People who have set their sights on attending an out-of-state college may not have to pay higher out-of-state tuition rates. Some smaller colleges have abandoned charging higher rates to students who don't live in the state where the college is located. In other cases, a student's parents only have to reside in a state for a few months to pay lower in-state tuition rates.
Parental Residence
There are no uniform in-state tuition requirements because states set their own standards for such things. However, the FinAid website tracks college financial aid information, and the site outlines some typical requirements for getting in-state tuition rates. For example, FinAid indicates that at least one of a student's parents usually needs to live in a state for at least one year before the student enrolls in college to receive in-state tuition rates. However, states such as Arkansas require that a parent live in the state for just six months for a student to get in-state tuition rates.
Independent Students
Students who no longer depend upon their parents for financial support generally need to live in a state for at least a year to pay in-state tuition rates, according to FinAid. Married students also may qualify for in-state rates if they haven't lived in a state for a year but their spouse has. However, FinAid notes that Arizona, California and other states require students who don't rely on parental support to live in the state for at least two years to receive in-state tuition rates.
Waived Requirements
Some colleges may waive in-state tuition requirements in an attempt to attract more students. For example, Eastern Oregon University doesn't require any of its students to pay out-of-state tuition rates, according to a 2009 U.S. News and World Report article by Kim Clark. The article also says that the University of Alaska charges students in-state tuition rates if one or both of their parents invested in the state's 529 college savings program. Furthermore, parents in any state can participate in that program.
Considerations
College-bound students should ensure they meet residency requirements long before they reach the enrollment process to avoid problems that could prevent them from attending the college of their choice. FinAid recommends that students or parents have at least two government-issued documents that serve as proof of state residency. Those documents generally should be issued at least a year in advance of the time that a student intends to enroll at a college. In any case, the issue date should meet the in-state tuition requirements for the student's chosen college. Acceptable documentation includes a driver's license, state-issued ID or voter registration card.
Tags: in-state tuition, tuition rates, in-state tuition rates, live state, in-state tuition requirements, least year