Residency Guidelines

Your initial residency classification is determined when you apply for admission to the University based on residency guidelines provided by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR).  ABOR policy 4-204 defines the process for requesting reclassification and places the burden of proof on the student.  Students seeking reclassification are responsible for providing objective evidence for all factors necessary to provide a basis for this change.

Residency Petition

This is your formal request for reclassification.  Your petition will consist of an online questionnaire and your supporting documentation.  The online residency petition is only available to current, active, non-resident students. New or future students do not become current or active until they are admitted to the University and enrollment begins for the student’s semester of admission (see the ASU Academic Calendar for enrollment dates).

When you are ready to submit your petition, here are the steps: 

Complete the steps in this order and Contact the Residency Office if you need more information.

Deadlines

Deadlines are critical.  Missing a deadline means you have forfeited your right to request reclassification for that semester.

Requirements

Specific requirements are summarized, paraphrased and iterated in various places, including above.  Before you start you petition, we encourage you to understand the requirements for your petition and ask questions when you need help.  Don’t make assumptions about what you think is required or what you need to provide.  Successful petitions require you to do your homework and spend some time gathering thorough and credible documentation.  Unsuccessful petitions are most often characterized by a lack of documentation or an incorrect understanding of the requirements.

Documentation

Your required documentation will be as unique as you are. The documents requested are based on how you answer the online questionnaire and there is not a fixed list of documents that applies to everyone.  Petitions that are lacking sufficient documentation will be denied. Written or verbal statements of intent will not meet your burden to provide objective evidence.  You will also have the ability to submit something we didn’t ask for.  It can be hard to know what might be helpful to students in every situation, but feel free to submit anything you think will support your request.

Burden of Proof

The burden of proof is yours.  Your documentation will need to support your claim that you are meeting all requirements for in-state classification.  Per ABOR policy, verbal testimony and statements of intent are weighed in light of the fact that you understand a change in classification will result in a substantial reduction in tuition.  

Petition Fee

There is a $50, non-refundable fee required if you are requesting reclassification as an independent student, dependent student, spouse or transferred employee.  The petition fee can be paid online after you submit your petition.  The Residency Classification Office cannot accept or process any fee payments.  There are no fees associated with the following petition types: Military, Veteran, Native American, AmeriCorps/VISTA and Teacher Waiver.

Integrity

Misrepresentation or falsification of any information related to your residency classification can result in significant penalties.  Students who have omitted, falsified, or misrepresented any information in effort to obtain resident status will be referred to Student Rights and Responsibilities for disciplinary action.  This may include dismissal from the university or forfeiting your right to request reclassification for current and future terms.

Processing Time

Processing times vary and are largely dependent on when your petition and supporting docs are submitted.  Average processing time is 4-6 weeks, but decisions will take longer for petitions that are submitted within one month of the petition deadline.  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.

Checking your Petition Status

The status of your petition can be viewed from the residency petition dashboard.  This is also where you submit your petition and all supporting documents.

The lifespan of a petition is characterized by different statuses and will vary from student to student:  In most cases, the progression will look like this:

• In queue: You've submitted everything and your petition is now ready to be reviewed.   
• Documents needed: Your petition has been reviewed, but we need additional documents.  We will send you an email with details, including instructions on how to upload your new documents.
• Contact residency: Your petition has been reviewed, but we would like to talk with you about something.  Give us call or send us an email so we can finish reviewing your petition. 
• Pending: New information has been added to your petition and is ready for a 2^nd review.   
• In review: A decision will be sent to you in the next 7-10 days.  We have all that we need, but need a little time to make our finalize our decision.  
• Approved:  Congrats!  Your request has been approved.  You will also get an email with details – please read this carefully as residency changes can affect other things besides tuition – for example, refunds or financial aid. 
• Denied: Your request has been denied.  We will also notify you via email.  If denied, you will also be given a detailed decision summary that explains our decision.   
• Withdrawal Warning: You have not submitted all of your required documentation and your petition is at risk of being withdrawn.  Submit all required documents prior to the document deadline so that your petition can be put "in queue".
• Withdrawn: Your petition as been withdrawn and a decision will not be rendered.      

Your petition may skip steps or bounce between different statuses.  This is normal and how we manage workflow for hundreds of petitions every semester.  Keep an eye on your email and track your status from the dashboard.  

Petition Outcome

Decisions are based on the quality of your documentation and the extent to which you have met your burden of proof. There are no exceptions granted due to unusual circumstances or financial hardship. ABOR policy defines the circumstances under which a student can be classified as a resident for tuition purposes and the Residency Classification Office and university does not have the authority to make exceptions.

Committee Review

If your residency petition is denied and you believe this decision is erroneous, you can request a committee review. This is a formal request to have your petition reviewed by the Residency Review Committee.  The deadline to request a review will be indicated on your denial notification.  Requests made after your deadline will not be processed. 

Tuition and Fees

Your tuition and fees are dependent on your residency classification.  Until your classification is changed, you are a non-resident for tuition purposes and having a petition pending does not absolve you from your responsibility to pay your tuition and fees in full by the published deadline per university policy.  If your petition is approved, overpayments will be refunded to you; however, late fees and payment plan fees (if applied) are non-refundable.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is calculated based partly on cost of attendance. Changes to your residency classification may cause your financial aid to be recalculated and adjusted accordingly. In some cases, your aid may be reduced or cancelled and you may be required to return funds that have already been disbursed to you. If you have questions, contact Financial Aid and Scholarship Services.

Visa Types and Residency for International Students

Students who hold a visa that requires them to maintain a foreign domicile or that otherwise prohibits establishing domicile in Arizona cannot be classified as residents for tuition purposes.  Temporary or non-immigrant visas do not allow an individual to obtain a permanent status in Arizona regardless of the length of the visa or the number of times it is renewed. Students who are classified as residents but are then issued a non-eligible visa type will be changed to non-resident. Please see visa types and residency eligibility list for additional information.

Proposition 308

Information about Prop. 308 can be viewed: here 

Additional Information

Arizona Board Of Regents (ABOR) Policy Manual