Residency Classification for Tuition Purposes

The Office of the Registrar is responsible for determining residence status of students for purposes of tuition. The office is guided by the Texas Education Code, Section 54.052, et seq., the Rules and Regulations for Determining Residence Status of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and University Regulations. Under the state statutes and regulations, for tuition purposes, a student or prospective student is classified either as a resident of Texas, nonresident (U.S. citizens from another state) or students who are citizens from another country.

• A resident of the state of Texas for tuition purposes is an individual or dependent who has physically resided (or whose parent has physically resided) in the state of Texas for a period of 12 continuous months prior to enrollment, or is an individual who graduated from a Texas high school and has maintained a residence in Texas continuously for at least three years prior to the date of that graduation and one year prior to enrollment. Individuals seeking to establish resident status under the second definition, and who are not citizens or permanent residents, must provide an affidavit stating that the individual will file an application to become a permanent resident at the earliest opportunity of eligibility. Students are required to complete the Core Residency Questionnaire as part of the application process. Residency for tuition purposes will be based on this questionnaire and other information/ documents submitted by the student.
• A nonresident for tuition purposes is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien who has not lived and worked in the state of Texas for a period of 12 months prior to enrollment.
• A foreign student is a person who is a citizen of another country.

Residency for tuition purposes for a dependent is established on the residency of the parents or legal guardian.

While these state requirements for establishing residency are complex and should be referred to in each particular circumstance, they generally require a minimum of 12 months of residing and gainful employment in Texas prior to enrollment. Individuals classified as a nonresident or foreign student may qualify for resident tuition rates and other charges while continuing to be classified as a nonresident or a foreign student under the following exceptions:

• Students who receive academic competitive scholarships
• Teaching or research assistants
• Faculty employment
• Special types of visas
• Military

Additional information on residency, reclassification, tuition exceptions and waivers is available at:

Students are required to sign an oath of residency as part of the application process. Residency for tuition purposes will be based on this oath and other information/documents submitted by the student.