Non-Resident Students
Each semester, students who do not qualify as residents of the state of Georgia will pay out-of-state tuition.
Residency for in-State Tuition Purposes
The following general descriptions are by no means all-inclusive, nor do they supersede existing regulations concerning in-state residency. This should only be used as an explanatory guide for Georgia residency. Detailed official guidelines are listed in the codes of the University System of Georgia.
Since Georgia College is a state-supported institution, students must show documented proof of residency and indicate the duration of their residency in order to qualify for in-state tuition. Following admission, students who are classified as non-residents may apply for in-state residency by completing the Petition for Classification as an In-State Student, which is available from the Graduate Admissions Office. In reviewing petitions, the Georgia College Residency Committee looks at three primary items of proof.
- Students must first prove that they have established a primary domicile or permanent Georgia home for at least twelve consecutive months immediately preceding the beginning of classes for the term to be considered for residency. Typically, the residency status of a dependent student is tied to the status of the parent(s), so the parent(s) must show proof of domicile.
- Invariably, students and/or parent(s) of dependent students also should provide documentation showing payment of Georgia state income tax, as this shows a tie to the state that proves financial support for the Georgia educational system. Mere property ownership in Georgia, by itself, is usually insufficient.
- The Residency Committee also suggests students include copies of any other documents showing their intent to be a Georgia resident, such as a Georgia driver’s license, car or voter registration, home ownership, full-time employment records, etc. Attending college in Georgia is not proof of intention to be a Georgia resident.
In reviewing petitions for in-state residency, Georgia College considers each student’s situation as unique, and so there are no universal formulas. In general, though, the three items mentioned above are key. Georgia College does understand that there are situations, such as parents living in separate states or a family in the military, which may alter the review process.
Special Situations Involving Residency
The following descriptions should help in understanding what the Committee considers when reviewing certain situations.
Dependent versus Independent Students
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If a student is listed as a dependent on their parent or legal guardian’s previous year’s tax returns or receives more than 50% of their financial support from a parent or guardian, they are considered a dependent student and Georgia College considers the student to be a resident, for tuition purposes, of the parent or guardian’s state of residence. (A legal guardian must provide court and/or financial documentation of support for the student.)
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Independent students who wish to establish in-state residency for tuition purposes must document that their parent(s) have not claimed them as a tax dependent for the twelve months prior to the start of the term, and that the students have provided for more than 50% of their financial support as shown in federal and state tax returns.
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At times, current students at Georgia College may have their residency status changed to in-state, but they must show detailed evidence that they are an actual resident of Georgia, and they would have lived in Georgia even if they had not been in college. Current students may call the Graduate Admissions Office at 478-445-6289 if they have more questions regarding this situation.
Separated Family Situations
If a student lives outside Georgia, but a parent is a Georgia resident, it is sometimes possible for the student to be considered a Georgia resident for tuition purposes. The student and the parent must document that the parent has lived in Georgia for the twelve consecutive month period prior to enrollment.
Military Personnel and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad
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Dependents of active duty military personnel who claim Georgia residency must provide Georgia College with documentation, such as Georgia tax records or a Leave and Earnings statement.
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Dependents of active military personnel who are residents of other states but are stationed in Georgia can receive a waiver of the out-of-state tuition difference, providing the parent(s) submit documentation to the Business Office showing the military posting. The waiver continues only as long as the requirements are met.
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Dependents of U.S. citizens living abroad who consider themselves residents of Georgia must provide Georgia tax records and documentation showing Georgia as their last state of residency, as well as proof of a prior domicile in Georgia to which they may return.
Non-U.S. Citizens
Non-U.S. citizens are only eligible for in-state residency if they are lawful permanent residents as documented by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service or have been granted a visa in an eligible category. These students must still provide documentation of in-state residency for the twelve month period. F-1 student visas are not eligible.
Waivers of Out-of-State Tuition
Students may be eligible for a waiver of the out-of-state tuition difference if they are in one of the following categories: full-time employees of the University System, their spouse and dependent children; full-time teachers in a Georgia public school and their dependent children; active-duty military personnel and their dependents while stationed in Georgia. These students do not need to complete the Petition for Residency, but should contact the Business Office for more details about the required documentation needed.
State of Georgia HOPE Scholarship Situations
Residency decisions and qualifications surrounding the state-sponsored HOPE scholarship program are made by the Georgia Student Finance Commission and the HOPE Program, and so any questions regarding the HOPE scholarship should be directed towards these programs specifically.
As stated before, all petitions for in-state residency are considered in their entirety, so every file must be reviewed based upon its own merit. As well, this page is meant as a general guide about Georgia residency for tuition purposes, but does not supersede any existing policies for in-state residency found in the codes of the University System of Georgia.
Appeals Procedure
Any student wishing to appeal a decision by institution officials concerning residence classification shall file a Notice of Appeal with the appropriate review committee at the institution.
Following a review at the highest level at the institution, a student may apply to the Board of Regents for a review of the final decision of the President. Procedures are provided in the Bylaws and Policies of the Board of Regents.
Student Responsibilities
Student Responsibility to Register under Proper Classification - It is the student’s responsibility to register under the proper tuition classification. If there is any question about the right to in-state tuition status, it is the student’s obligation, prior to or at the time of registration, to raise the question with the administrative officials of the institution in which the student is registering to have tuition status officially determined. The burden rests with the student to submit the information and documentation necessary to support the argument for a particular tuition classification under Regents’ regulations.
Notification of Change in Circumstances - A student who is classified as an in-state student must immediately notify the proper administrative officials of the institution of any change in residency status or any other change in circumstances, that may affect tuition classification.
Official Change of Tuition Status - Every student classified as out-of-state shall retain that status until such time that student has petitioned for reclassification in the form prescribed by the institution and is officially reclassified in writing as an in-state student by the proper administrative officers. No more than one application may be filed for a given semester.
Reclassification - Every student who has been granted in-state tuition, as a legal resident of Georgia shall be reclassified as an out-of-state student whenever anyone shall report, or there have been found to exist, circumstances indicating a change in legal residence to another state.