Residency Information

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

You must be 18 years of age or older to base residency on self and must demonstrate that you are not claimed as a dependent for federal tax purposes.

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 that you are not claimed as a dependent for federal tax purposes; and
3. 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.

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

In order for a minor or a dependent to be reclassified as a resident, the parent or court-appointed legal guardian must have resided in Texas for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the student's enrollment and must meet the criteria indicative of a fixed intention to reside permanently in Texas as listed below. The student will be required to complete a set of Core Residency Questions and provide supporting documentation that meets the below criteria:

1. Proof of the parent's physical residence in Texas for the previous 12 consecutive months; and
2. Proof that the student is claimed by parent/guardian on their federal tax return; and
3. 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.

F1 visa holders are not eligible to domicile in the US per US Citizenship and Immigration Services, therefore, a student holding an F1 visa would not be eligible to apply for in-state residency for tuition purposes.

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

The student may not be classified as a resident for tuition purposes unless he/she holds a current immigration status that is eligible to domicile in the United States and has resided in Texas for a minimum of 12 consecutive months. The following non-U.S. Citizens who are eligible to establish a domicile in Texas under the law can obtain Texas residency, if they meet the basic residency requirements, as listed below: (Appropriate document will be required.)

View a list of visas eligible to domicile in Texas.

Special note to students who are undocumented and who do not have college work prior to Fall 2001: Please contact the Office of Admissions for additional information. You may qualify for Texas residency under HB 1403. SB 1528

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 that you are not claimed as a dependent for federal tax purposes; and
3. 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.

F1 visa holders are not eligible to domicile in the US per US Citizenship and Immigration Services, therefore, a student holding an F1 visa would not be eligible to apply for in-state residency for tuition purposes.

In addition to the documentation required, both the parent and the student must present the appropriate immigration status documentation.

The dependent student may not be classified as a resident for tuition purposes unless the student and the parent hold a current immigration status that is eligible to domicile in the United States and has resided in Texas a minimum of 12 consecutive months. The following non-U.S. Citizens who are eligible to establish a domicile in Texas under the law can obtain Texas residency, if they meet the basic residency requirements, as listed below: (Appropriate document will be required.)

View a list of visas eligible to domicile in Texas.

In order for a minor or a dependent to be reclassified as a resident, the parent or court-appointed legal guardian must have resided in Texas for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the student's enrollment and must meet the criteria indicative of a fixed intention to reside permanently in Texas as listed below. The student will be required to complete a set of Core Residency Questions and provide supporting documentation that meets the below criteria:

1. Proof of the parent's physical residence in Texas for the previous 12 consecutive months; and
2. Proof that the student is claimed as a dependent by their parent/guardian on their federal tax return; and
3. 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

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.

A citizen, national, or a permanent resident of the United States, who is independent for tax purposes, 18 years of age or over, and who has lived in Texas for 12 consecutive months and has been gainfully employed within the state prior to enrollment in an institution of higher education is eligible to apply to be classified as a resident of Texas for tuition purposes.

You must satisfy one of the following sets of criteria:

Applicant or student under an eligible visa who:

1. Graduated from a public or accredited private high school in Texas or, as an alternative to high school graduation, receive the equivalent of a high school diploma in Texas, including the successful completion of a nontraditional secondary education, and
2. Maintained a residence continuously in Texas for:
   1. The 36 months immediately preceding the date of graduation or receipt of the diploma equivalent, as applicable; and
   2. The 12 months preceding the census date of the academic semester in which you enroll at UNT; or,

Applicant or student under an eligible visa who:

1. Maintained domicile continuously in Texas for the 12 months immediately preceding the census date of the academic semester in which you enroll at UNT; or
2. Applicant or student who is a dependent for tax purposes, under an eligible visa, and whose parent/guardian:
3. Maintained domicile continuously in Texas for the 12 months immediately preceding the census date of the academic semester in which the dependent (you) enrolls at UNT.

You must physically reside in Texas with the intent to maintain domicile in Texas for at least the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the full-term census date of the term you enroll at UNT.

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. Continued presence in the state from the end of that period until the census date of the semester in which a person seeks to enroll, except for temporary absences as defined in §21.22(28), may lend support to a claim of maintaining domicile in Texas:

(A) Significant Gainful Employment:

(i) An employer’s statement of dates of employment in Texas (beginning and current or ending dates) that encompass at least 12 consecutive months prior to the census date of the term in which the person enrolls or pay stubs for 12 consecutive months prior to the census date, reflecting significant gainful employment in Texas, or proof of other earned income such as pensions, veterans’ benefits, social security, and savings from previous earnings for 12 consecutive months prior to the census date. However, employment conditioned on student status, such as work study, the receipt of stipends, fellowships, or research or teaching assistantships does not constitute gainful employment for the purposes of this subchapter.

(ii) For a person who is unemployed and living on public assistance, written statements from the office of one or more social service agencies located in Texas that attest to the provision of services to the person for the 12 consecutive months prior to the census date of the term in which the person enrolls.

(B) Residential Real Property. Sole or joint marital ownership of residential real property in Texas with documentation to verify 12 consecutive months of ownership prior to the census date of the term in which the person enrolls, such as a Warranty Deed, with the person or the dependent’s parent having established and maintained domicile at that residence.

(C) Marriage to a Person who has Established and Maintained Domicile in Texas. Marriage Certificate or Declaration of Registration of Informal Marriage with documentation to support that spouse has established and maintained domicile in Texas for 12 consecutive months prior to the census date of the term in which the person enrolls.

(D) Ownership of a Business Entity. Documents that evidence the organization of the business in Texas that reflect the ownership interest of the person or dependent’s parent, and the customary management of the business by the person or dependent’s parent without the intention of liquidation for the foreseeable future.

For more information, check out the Texas Administrative Code.

Each applicant or student must determine this through their own review of the Texas Administrative Code. Per the a dependent is a person who:

1. is less than 18 years of age and has not been emancipated by marriage or court order; or
2. is eligible to be claimed as a dependent of a parent of the person for purposes of determining the parent's income tax liability under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

If you are claimed as a dependent by your parents for federal income tax purposes, then your domicile is presumed to be the same as that of your parents. To establish Texas residency, your parents must establish domicile in Texas for 12 months prior to census day.

If you are claimed as a dependent by your parents for federal income tax purposes, then your domicile is presumed to be the same as that of your parents. If your parents have established domicile outside of Texas, then you are not generally eligible for resident tuition classification. This presumption may be overridden by presenting clear and convincing evidence of establishment of domicile as an independent.

After reviewing the above qualifications for Texas residency and determining eligibility, students may submit a request to have their residency status reviewed via Scrappy Says.

Our expected time to review your case with the committee is within 10 business days once all supporting documentation has been uploaded to your MyUNT portal.

International students who possess an eligible visa are also eligible to apply for residency reclassification. Read through the sections on non-US Citizen options for residency reclassification.

View a list of visas eligible to domicile 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.

Employment conditioned on student status, such as work study, the receipt of stipends, fellowships, or research or teaching assistantships does not constitute gainful employment. This employment does not mean that you cannot apply. It is possible other income sources can be considered to meet domicile.

A temporary absence from Texas, by you or your parent (if a dependent), will not affect your (or your parent’s) ability to continue to claim that Texas is your domicile. You must have the intention to return to Texas for any absence to be considered temporary.

Information concerning waivers is available on Student Accounting’s website.

If your classification was changed prior to the full-term census date, you are entitled to a refund of any amount paid in excess of the resident rate. If your classification is changed after the full-term census date, you will be assessed tuition and fees at the resident rate beginning with your next term of enrollment.