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Residency navigator

Use the residency navigator to help determine your eligibility for residency

Residency for Tuition Purposes

In Arizona, tuition at publicly supported universities is lower for residents than non-residents. Residency classification is determined
for all students in accordance with guidelines provided by the Arizona Board of Regents' (ABOR), which reflect current
Arizona revised statutes. Refer to Non-Resident Tuition Rate for Arizona High School Graduates for additional information.

Residency Navigator

We’ve designed this tool to help you determine which residency classification category may apply to you. Using the residency navigator will not have any influence on the outcome of your residency petition. It is not intended to predict whether your petition will be approved or denied.

Are you active military (including National Guard or Reserves)?

The military exception might apply to your situation – especially if you are stationed in Arizona.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Are you the spouse or dependent of an active military member?

Previous Question

The military exception applies to spouses and dependents and might work for you – especially if you are stationed in Arizona.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Are you a veteran of the U.S. Military?

Previous Question

Thank you for your service! There are two veteran exceptions that might apply to your situation.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Are you the spouse or dependent of a veteran?

Previous Question

Review the Choice Act criteria under the veteran exception to see if that might apply to your situation.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Are you Native American and belong to an Arizona tribe?

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The Native American Exception applies if you are an enrolled member of an Indian tribe whose reservation land lies wholly or partially in Arizona.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Were you transferred to Arizona by your employer (or spouse’s employer)?

Previous Question

If your employer paid for you move, you might qualify for the transferred employee exception.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Are you working on your teacher certification and employed full-time as a teacher or aide in an Arizona public school district?

Previous Question

The Teacher Waiver allows you to pay resident tuition on courses required for AZ certification.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Did you complete a year of service in Arizona with either AmeriCorps or VISTA?

Previous Question

You might qualify for the AmeriCorps or VISTA exception.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Do your parents live in AZ and do they claim you as a tax dependent?

Previous Question

The Dependent exception might work for you if you and your parent live permanently in Arizona and your parent is entitled to claim you as a dependent child for tax purposes.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Are you married to an Arizona resident?

Previous Question

The Spouse Exception might apply to your situation if your spouse can document financial independence and has lived in Arizona for at least 12 months.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Have you lived in Arizona for the last 12 months?

Previous Question

So far nothing has applied to you; and, if you have not lived in AZ for 12 months you probably don’t qualify at this time.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Are you in Arizona primarily to be a student?

Previous Question

It doesn’t appear that any of the categories apply to you at this time.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

Are your sources of financial support all self-generated, e.g. employment income? This means that you can support yourself without help from parents, family, etc.

Previous Question

The Independent Student petition might work for you if you can demonstrate you've lived continuously in Arizona for at least 12 months, can submit documentation showing 12 months worth of ties to Arizona known as "intent", including financial independence, and can show that you’re not in Arizona primarily to be a student.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

It doesn’t appear that any of the categories apply to you at this time.

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Please review eligibility, petition and required docs, and deadline information below.

 

Residency Petition

You may fit into multiple categories. Determine which is the most appropriate for your situation.



Eligibility

You're considered an independent student if:

  • you’ve lived continuously in Arizona for at least 12 months
  • can demonstrate intent to be an Arizona resident (which includes financial independence) and
  • can show you’re not primarily in Arizona to be a student.

Read more about the specific requirements.

Petition and Required Docs

Independent student petition:

  1. Review the requirements for the petition that works best for you.
  2. Initiate your petition by completing the online questionnaire prior to the deadline.
  3. Complete your petition by submitting all requested documentation. 

Deadlines

Don’t miss your deadlines:

  • Petition deadline – this is the last day to complete the online questionnaire.
  • Document deadline – this is the last day you can submit your supporting documentation.
  • Priority deadline – complete your questionnaire and submit all your docs by this date if you want your petition reviewed before classes start. 

Eligibility

This 12 month exception applies to a dependent student if:

  • you and your parent (or legal guardian) have established domicile in Arizona
  • your parent is entitled to claim you as a dependent child for state and federal tax purposes

Read more about the specific requirements.

Petition and Required Docs

Dependent student petition:

  1. Review the requirements for the petition that works best for you.
  2. Initiate your petition by completing the online questionnaire prior to the deadline.
  3. Complete your petition by submitting all requested documentation. 

Deadlines

Don’t miss your deadlines:

  • Petition deadline – this is the last day to complete the online questionnaire.
  • Document deadline – this is the last day you can submit your supporting documentation.
  • Priority deadline – complete your questionnaire and submit all your docs by this date if you want your petition reviewed before classes start. 

Eligibility

You’re considered a spouse if you are legally married. You would also need to show that:

  • your spouse is financially independent
  • your spouse has lived in Arizona for 12 consecutive months
  • your spouse is eligible to claim you as an exemption for tax purposes
  • you are domiciled in Arizona

Read more about the specific requirements.

Petition and Required Docs

Spouse petition:

  1. Review the requirements for the petition that works best for you.
  2. Initiate your petition by completing the online questionnaire prior to the deadline.
  3. Complete your petition by submitting all requested documentation. 

Deadlines

Don’t miss your deadlines:

  • Petition deadline – this is the last day to complete the online questionnaire.
  • Document deadline – this is the last day you can submit your supporting documentation.
  • Priority deadline – complete your questionnaire and submit all your docs by this date if you want your petition reviewed before classes start. 

