residency section, which gives you an idea of how colleges translate the legal regulations into residency requests for incoming students. [Texas</a> Residency | Be a Longhorn](<a href=“http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/residency]Texas”>Texas Residency | Undergraduate Admissions | The University of Texas at Austin) I strongly encourage you to call the residency officers named in the Contacts section to get their feedback on your situation. Then, you’ll know how best to handle things while you’re gone yet preparing to return.</p>
<p>Welcome home (soon)!</p>
<p>Yuno, I second the advice to call the residency people. The woman at UT was very nice and helped us get my son classified as in-state. Good luck!</p>