Some colleges offer different tuition rates for students depending on if they reside within the state or from a location outside of the state in which a college is located. The reasoning behind this policy is that state funds are used to support some universities and so state residents, who presumably pay to support the school indirectly through taxes, should receive a discount on tuition. However, even if you are originally from out of state, establishing residency for in-state tuition discounts is advisable in a number of circumstances.
It is first worth mentioning that in-state tuition discounts are only available at certain schools. Private colleges generally only charge one rate for all students, and it does not matter where the student resides. However, public universities (also called “state schools”) often charge different rates for students who reside within the state and those who are from outside of the state. As a result, if you attend a public university but you are not originally from the state in which your school is located, establishing residency for in-state tuition discounts is worthwhile in a variety of circumstances.
One of my brothers was able to establish in-state residency for a state in which he did not grow up in order to save money on educational expenses. Indeed, one of my triplet brothers went to a state school in Florida, and after his first year of college in the Sunshine State, he was considered a Florida resident for the purpose of receiving discounts on tuition. Over the course of his time in college, this discount amounted to many thousands of dollars, and definitely impacted his student debt burden once he graduated.
The process of establishing residency for in-state tuition discounts varies from state to state. Different states have different processes for determining in which state a student is a resident. Individuals hoping to establish state residency for tuition breaks need to conduct their research in order to determine what steps should be taken to prove that they are now a resident of the state in which they are attending school.
Registering to vote is often one way of showing that you are a resident of the state in which you attend school. Normally, you are only legally allowed to register to vote in one location. As a result, the place where you choose to register to vote is a solid indicator of where you are currently a resident. Of course, registering to vote can make you liable for jury duty in the location in which you are registered, which may be problematic if you are in school and you will soon move out of state and might risk being called. However, there are few other consequences to registering to vote in a state in which you are residing for school (so long as you are legally entitled to do so), and this step must ordinarily be taken when establishing residency for in-state tuition discounts.
Obtaining a driver’s license is oftentimes another step that should be taken when establishing residency for in-state tuition discounts. As many people can attest to from firsthand experience, obtaining a new driver’s license is often a pain in the butt. Individuals wishing to obtain a new driver’s license usually need to stand in line at the DMV or other similar agency and present the necessary documents in order to obtain the new license.
However, states usually understand how much of a process it typically is to obtain a new driver’s license. As such, they may believe that if a person goes through the trouble to obtain a driver’s license in a different state, they should be considered a resident of that state. As such, if you wish to prove in-state residency in order to only pay in-state tuition, obtaining a driver’s license for the state in which you attend school is often a necessary step.
Moreover, filing tax returns as a resident is often important when establishing residency for in-state tuition discounts. Most states allow residents to file tax returns as either a resident or a non-resident. The form that an individual usually files is dependent on how many days in a year that taxpayer spends within a state. Of course, tax returns usually only need to be filed if you earn income, and if you do not have part-time work as a student, there may be no need to file tax returns at all. However, if you qualify to file a resident tax return, this can be persuasive evidence that you should be a resident for in-state tuition discounts.
The place where you receive mail is also important when establishing residency for in-state tuition discounts. Some people keep their permanent address with their parents as the address at which they receive important mail. However, if you change your address with the post office to an address in the state in which you attend school, this might help you achieve in-state status. Of course, it might be practically difficult to change your address to a temporary location, but if possible, changing your address can be important to receiving an in-state tuition discount.
All told, if you attend a state school, becoming a resident of the state in which you attend school can be important to lowering educational costs. If you keep a few things in mind, establishing residency for in-state tuition discounts can be an easy and straightforward process.