You must be 18 years of age or older to base residency on self and must demonstrate that you are claimed or eligible to be claimed as a dependent for federal tax purposes.

A person is entitled to classification as a resident for tuition purposes through one of several ways:

High School Graduation in Texas

To be classified as a resident based on graduating from a Texas high school, the person must:

  1. Graduate from a Texas high school or receive a GED in Texas
  2. Physically reside in Texas for 36 consecutive months immediately preceding high school graduation
  3. Physically reside in Texas for 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the census date of the semester in which the student enrolls in a Texas public college or university

Establishment and Maintenance of Domicile

To be classified as a resident based on being an independent who has established and maintained domicile in Texas, the person must provide the following:

  1. Proof of physical residence in Texas for the previous 12 consecutive months; and
  2. Proof of the establishment and maintenance of domicile in Texas for a period of 12 consecutive months. Although not conclusive or exhaustive, the following factors occurring throughout a consecutive 12-month period prior to the census date of the semester in which a person seeks to enroll may lend support to a claim regarding his/her intent to establish domicile in Texas:
    1. Significant gainful employment in Texas that represents at an average of at least twenty hours per week or is sufficient to provide at least one-half of the individual's tuition and living expenses
    2. Sole or join-marital ownership of residential real property in Texas that is their primary residence
    3. Ownership and customary management of a business entity in Texas without the intention of liquidation for the foreseeable future
    4. Marriage to a person who has resided and maintained domicile (see above items) in Texas

Military in Texas

A member of the United States Armed Services whose Home of Record with the military is Texas is presumed to be a Texas resident, as are his or her spouse and dependent children. A member whose Home of Record is not Texas but who provides the institution Leave and Earnings Statements that show the member has claimed Texas as his or her place of residence for the 12 consecutive months prior to enrollment is presumed to be a Texas resident, as are his or her spouse and dependent children.

Waivers

Students who may not meet the above requirements to be reclassified as a resident for tuition purposes may still qualify for a tuition waiver to pay the in-state tuition rate. Further information on tuition waivers can be found via the Student Accounting website.

Below is the Documentation to Support Domicile and Residency PDF. For examples of documentation that may help substantiate establishment of domicile, see Part A. For examples of documentation that may help substantiate physical residence in Texas, please see Part B.

To begin the process of applying for Residency Reclassification, submit an Ask Now question through the Scrappy Says. A Residency Counselor will follow up with you on next steps in the process.

It is the student's responsibility to determine if the above guidelines are in effect when applying for residency.


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