The pursue for in-state tuition and other financial help

Paying for College
1

I’m not exactly sure how common my situation is, but it’s quite tricky in finding the proper path in doing things.

My scenario:
I am a high school student currently in Indonesia, but I am a U.S. Citizen. I used to live in Colorado up until the age of 5, until I moved to this country (Indonesia).

My initial expectations about how the in-state and out-of-state tuition would go out was that I would be considered for out-of-state tuition on my first year, and subsequently considered for in-state tuition on the rest of my years (because I would’ve gotten my residency by then).

But after applying to several universities around the U.S., I was accepted by Arizona State University first (probably because they do rolling admissions). I decided to look deeper into my tuition status and other financial aid resources. Once I did, I found out that I was qualified for out-of-state tuition and it says that it will stay that way for the rest of my degree.

My question isn’t only for Arizona State University, but generally for all public universities in various states, most notably Texas, Ohio, and California.

I don’t have a “backup state” to go to and I would most likely stay in any state I choose to get my education from.

What would be the best ways to gain residency and change my status for tuition? Is the ROTC a viable option that would keep the convenience of my experience?

2

Check out the University of Utah. Utah is one of the few states which make it relatively easy for students to obtain instate status by the 2nd year of college.

3

Typically it’s your parents who must establish domicile in the state, especially if they claim you as a dependent on their taxes. See Texas rules here: https://admissions.utexas.edu/residency#fndtn-residency-establishing-domicile-requirements

Utah requires 12 months continuous living in Utah, prior to the start of the term when the student wants to gain in-state status. Student must also prove financial independence, meaning parents can not claim the student as a dependent on their tax return. https://admissions.utah.edu/apply/residency/

OP will need to research residency requirements state by state, and obviously discuss things with their parents.

Is ASU affordable for you as an OOS student?

4

Utah and Missouri are probably the only states that make it easy to get in-state rates. The alternative is to get a scholarship that awards an out of state waiver.

5

Re: ROTC

ROTC is for those who want to be officers in the US military. There are scholarships, but not guaranteed.

6

Forget Calif… you’d never get instate there. Calif had to make it difficult because too many OOS try to go there.

Texas is difficult as well.

Many base instate for tuition purposes on where you went to high school and where your parents live.

As mentioned, Utah and Missouri have paths for instate, but I don’t think you can go home for summers. Kentucky may also have a path.

That said, how will your first year get paid? How much will your parents pay each year?

You’re also going to have to buy health insurance here which will be at least $2k per year.

How much will your parents pay each year for college?

What are your stats, your major, and your career goal?

7

I just reviewed the regs. Kentucky is a tough one to prove residency given their presumptions of non-residency and dependency.

8

“Utah requires 12 months continuous living in Utah, prior to the start of the term when the student wants to gain in-state status. Student must also prove financial independence, meaning parents can not claim the student as a dependent on their tax return. https://admissions.utah.edu/apply/residency/“

However there is no requirement to actually be “financially independent” as it is defined for tuition purposes by other states (and for certain tax situations like refundable AOTC and kiddie tax), namely providing more than half of your own financial support.

So long as you meet the other requirements (changed drivers license, registering to vote, etc) it is sufficient to simply not be claimed as a dependent on your parents tax return (in the year prior to residency determination, ie 2019 for the 2020-21 school year), even if you actually were eligible to be claimed by them. In particular, your parents can still pay your college expenses without any problem.

9

You could also apply to state schools that do not charge oos fees. Here is a thread about them http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/2155331-which-state-schools-do-not-charge-an-oos-rate-and-will-also-give-merit-p1.html

Or those that provide automatic merit aid that can offset oos fees. Like Truman State https://www.truman.edu/admission-cost/cost-aid/, or University of Toledo https://www.utoledo.edu/admission/freshman/scholarships/2020/out-of-state.html.

Or apply to private schools.

What is your annual budget? What do you want to major in?

10

You are a US citizen, so you qualify to apply for federal funds through the FAFSA application. Federal funds are limited. They nowhere near cover tuition, fees and room/board. As far as state funding, that’s something completely different if you are not a resident of the state.

The public universities are funded by taxes paid by the residents of the state. If neither you, nor your parents, have been in residence in the desired state, AND, have not paid taxes to the state, you will be stuck. Most funding for public universities comes from those taxes.