Eligibility

This 12-month exception applies to individuals (and spouses) who:

  • were transferred to Arizona for employment purposes within the last 12 months
  • can document that their employer paid their relocation expenses
  • are not self-employed or employed in a family-owned business not previously operating in Arizona

Read more about the specific requirements.

Petition and Required Docs

Transferred employee petition:

  1. Review the requirements for the petition that works best for you.
  2. Initiate your petition by completing the online questionnaire prior to the deadline.
  3. Complete your petition by submitting all requested documentation. 

Deadlines

Don’t miss your deadlines:

  • Petition deadline – this is the last day to complete the online questionnaire.
  • Document deadline – this is the last day you can submit your supporting documentation.
  • Priority deadline – complete your questionnaire and submit all your docs by this date if you want your petition reviewed before classes start. 

Eligibility

U.S. military members (and their spouses or dependents) qualify for residency if:

  • the U.S. military member is currently stationed in Arizona
  • the U.S. military member’s state of legal residence is Arizona (and has been for at least 12 months)

Dependents of U.S. military members can also qualify for residency if:

  • the student has demonstrated objective evidence of intent to be an Arizona resident and is using transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33) benefits during a time in which the member of the U.S. uniformed services is serving on active duty (90 days or more)

Read more about the specific requirements.

Petition and Required Docs

Military petition:

  1. Review the requirements for the petition that works best for you.
  2. Initiate your petition by completing the online questionnaire prior to the deadline.
  3. Complete your petition by submitting all requested documentation. 

Deadlines

Don’t miss your deadlines:

  • Petition deadline – this is the last day to complete the online questionnaire.
  • Document deadline – this is the last day you can submit your supporting documentation.
  • Priority deadline – complete your questionnaire and submit all your docs by this date if you want your petition reviewed before classes start. 

Eligibility

Veterans qualify for residency if:

  • the veteran was discharged with a character of service of “honorable” and provides proof of intent to be an Arizona resident
  • the veteran enrolled at a university under the Arizona Board of Regents within three years of their last active duty service of 90 days or more, is eligible for Chapter 30 or 33 benefits, and provides proof of intent to be an Arizona resident

Dependents of veterans qualify if:

  • the dependent is enrolled at a university under the Arizona Board of Regents within three years of the veteran’s last active duty service of 90 days or more, is eligible for Chapter 33 benefits, and provides proof of intent to be an Arizona resident
  • the dependent is receiving benefits certified under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship and provides proof of intent to be an Arizona resident

Read more about the specific requirements.

Petition and Required Docs

Veterans petition:

  1. Review the requirements for the petition that works best for you.
  2. Initiate your petition by completing the online questionnaire prior to the deadline.
  3. Complete your petition by submitting all requested documentation. 

Deadlines

Don’t miss your deadlines:

  • Petition deadline – this is the last day to complete the online questionnaire.
  • Document deadline – this is the last day you can submit your supporting documentation.
  • Priority deadline – complete your questionnaire and submit all your docs by this date if you want your petition reviewed before classes start. 

Eligibility

You qualify for this exception of you are an enrolled member of an Indian tribe whose reservation land lies wholly or partially in Arizona.

Read more about the specific requirements.

Petition and Required Docs

Native American petition:

  1. Review the requirements for the petition that works best for you.
  2. Initiate your petition by completing the online questionnaire prior to the deadline.
  3. Complete your petition by submitting all required documentation. 

Deadlines

Don’t miss your deadlines:

  • Petition deadline – this is the last day to complete the online questionnaire.
  • Document deadline – this is the last day you can submit your supporting documentation.
  • Priority deadline – complete your questionnaire and submit all your docs by this date if you want your petition reviewed before classes start. 

Eligibility

The teacher waiver allows you to pay resident tuition on courses required for teacher certification in Arizona if you are currently employed as a full-time teacher or classroom aide in an Arizona public school district, an approved Arizona charter school or an approved Arizona private school.

Teacher waivers are effective only for the semester for which they are submitted. A new teacher waiver petition must be submitted for subsequent semesters.

Read more about the specific requirements.

Petition and Required Docs

Teacher petition:

  1. Review the requirements for the petition that works best for you.
  2. Initiate your petition by completing the online questionnaire prior to the deadline.
  3. Complete your petition by submitting all required documentation.

Deadlines

Don’t miss your deadlines:

  • Petition deadline – this is the last day to complete the online questionnaire.
  • Document deadline – this is the last day you can submit your supporting documentation.
  • Priority deadline – complete your questionnaire and submit all your docs by this date if you want your petition reviewed before classes start. 

Eligibility

This exception applies to students that have served one year in Arizona in either an AmeriCorps or Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program.

Read more about the specific requirements.

Petition and Required Docs

AmeriCorps/VISTA petition:

  1. Review the requirements for the petition that works best for you.
  2. Initiate your petition by completing the online questionnaire prior to the deadline.
  3. Complete your petition by submitting all required documentation.

Deadlines

Don’t miss your deadlines:

  • Petition deadline – this is the last day to complete the online questionnaire.
  • Document deadline – this is the last day you can submit your supporting documentation.
  • Priority deadline – complete your questionnaire and submit all your docs by this date if you want your petition reviewed before classes start. 

Residency

Requesting Residency Reclassification

Once you know which petition is best for you, this is what you need to do.

oneReview the requirements

twoComplete the questionnaire

three Submit your documents

Common Residency Questions

Still have unanswered questions? Take a look through our frequently asked questions below to see if your question is listed there. If not, we're happy to help.

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.

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

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