Residency
Frequently Asked Questions
My tuition reflects out-of-state tuition instead of in-state tuition. How can this be corrected?
If this is your first term at °®¶¹´«Ã½, you may contact the Office of Admissions to correct your status no later than the last day of your first term:
- Freshman °®¶¹´«Ã½: admissions@usf.edu
- Transfer °®¶¹´«Ã½: transfer@usf.edu
If you have completed your first term, or first year as a non-°®¶¹´«Ã½ resident, you may submit a °®¶¹´«Ã½ Residency for Tuition Purposes Request to the Office of the Registrar no later than the 5th day of the term in which you wish to have your residency status changed. Requests received after the published deadline will be considered for the next term.
Once classified as a °®¶¹´«Ã½ resident, do I have to reapply every term?
No, once you are classified as a °®¶¹´«Ã½ resident, you will keep that status until you become inactive and/or reapply to the university.
If you meet the Latin American/Caribbean Scholarship exception, your status will be reviewed on a term by term basis to ensure you meet the residency exception requirements.
How long does the residency reclassification review process normally take after submission?
I am an international student. I just received my permanent resident card. What steps should I follow in order to change my residency status from out-of-state to in-state?
First, you must provide a copy of the front and back of your permanent resident card to the Office of International Services to request that they change your citizenship status. Then, you may submit your °®¶¹´«Ã½ Residency for Tuition Purposes Request to the Office of the Registrar with copies of your legal ties. Your citizenship status must be updated and your request must be submitted no later than the 5th day of the term in which you wish to have your residency status changed. Requests received after the published deadline will be considered for the next term.
I received a qualifying scholarship and I am from a Latin American or Caribbean country. How do I automatically qualify to be classified as a °®¶¹´«Ã½ resident?
You may complete the °®¶¹´«Ã½ Residency for Tuition Purposes Request and provide evidence of your citizenship status (a valid passport from a Latin American or Caribbean country). We will verify your eligibility and update your residency status if you qualify. If you do not meet full-time enrollment criteria, scholarship criteria, and maintain satisfactory academic progress, you will be responsible for out-of-state tuition costs for that and future terms. We will monitor your status every semester to verify all criteria is met.
Where do I submit my residency reclassification request?
You may email the °®¶¹´«Ã½ Residency for Tuition Purposes Request form to residency@usf.edu no later than the 5th day of the term in which you wish to have your residency status changed. Requests received after the published deadline will be considered for the next term.
If I move to °®¶¹´«Ã½, will I be eligible for in-state tuition a year after my initial enrollment?
What is your intent for establishing your residence in °®¶¹´«Ã½? Non-resident students who come to °®¶¹´«Ã½ and enroll in a °®¶¹´«Ã½ post-secondary educational institution will not normally meet the °®¶¹´«Ã½ residency requirement for in-state tuition, regardless of the length of time enrolled. In order to best ensure you have the benefit of paying tuition at in-state rates, students seeking residency reclassification must provide clear and convincing evidence of legal ties to the State and continuous physical presence in °®¶¹´«Ã½ for at least 12 consecutive months which predates initial enrollment in an institution of higher education. Generally, non-resident students who enroll in a post-secondary institution at any point during the twelve-month qualifying period will automatically be precluded from °®¶¹´«Ã½ residency status.
What are examples to help prove my intent to make °®¶¹´«Ã½ my bona-fide domicile?
Continuous full-time employment that began prior to enrollment, proof of permanent home in °®¶¹´«Ã½ occupied as the primary residence a consecutive year prior to enrollment, immediate relatives currently living in °®¶¹´«Ã½ a year prior, marrying a °®¶¹´«Ã½ resident, or part-time enrollment in a °®¶¹´«Ã½ higher education institution during the initial year.
If I am not a °®¶¹´«Ã½ resident for tuition purposes will I pay more for my classes?
If you are not a °®¶¹´«Ã½ resident for tuition purposes, you will be assessed an out-of-state fee. This fee will make the tuition bill for an undergraduate out-of-state student approximately 3 1/2 times higher than the tuition bill for an undergraduate °®¶¹´«Ã½ resident. The graduate tuition bill for an out-of-state student is approximately 2 1/2 times higher than the graduate tuition bill for a °®¶¹´«Ã½ resident.
Information on tuition and fees can be found through the University Controller's Office.
I live in °®¶¹´«Ã½ and I am a U.S. Citizen, but my parents are undocumented. Can I still qualify for in-state tuition?
Yes. A dependent child may not be denied classification as a °®¶¹´«Ã½ resident for tuition purposes based solely upon the immigration status of their parent(s).
If my family owns a house/condominium in °®¶¹´«Ã½, can I be considered a resident for tuition purposes?
Home ownership does not automatically qualify you for °®¶¹´«Ã½ residency for tuition purposes. Residence in °®¶¹´«Ã½ must be as a bona fide domicile rather than for the purpose of maintaining a residence incident to enrollment at an institution of higher education. Owning property in °®¶¹´«Ã½, while residing in another state, will not of its own merit meet residency requirements.
What if I've lived in, or attended a school in, °®¶¹´«Ã½ in the past?
To be considered a "°®¶¹´«Ã½ Resident for Tuition Purposes" you must prove through official and/or legal documents that you or the claimant have established bona fide domicile in the state of °®¶¹´«Ã½ for at least 12 months preceding the first day of classes of the term for which °®¶¹´«Ã½ residency is sought. You do not receive credit for any time that you spent in the state in prior years.
If I live near the °®¶¹´«Ã½ border, can I qualify for °®¶¹´«Ã½ residency?
No. Living near °®¶¹´«Ã½ does not grant the student residency for tuition purposes. However, active duty military personnel and their dependents stationed within 50 miles of the °®¶¹´«Ã½ border may claim residency based on the submission and review of official military orders.
Why do I have to prove that I'm a °®¶¹´«Ã½ resident if I graduated from a °®¶¹´«Ã½ High School?
Just graduating from a °®¶¹´«Ã½ high school is not sufficient proof of °®¶¹´«Ã½ residency for tuition purposes. You must still submit the appropriate documentation to prove your bona fide domicile in the state of °®¶¹´«Ã½ for at least 12 months preceding the first day of classes of the term for which °®¶¹´«Ã½ residency is sought.
What if I just renewed my Driver's License, Voter Registration, and/or Vehicle Registration?
If your documentation was recently renewed in accordance with state policy/regulation, you may submit the original date of issue on the residency declaration. However, you may be asked to provide additional documentation to verify time in state.
I’m under 24 and trying to prove that I am independent. How can I show my financial independence?
As per the guidelines set by the State of °®¶¹´«Ã½, a student must show documentation that they provide for more than 51% of the cost of attendance as defined by the institution. We need to see documentation where the money is coming from and not where the student puts the money received. Savings and checking accounts are fluid and we cannot verify who is making deposits. We accept pay stubs, W-2's, tax returns, 529 college plan, traditional IRA or mutual funds as supporting documentation for financial independence.
Additionally, we need a copy of you and your parent's most recent tax return/transcript so we can verify that you were not claimed as a dependent.
How do I prove my family tie?
Please provide a notarized letter indicating the family relation, how long the individual(s) have lived in °®¶¹´«Ã½, and a copy of their driver’s license.