California, which has tens of thousands of students applying from everywhere, who want to live in California, can’t afford to fund these schools and give reduced tuition to people who haven’t contributed a dime to the state via their taxes and residency.

California got tired of people trying to game the system and instigated strict residency requirements. They had to because it was just too expensive to fund non-residents.

11

Utah’s rule is that you can’t spend more than 28 days in total outside the state during a continuous 12 month period (you get to choose the start date although it must be completed before the beginning of the semester for which you want resident status). Physical presence must be proved explicitly for any days outside the regular class period, usually through submission of bank statements showing that you have been in the state and spent money on your debit/credit card each day (timesheets for a paid job are also an option). However, there are some minor exceptions, the most relevant one being that you can go outside the state (or even abroad) as part of your official course of study (i.e. a university approved study abroad program for credit). Once you gain residency, you can spend as much time out of the state as you want.

In addition (at the University of Utah) summer housing is available and there is a full summer semester running for virtually the entire break (all but a week or two at the beginning and end). Summer classes are charged at in-state rates so this is an easy option (and unlike most universities you really can complete 15+ credits to replace an entire fall or spring semester), but alternatively there are positions as paid orientation leaders which include summer housing and meals (orientation sessions also run for the entire summer).

12

@5teddd, so you applied to all of these schools in California, Texas and Ohio, without checking your costs? What will you do if you’re accepted to some of these schools and you don’t have the money to attend?

The government will only loan you $5500 in your first year (with a maximum total of $27K over 4 years).

California UC’s will charge you $65,000 per year. That would leave you, overall, owing a minimum balance of $233,000, which does not include health insurance fees, your travel expenses, and any other incidentals or spending money. Forget about working a job and trying to pay as you go because no non-degreed person is going to, legally, earn $65,000 a year, working part time.

These schools tend to accept out of state residents because OOS students pay full fees. There is no full funding/scholarships for nonresidents.

You may want to quickly apply to some private schools, that are still accepting applications, and see if they will provide funding.

Oh, you haven’t responded, to this post, since your initial question. Have you figured out what you plan to do?

It is very common for students not to check the NPC’s (net price calculators), at the public schools, that are OOS targets for admission. Students, and their parents, often post here that they are floored that they have to pay OOS fees to go to the UC‘s if they don’t live in California.

13

What is your budget and what are your stats?

14

Yep…how much can your parents pay annually, and what are your SAT or ACT scores, and GPA.

It might not be too late to apply to some less costly places…assuming your stats are sufficiently high to get merit aid…and you do it soon!

@5teddd

15

Why are you overseas? Is this a military thing. If so there are a different set of requirements to get instate tuition as a military dependent.

16

^ Yes, if you are in Indonesia because your parents are stationed there as part of the US Military or diplomatic corps, there may be tuition exceptions. You’d still have to research it on a per-college basis.

If your stats are high enough, you may be able to get in-state tuition at many state colleges (Montana State U, Alamaba - which gives stat-based scholarships) OR you may find merit or need-based aid at private schools that can bring the tuition down to what you’d pay at a state college.

17

If, as it appears from the first post here, OP has been living in Indonesia for approximately 12 years, I find it unlikely that such an extended stay overseas would be the result of a parent’s military orders or diplomatic assignment.

18

Sorry for my late response, school was hectic these past few days.

ASU is at the limit of what is “affordable” to me, but I just want to find a way to reduce the burden on my parents.

19

I have briefly glossed over what I will do in the ROTC, and it seems quite right. I read somewhere that there are career paths that the military (air force, specifically) can offer, such as being an engineer. Is it possible to take that as a career path or will that involve me too much in the military?

20

@mom2collegekids

My parents will pay the entire fee, but I just want to find a way to reduce the load on them.

My SAT Score is 1350. My SAT Subject scores are: 800 for Math Level 2, 800 for Physics. My GPA is roughly 90/100 (my school uses the 100-point scale). My entire curriculum at school is completely based off of A-Levels, but I don’t think I will be taking the A-Level examinations.

My primary intended major is aerospace/aeronautical engineering, nuclear engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or any other engineering/physics major.

The career that I will pursue is anything in the field of engineering, especially an aerospace engineer.