In-State Tuition Rules?

varies WIDELY.

mass is super tough - you have to have paid mass taxes for 5 years.

some just req. 1 year.

i'm not legally allowed to be a resident of any state, since i live in mass but haven't for five years, which was an unpleasant discovery, to say the least.

 

I don't think that it varies that widely in most cases. Usually you are a resident of a state if your parents live there you are considered a dependant. If you are independent, you usually need to live in the state for 1 year working as a full time employee and not be a full time student.

Obviously there are exceptions. I think that you are getting screwed, katem.

 

i would call schools in advance - that's similar to what happened to me. lived in state for entire life, paid taxes every year, even have driver's license for said state. they said that's all i'd need, but then when i applied they said it didn't count, because i'd been out of the state for a full year. i think if you give a KY address on AMCAS, you should be okay.

 

it really depends on your state. nj pretty much lets anyone who gets accepted be in-state as long as you move to nj 1 month before you start classes.

 

How in depth do schools actually check into state residency. I mean, do they obtain tax records, or do searches for your name on a lease/utility bills. I have been living in DC for about 2 months now, but my parents live in MD. How illegal/dishonest is it to use their address when applying? I'm not really planning to do this, but I'm just curious. Also, does anyone know of schools that give special consideration to DC residents (I think GW might...)

 

my state school asked for copies of my state tax returns and W4

 

You can become an Illinois resident after 6 months and pay in-state tuition, but at Kansas they still charge you out-of-state costs if you are not a resident at the time of matriculation

 

I would call the individual school to find out their requirements. Schools will look at what state you identified on your AMCAS application to try to determine whether or not you are an in-state applicant, but you will usually have to prove that you have lived there for a year (or the number of required years) while not going to school (i.e., working). It may also be helpful to check with the school's financial aid office on the requirements because they are usually the ones who determine if you are a resident for tuition purposes. I did this and found out that I am still considered a WI state resident even though I have lived and worked in NY (so a resident here) just because I went to high school in WI. You just might find something really helpful if you just research a little.

 

Also, some state schools will let out of staters establish residency after the first year and then pay in-state tuition for the remaining three years. I am from KY and know that some Ohio schools will allow this.

 

Is the loophole that you went to high school in-state?

 

how screwed i am:
my parents live outside of usa though they are permanent residents. they do pay federal tax in California, but not state tax.
i went to high school in cali and paid in-state tuition in california for college, however later i went to a comm. college in virginia, which counted me as out-state.

a year later when i went to university of virginia, i tried to apply for in-state tuition which i was NOT entitled to, but the lady in the office was so nice to me (i called many times a day) that she just simply stamped "In-State" on my application without any question or reading it.

but later i transfered to ohio and, still paying out-state. my school is very anal about it, cuz they don't let u be in-state unless u work full time without going to school (independent.)

now i really don't know which state is my legal residency, perhaps i don't have one

well, that's quite possible, cuz i don't think i was even entitled for Ca. residency since my parents didn't really pay tax in Ca. Plus I forgot to pay Ohio state tax either last year

sigh... i guess i have to call every school that i am thinking about applying.... maybe we should have a thread to list the result of schools' residency reqirement which we ask by cooperative effect, i mean cooperative effort.