If my daughter picks an out of state college, does she pay for out of state tuition and then she can become a resident of that state and then pay in state tuition for year 2 onwards? What is typical or where would I find out what residency requirements are? I figure she needs to get a driver’s license, live there over the summer, register to vote, etc. Any thoughts on the topic?
Jenn
Which college? Most do not let college students establish residency, so you’ll be paying OOS tuition for 4-5 years. The residency requirements will be on the school’s website.
Only a very few states allow students under age 24 to do this, unless their parents move there and establish residency as well. Utah does allow it. Most other states assign residency based on the residency of the supporting parent(s), unless the student is 24+, married, or has served in the military.
Assuming you’re in CA (per your screen name), you can get partial reciprocity at the WUE schools in other western states. Not all schools participate, and some have competitive GPA thresholds for the discount while others don’t, but it’s worth looking at for affordable OOS options. https://wuesavingsfinder.wiche.edu/
There are a few schools that have OOS tuition waivers; for example, SIUC has a provision for IL residency for tuition purposes, and U of Maine has the Flagship Match program for many other states.
Other than that, the baseline is OOS tution for the whole duration, minus any renewable scholarships. Merit awards that discount the OOS differential are common but are relatively small at many flagship U’s.
Hmm… So much to think about. Thanks for the lead, one of our friends just happens to be headed to Utah so I thought it was more common.
Jenn
The only states that I know of with lenient rules for gaining residency are Utah and Missouri…and maybe Kentucky.
Pretty much the rest have long closed up loopholes.
Usually, if you’re under age 24, the state where you graduate high school and/or where your parents live is the state where you have residency for undergrad.
It sounds like you may be confusing legal residency, which involves an intent to remain in a state for an indefinite period of time and taking the actions necessary to accomplish that (registering to vote, getting a drivers license, registering a vehicle, etc.), and qualifying for in-state tuition rates at a public college. These two things definitely have different requirements and timelines. A student can move from state A to state B to go to a public college, and become a legal resident of state B right away, and yet not qualify for in-state rates at a public college in state B.
It is ‘age 24’ for financial aid independence (if you haven’t already triggered it by joining the military, getting married, or graduating with an undergrad degree). Many students have become independent for tax purposes, but still are required to use their parent’s information for financial aid, or become residents of a different state than the parent. That usually doesn’t get them instate tuition rates for a new state.
Why is typical? Typically, if you enroll as an OOS student and your family doesn’t live in the OOS location, you remain an OOS resident for the duration of your undergrad years.
Some colleges…if you enroll as an OOS student…you remain an OOS student regardless of any other circumstances.
As noted above, there are a couple of states that do allow college students to establish residency.
You mention Utah. Just read carefully. Someone else here noted that if the student uses WUE, they cannot count that year towards fulfilling the residency requirement.