Switching from out-of-state tuition to in-state tuition?

[maghu123]

Hi everyone! This is my first post to this forum, but I've actually been stalking it for a few months now. Just wondering-- is anyone planning on trying to obtain the in-state tuition rate after attending DPT school for the first year? I have just learned that this is apparently an almost impossible thing to do, which I did not know when I was choosing schools to apply to.

I went to undergrad in my home state (Ohio) and decided to apply to only out-of-state schools because I want to move out of Ohio and assumed it would be possible to pay in-state tuition for the second and final years of DPT school, based upon what I've read about establishing residency in the states where my husband and I hope to move. I thought you just had to get a driver's license and show a lease that proves you have been there for a year and explain that you plan on staying in the state after graduating. But now I am reading online that most people end up having to pay out-of-state tuition for the whole time they are in school, which doesn't make any sense because it costs twice as much and is totally unfair if you are working during school and paying taxes and plan on living in the state afterwards. I am married, so my husband is planning on getting a full-time job wherever we move, and I will be working part-time. The school that I really am hoping to attend is SUNY Upstate-- my husband's family lives in the Albany area, so we wanted to move up there to be closer to them. I am also applying to University of Washington-- we have always dreamed of living in Seattle.

Do you think it is possible to switch from out-of-state to in-state tuition? Is anyone else on here attempting to do so? ...Or am I just a total ***** for not figuring this out sooner?

Thanks, and good luck to everyone!

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[HeatherDPT]

I've been wondering the same thing! I know for CU Denver you switch to in-state after a year, but that's the only one I'm aware of so far..

 

[Kuhdaytee]

It's possible depending on the state/school. I'd contact all the schools you applied to. You could also get a scholarship that allows you to pay in-state tuition for all three years, but again, that depends on a lot of factors.

 

[dcscott325]

As been said previously, it does depend on the state/school. But most often it's not possible.

Most (if not all) programs advise against working outside of school-- even part time-- since the programs are so demanding. And since the majority of in-state tuition requirements include tax docs proving that you've been working/paying taxes in the state for at least 12 consecutive months, that makes in-state tuition unavailable.

As far as I know, they do it that way for fairness to those students that legitimately have been living in the state. I guess they see it as "you CHOSE to go out of state, so you pay the price for out of state". Schools have to make their money too somehow.

 

[Souza]

It definitely depends on the state and your specific situation. I am also applying to out of state schools with the hope of gaining residency after a year so I did a little research on this and have info on UW for you. It's not great news. Basically, you would have to work 30 hours a week in order to prove that you didn't move there for solely educational purposes. That seems pretty hard to do while in a full-time DPT program. Attending for three years as an out-of-state student costs ~$137K by the calculation I did a few months ago, though I don't know if that figure is still accurate. Here are the links where I found the info:

http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/residency/

http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/residency/domicile.html

A good way to research this is to track down the application for residency change for the school, and read through it to see what info they ask for. Once you have a rough idea from looking at the form, you should call the school and ask them directly. They should be able to clarify anything on the form that's unclear. Sometimes the PT program admin will be able to help you, but it's often best to contact the department that handles residency. Here's the link to SUNY Upstate's info:

http://www.upstate.edu/currentstudents/financial_resources/accounts/residency.php

Also, it definitely seems wise to do a few things as soon as you move to the new state: get your DL, register to vote, open bank accounts, and register your car. Try to sign a lease or buy a house(!) asap. If you went to high school in the state or got married in the state, that seems to help too, but again, it really really depends on the state.

 

[okramango]

Like others have said, each state is different, but most states do not allow residency if you move there for school. However, some states might allow you to become a resident if you are married and your husband has worked there full time for a year. Basically, he applies and becomes a resident, and then you become a resident because you are married to another resident. This is what I am going to try doing in Texas after my school advised me about it.

 

[maghu123]

Thanks for the research and the advice, Souza. I previously had looked into UW and found the link you posted. The thing I'm having trouble with is knowing if what okramango said is going to work out-- whether or not my husband being a full-time worker and official tax-paying resident for a year will automatically qualify me as such.

I guess the only way to know for sure is to contact each school individually.

I hope all of you have a nice holiday and New Year and all that. Good luck to Heather and okramango on achieving this apparently very difficult task. I'd be curious to know how it works out for you guys.

 

[okramango]

I'll let you know how it goes a year from now!