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Frequently Asked Questions - Declaring Arizona Residency

  1. I indicated that I was an Arizona resident on my admissions application, yet I am classified as a non-resident and was charged the non-resident application fee? How can I fix this?
  2. I am currently attending a community college in Arizona as a resident; does that make me a resident at ASU?
  3. I am a continuing student; will my residency automatically change after one year?
  4. I was born and raised in Arizona then left for a short period of time before returning, can I still be classified as an Arizona resident for tuition purposes?
  5. How long does it take to review my petition and where can I track its progress?
  6. Does living in Arizona with a relative other than my parents have any effect on residency status?
  7. I am a dual resident of Arizona; can I be considered a resident for tuition purposes?
  8. My parents live out-of-state but I attend an Arizona high school; will I be considered a resident if I graduate from an Arizona high school?
  9. I attended an Arizona institution using the WUE (Western University Exchange) or WICHE (Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education) program; will I be considered a resident?
  10. Are there any hardship exceptions?
  11. I own property in Arizona; doesn't that make me a resident?
  12. If I marry an Arizona resident, can I be classified as a resident?
  13. I am a research assistant, teaching assistant or graduate assistant and have been paying resident tuition. Am I a resident?
  14. I'm an ASU employee who is classified as a nonresident for tuition purposes, but am otherwise eligible for the Qualified Tuition Reduction Program. How should I proceed?
  15. My parent is an ASU alumnus; does it have any effect on my residency classification?

Your residency classification is determined by a review of all of the information provided on your admissions application in accordance with guidelines provided by the Arizona Board of Regents. Your status as a non-resident is a result of one or more factors used to determine this classification. Please review the Residency Classification web page and contact a residency specialist if you have any questions.

Not necessarily. Residency for tuition purposes for the three state universities is determined according to guidelines established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). The community colleges are not governed by ABOR and your classification as a resident at the community college may or may not be in compliance with current ABOR policies.

No. Your status will remain non-resident and any student wanting to be re-classified must initiate the process by contacting the residency office and submitting a petition by the appropriate deadline. Simply being a student at ASU for one year is not sufficient for residency purposes per ABOR policy, which reads, “No individual has established residency for tuition purposes in Arizona while attending any education institution in Arizona as a full-time student in the absence of objective evidence to the contrary.”

Leaving Arizona will not result in a loss of Arizona residency unless your absence is accompanied by actions that indicate intent to establish a new domicile elsewhere. Former residents of Arizona who established domicile elsewhere would be classified as non-residents upon return and would not be eligible for residency until current ABOR policies are met. Residency classification is re-visited after any break in enrollment or absence from the university.

Average processing time is 4-6 weeks. Petitions submitted closer to the deadline may take longer. If you need a decision prior to the first day of classes, you should submit everything (petition and all required documents) no later than the priority deadline.

You can monitor the status of your petition from the residency reclassification application portal.

When a decision is made, an email will be sent to your @ASU email address. 

No. Your status will be determined based on a review of your situation, but living with family members or friends is not an indicator of intent or domicile and will not influence your status.

No. Any person wishing to be classified as a resident would need to provide objective evidence of intent to be a permanent resident of Arizona and demonstrate that all ties to the former state have been severed.

No, you would be classified as a non-resident. Per ABOR guidelines, “The domicile of an unemancipated person is that of either parent.” You may, however, qualify for the Non-Resident Tuition Rate for Arizona High School Graduates, which is 150% of in-state tuition.

The WUE/WICHE program allows residents of a participating state to pay a special, reduced tuition rate at participating institutions in other states. However, the student must maintain residency in the originating state. In other words, by participating as a WUE/WICHE student you are affirming that you are not an Arizona resident. ABOR requirements for physical presence and intent to be an Arizona resident cannot be satisfied as a WUE/WICHE student. Refer to the ASU WUE page for more information.
 

No. Any person requesting classification as a resident for tuition purposes must prove they meet ABOR requirements or that they meet one of the approved exceptions.

Owning property in Arizona does not automatically qualify you as a resident for tuition purposes. Property ownership is one factor to be considered, but would not be sufficient without other objective evidence of domicile and intent.

Yes. There is a provision in current ABOR guidelines that would allow you to be re-classified if you marry a resident of Arizona. You would request reclassification by submitting a residency petition and providing appropriate documentation to support that both you and your spouse meet current ABOR guidelines for the spouse exception.

No. These positions are funded by waivers submitted by your college or department that pays the out-of-state portion of your tuition and fees; but, your status for residency purposes remains non-resident. To request reclassification, you would need to submit residency petition and appropriate supporting documentation.

Please submit your Qualified Tuition Reduction Form (QTR) to the Student Accounts Office. Once submitted, that office will notify the Residency Office who will adjust your residency status for the term in question.

No. Your residency classification is evaluated against current ABOR policy and your parent’s status as an alumnus is not a consideration.