<p>My husband and I want to relocate to another state after our son graduates from high school next year. He wants go to college in the state we're moving to. He won't meet the 12 month residency requirement for his freshman year. My question is this: Will he meet the requirement for his sophomore year if we are living there as a family his freshman year? We've considered the option of he and I moving this year, but that would divide our family and make him change schools for his senior year of high school.</p>
<p>You need to CAREFULLY read the residency rules for the college that interests your student. They are the only folks you have to make happy (well, make back up plans by researching another college in that same state).</p>
<p>Each state system makes its own criteria. Usually if a student is out of state as a freshman, then they cannot “earn” residency status while being a college student – but that may not be true in all of the 50 states – and it might make a difference that the parents are now residents. </p>
<p>Be massively upfront and email the admissions department directly with your questions. Best to get the news from the folks whose opinions matter. The worst thing you can do is be ignorant and wishful – it is extremely (repeat: EXTREMELY) easy to sort out a person’s residency history so you never want to be tempted to “fib” as that can get a student permanently booted out of the university on an honor violation (so don’t start thinking you can rent an apartment or buy a summer cabin – do not go down that sort of “skate the edges” because it can blow up on your kid quickly). </p>
<p>You can, with all innocence, contact admissions and ask if the university has “exchange” privileges with your state (For instance OR, WA, and ID have the Western University Exchange program). You can also have S email admissions and give his (hopefully stellar) GPA and SAT scores because state colleges sometimes will “waive” out of state tuition fees for an outstanding student or athlete. </p>
<p>Good on you for checking things out throughly and early. Good luck!</p>
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<p>Maybe. Some schools will change the residency from OOS to Instate after a year’s residency while the student (and their family) reside in the new state.</p>
<p>Other states maintain the SAME residency as when you are admitted as a freshman. In other words if you are admitted as an OOS student, that stays the same for all four years. If you are admitted as an In state student…that stays the same (even if your family moves).</p>
<p>CHECK THE SCHOOLS.</p>
<p>And get the answers in writing from someone who knows what they’re talking about. Communicate by email and save the responses.</p>
<p>That said…since your son wants to go to the public university in your FUTURE state…does that school offer any merit scholarships that reduce OOS tuition to instate rates? If your son qualifies for that, then your problem will be solved.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! I’ve an adventurous spirit and have been waiting 20 plus years to leave my birth state to which responsibilty has kept me. I will contact the schools directly and simply ask. Again, thanks!</p>
<p>I’d be willing to bet that all 50 states will give you instate tuition after you have lived there 12+ months. It will likely require an appeal, but that should be forthcoming. </p>
<p>Generally, instate tuition require ‘domicile’ (however defined by the state), and a college will have a really hard time deciding that no domicile exists when the parents are living there and paying income, sales, and real estate taxes. To deny instate tuition, the college would have to PROVE that you only moved there for the tuition benefits.</p>
<p>Unless independent, or age 24+, a students’ domicile is that of his/her parents.</p>
<p>He could possibly defer for a year (Take a gap year), while you become a resident of the state he is going to school in. That would save you having to pay non-res tuition for the first year.</p>
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That’s a bet I wouldn’t be willing to take. As others have said check it out carefully before you uproot. Georgia for example (courtesy of the GaTech web site) makes it VERY difficult to obtain residency after you start there as a freshman. The rules listed on their site are:
Notice that ALL CONDITIONS must be met and the second condition is a killer. You would need to drop out of college for a year to gain residency.</p>
<p>Like I said, it will likely require an appeal. Indeed, GA Tech’s website even tells one what the appeal is named, “Economic Advantage.”</p>
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<p>[GT</a> Catalog : Financial : General : Out-of State Tuition Waivers](<a href=“http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/financial/general/waiver.php]GT”>http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/financial/general/waiver.php)</p>