What qualifies to be in state in WI? Especially if Moving

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Wisconsin
1

Hi Everyone,

I currently live in Madison, and I really enjoy the area. I have one young child, who will not be ready for college for a number of years. However, I think University of Wisconsin is just fantastic. Unfortunately, there is a reasonable chance I have to move for work over the next year out of state.

I was wondering what qualifies for a student to be in state in WI (for admissions and tuition)? Born in WI? Would maintaining a residence in the state allow my child to maintain WI residency when applying to college (i.e UW?)? These may sound like basic questions, but I appreciate any insight.

Thanks!

2

All information can be found here https://registrar.wisc.edu/residence.htm

3

That link is super helpful. I find the core of my question is probably the following: If I moved but I kept my home, and rented it, would my child be eligible for in state tuition/admissions given that I would be paying Wisconsin Taxes?

4

No, paying Wisconsin income taxes on your Wisconsin rental property as a non-resident doesn’t result in in-state status for UW-Madison.

5

Edit: well if your parents are a “bona fide” resident of wisconsin for 12 months prior to enrollment and also you graduated HS here. But seems there’s one where even if you didn’t graduated HS here as long as your parents were residents for 12 months prior.

I know a girl from my CC who got denied WI resident tuition because her mother (father is not in the picture) lives in California. She has lived in WI her whole life with her grandmother and graduated from HS here but still denied based solely on her mother’s resident status being from California.

6

The above student may have lived in WI but her mother still had legal custody- from the statement her grandmother did not. I know someone who had instate residency status even though he lived with his mother in CA because his father (divorced parents) lived in WI. All a matter of legalities. The grandmother case shows how living with a relative to gain residency status does not work. Unfortunately there likely was no legal status change that gave rights to the grandmother and took them from her mother.

Owning property in WI does not make you a resident even if you do not rent it out- otherwise so many Illinois residents with vacation homes/condos in WI would qualify. You can live in WI and work outside the state- think Minneapolis or Chicago area work but staying in a WI county and commuting.

The worst case scenario for residency seems to be when parents move within 12 months of college- no residency status in either state.