Becoming a state resident & tuition

SDN Members don't see this ad. (About Ads)

I'm an Illinois resident that recently got accepted into Wayne State's pharmacy school in Detroit, MI. Basically, my fiancé and I plan on living in Detroit after we get married next summer. I'll be moving to Detroit this August and will have to pay for out-of-state tuition for my first year, but I'm hoping to pay in-state tuition for the remaining 3 years.

I just wanted to know if any of you have had a similar experience and can offer any advice to make this process go smoothly. My biggest concern is that the university will give me a hard time in granting me the in-state tuition since they will obviously lose money.

is that even possible?

afaik in my state you have to work full time for one year to get residency. going to school doesnt count

I fought for YEARS to get in state tuition until I got an honest answer from the head of my school's business office. They told me since I was a student to forget it and that any attempt on my part to ask for in-state would be a waste of my time. I was told these three things would be the only way to qualify for it

• Marry a resident of the state
• Be a full time employee for one year
• Have a first degree relative be a full time employee in the state

read read read state law. it varies by state.

I did it. At University at Buffalo they actually advertise this proudly and it is quite an attractive option. I paid out of state for the first year. I applied for state residency during the summer before the second year and received in-state resident status before the second year started. I'm getting in-state tuition now.

You have to be in the state for 12 successive months before you apply. I had to submit paperwork that proved that I was living here for at least 12 months prior to the start of the 2nd year - lease, cc statement, phone statement, cable bill, registration, license, insurance, etc. - all dating back at least 12 months. They spelled out for me which documents they needed so I began to gather them as soon as I moved. It's just a few pages of a pretty standard application and copies of the above. However, I had to be independent from my parents. I don't remember if there was an age cut off.

Bottom line is, as the previous poster said, check the laws that apply to your state. I think it differs. Also, it may not benefit the school to tell you about it.

Originally Posted by pharm313

I'm an Illinois resident that recently got accepted into Wayne State's pharmacy school in Detroit, MI. Basically, my fiancé and I plan on living in Detroit after we get married next summer. I'll be moving to Detroit this August and will have to pay for out-of-state tuition for my first year, but I'm hoping to pay in-state tuition for the remaining 3 years.

I just wanted to know if any of you have had a similar experience and can offer any advice to make this process go smoothly. My biggest concern is that the university will give me a hard time in granting me the in-state tuition since they will obviously lose money.

I would read the fine print for your school; however, there can still be ways to get in-state tuition so my advice to you is be relentless! I went to school in a state that had strong language that suggested I would never be able to get in-state tuition, yet I still did.

Every state will be different, but your best argument will be after your spouse has been working full time in the state for a year. Additionally you will want to do everything else in your power to establish residency e.g. register your car, change your drivers license, register to vote, file income taxes for that state, etc.

Thank you all for your responses. I think I will go ahead and change my drivers license and all of that to make the process go quicker.

My fiance is a Michigan resident but won't be employed for another 2 years since he just finished up his 2nd year in med school and has another 2 years left until he starts his residency which can be considered as being employed.

When I looked at the fine print for both Wayne and the state's requirements, it specifically said to use the example of a state-employed spouse as a way to prove my intention to live in Michigan. So basically I need to find a way to bend that rule a bit so they can make an exception for me until his residency starts.

In West Virginia, my wife married a lifetime resident, held a derivers' license, owned property, had a written job offer for after graduation in state, paid taxes, voted, and anything else you could imagine.

WVU wouldn't have it. In order to qualify you have to be out of school for 1 calendar year and a few other things.

Originally Posted by WVUPharm2007

In West Virginia, my wife married a lifetime resident, held a derivers' license, owned property, had a written job offer for after graduation in state, paid taxes, voted, and anything else you could imagine.

WVU wouldn't have it. In order to qualify you have to be out of school for 1 calendar year and a few other things.

Wow I guess every school and state has their own policy. I will let you guys know what ends up happening when I try and make the switch.

Originally Posted by pharm313

Wow I guess every school and state has their own policy. I will let you guys know what ends up happening when I try and make the switch.

Should have asked about it during interview/before admission. Ohio State had an all but guaranteed process in place to become in-state in p2 year. Dirt cheap living cost, plenty of internship opportunities in the metro area, It might be the cheapest top 10 school for out-of-staters.

Originally Posted by xiphoid2010

Should have asked about it during interview/before admission. Ohio State had an all but guaranteed process in place to become in-state in p2 year. Dirt cheap living cost, plenty of internship opportunities in the metro area, It might be the cheapest top 10 school for out-of-staters.

One problem is that these laws can change and affect you after you go to that school. That happened to me in undergrad...I was a few months shy of meeting their residency requirements when a new law went into effect and changed everything.