Residency Requirements for Tuition Purposes

One of the most frequently asked questions by students and parents is about residency for tuition purposes when entering a public university. Because public universities are supported by the local government, they are expected to provide benefits to students residing in the region in terms of both admissions and financial aid. If a student enters a public university in other states where his/her parents do not live, it is very hard to receive need-based financial aid from that school, and in most cases, the student has to pay up to three times the tuition paid by resident students. 

If students go to that school and spend a year there, then they ask if they can get the benefits of being a resident of the area from that point on. The question is whether you have become a resident because you have already lived in the area for a year. All state universities answered "no" to this. This is because the period of stay of a student who came to study at a university in that area is not counted as the period of residence. In other words, the period of stay for academic purposes is excluded from the period of residence for evaluation of resident status. This is the area most often misunderstood by students and parents.

Each university is getting stricter screening regarding residency regulations, and the requested documents are becoming more diversified. Therefore, the surest way is to consult with an expert in advance or directly inquire with the residency deputy in charge of the school you want to enter, rather than making an easy decision.