Mass residency question

[jamesrd]

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The UMass website is pretty useless about what constitutes residency, so I figured someone here knows the criteria. Here are my circumstances:

-High School in Maine
-College in Boston, '99-'04
-Filing taxes in MA since '00
-Switched DL/voting registration 1/03

Does attending a university automatically exclude you from 'resident' status until you've graduated? I assumed it did, but on their website they mention tax history as one of the primary criteria. If anyone would like to tell me when I'd hit 5 years, it would be much appreciated.

 

[JDWflash44]

On the secondary the part about residency is longer than the rest of the secondary combined. They say going to school in the commonwealth doesnt count as residency i believe. From last year I remember they ask you if someone claimed you as a dependant over the last five years, what is their address? I assume your parents did and it is a maine address, so I assume you are out of luck. They also ask where you graduated high school, where you have filed state taxes and what have been your addresses over the last five years. If you really want to know, call the admissions department, they are pretty friendly and should be able to help you. From my experience they are very strict about residency though..

Hope this helps

Jim

 

[ChicaLinda]

Yeah, sounds to me like you would not qualify. Even if you've been filing taxes in MA since 00, if you main purpose was being in MA for your college education you're not considered a resident. A friend of mine went through huge drama with UMASS because of their super strict residency requirement. They really will not count any time you spent in MA as a full-time student at a MA college towards your residency.

 

[jamesrd]

I figured as much, I know from friends that went there for undergrad that their requirements are insane. Well, I've got a few years to go until I apply (Extension School); time to mount a letter-writing campaign.

Thanks for your input guys

 

[fullefect1]

Wow, my state is hardcore.

 

[ChicaLinda]

Hardcore indeed. I've heard a lot of horror stories. You really have to have those 5 years of independent living and Mass taxes going on for them to consider you.

 

[LJDHC05]

The UMass website is pretty useless about what constitutes residency, so I figured someone here knows the criteria. Here are my circumstances:

-High School in Maine
-College in Boston, '99-'04
-Filing taxes in MA since '00
-Switched DL/voting registration 1/03

Does attending a university automatically exclude you from 'resident' status until you've graduated? I assumed it did, but on their website they mention tax history as one of the primary criteria. If anyone would like to tell me when I'd hit 5 years, it would be much appreciated.

Primary mailing address has to be MA for 5 years or something rediculous like that

 

[ltrain]

So I was in a similar situation and did the research on this. Here's the deal:

You have to either:

a) Have gone to high school in Mass. If you did, you're golden (but you didn't).

b) Lived in Mass continuously for five years. This means that if you were claimed as a dependent by someone else on his/her taxes, that person must live in MA. If you were not claimed as a dependent, you must have filed state taxes in MA as your primary state (declare MA as your state of residence on your federal taxes). Yes, apparently they check. So if you were not a dependent since you have been filing (starting in 2000) then you would be considered a resident at the end of this year.

The big jerks...because of them I have no state residency.

Good luck!
-L

 

[stifler]

yay for boston public! im golden!

(sorry if you arent im just pumped cuz i qualify as nj resident too)

anyways ask them directly. i called in to ask if i qualify by going to hs in mass and they were very clear about it and other requirements. the ppl are nice.