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Residency FAQs

 

What are the general guidelines for in-state classification if I am a dependent?

 

If a person is under the care, custody or support of a parent or legal guardian (claimed as a dependent on the parent/legal guardian's most recent Federal Income Tax Return), their state of residence will be generally considered that of the parent/guardian.

 

Unless residency has been established in another state, an individual who resided in Oklahoma at the time of graduation from an Oklahoma high school and resided in the state with a parent/legal guardian for at least two years prior to graduation from high school will generally be eligible for in-state status.

 

In-state/out-of-state classification for students with circumstances where one parent/guardian is an established Oklahoma resident but another parent/guardian is domiciled outside Oklahoma will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

I have several close relatives who are Oklahoma residents. If they claim me as a dependent and I reside with them, can I gain in-state status?

 

No. Your residency is that of your parent/legal guardian. A legal guardian is a person who has been court appointed to care for a minor child. Being claimed as a dependent by and residing with a close relative does not meet the criteria for in state reclassification. The close relative would have to be your court appointed legal guardian in order to gain their resident status.

If my parents own property or a second home and pay state of Oklahoma property taxes, will I qualify for in-state reclassification?

 

No. If you are a dependent, your residency status is based on the location of your parent’s permanent domicile. This is considered to be your parent’s fixed, permanent home and where you (or your parents) habitually reside. Since domicile has two components, residence and intent to remain indefinitely, a person can have more than one residence but only one domicile.

I live in a state that borders Oklahoma, does this allow me to qualify for in state reclassification?

 

No. Oklahoma State University does not participate in any in-state reciprocity agreement with bordering states.

What are the general guidelines for in-state classification if I am an independent person responsible for my own care, custody and support (not claimed as a dependent on anyone else's Federal Income Tax Return)?

 

An independent person may be eligible for in-state status at their next term of enrollment once they have lived in the state for at least a year, not primarily as a student (individuals attending school on more than a *half-time basis are considered to be in the state on a temporary basis and not to establish domicile), can document that they have provided for their own care and support, and can satisfactorily prove that they have come to Oklahoma to establish domicile. Domicile is a person's true, fixed, permanent home or habitation. It is the place where one intends to remain and to which one expects to return. A person can have more than one residence, but only one domicile.

 

*Half-time enrollment for undergraduate students is 6 hours in a regular semester (Spring/Fall) and 3 hours in a Summer session. Half-time enrollment for graduate students is 4 hours in a regular semester (Spring/Fall) and 2 hours in a Summer session.

Can I qualify for in-state status if I am a documented foreign national?

 

A documented foreign national is a person who was born outside the jurisdiction of the United States (U.S.), is a citizen of a foreign country, and has not become a naturalized U.S. citizen, but has entered the U.S. by way of legal documentation such as a visa.

 

Documented foreign nationals may be eligible for in-state status if they have been granted lawful permanent resident status by the USCIS and meet other requirements for in-state status as outlined above. Students attending OSU with other visas are not eligible for in-state classification.

 

However, documented foreign nationals who are present with visas that allow full-time employment and can provide proof of having come to Oklahoma to practice a profession on a full-time basis, conduct a business full-time, or work on a full-time basis may be eligible for an out-of-state tuition waiver. Spouses and dependent children of these individuals may also qualify for out-of-state tuition waivers.

Is special consideration given to full-time, active duty military?

 

A member of the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service) who provides evidence that he or she is full-time active duty stationed in Oklahoma may be immediately eligible for in-state status without meeting other domiciliary requirements listed above. The in-state status eligibility also applies to the members' spouse and dependent children.

 

Dependent children of members of the military reserve on full-time active duty shall be immediately classified upon admission as in-state status provided that Oklahoma is the home of record and the student maintains continuous enrollment. These dependent children shall retain in-state status without the 12 month requirement provided that the member of the military reserve was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable and as long as the student remains continuously enrolled. For the purpose of this section, “home of record” is the location where the reservist enlisted, reenlisted, or was commissioned into the military.

 

Further, when a member of the U.S. Armed Forces is transferred out-of-state, the member (along with their spouse and dependent children) is eligible to retain their in-state classification as long as they remain continuously enrolled at OSU. 

 

A person who, by virtue of their relationship with an individual on active military duty, is entitled to receive transferred Chapter 30, 33, or 35 VA educational benefits and resides in the state of Oklahoma with an intent to establish residence in the state, is immediately eligible for in-state status without meeting other domiciliary requirements listed above. Documentation requirements include providing proof of active duty service, VA benefit eligibility, and current residence in Oklahoma, as well as a letter of intent to establish residence in Oklahoma. (Effective June 1, 2022)

Is special consideration given to military veterans (or spouse/dependents) who are eligible for Chapter 30, 33, or 35 benefits?

 

A veteran who has been discharged or released from active duty military service of 90 days or more (regardless of home of record) who is pursuing a course of education under Chapters 30, 33, or 35, and resides in the state of Oklahoma with an intent to establish residence in the state, is immediately eligible for in-state status without meeting other domiciliary requirements listed above. The in-state status eligibility also applies to the veterans’ spouse and dependent children. Documentation requirements include providing a copy of the veteran’s DD-214, a copy of the individual’s VA Certificate of Eligibility showing Chapter 30, 33, or 35 benefit eligibility, and proof of current residence in Oklahoma. (Effective June 1, 2022)

 

A person who, by virtue of their relationship with an individual who has been discharged or released from active duty military service of 90 days or more, is entitled to receive transferred Chapter 30, 33, or 35 VA educational benefits and resides in the state of Oklahoma with an intent to establish residence in the state, is immediately eligible for in-state status without meeting other domiciliary requirements listed above. Documentation requirements include providing a copy of the veteran’s DD-214, a copy of the person’s VA Certificate of Eligibility showing Chapter 30, 33, or 35 benefit eligibility, and proof of current residence in Oklahoma. (Effective June 1, 2022)

Is special consideration given to military veterans (or spouse/dependents) who are not eligible for Chapter 30, 33, or 35 benefits?

 

Veteran with Oklahoma Home of Record

A veteran whose home of record is Oklahoma and who has been discharged or released from active duty military service of 90 days or more, less than ten (10) years of the date of enrollment at OSU and resides in the state of Oklahoma with an intent to establish residence in the state, is immediately eligible for in-state status without meeting other domiciliary requirements listed above. The in-state status eligibility also applies to the veterans’ spouse and dependent children. Documentation requirements include providing a copy of the veteran’s DD-214 showing their date of release from active duty service and proof of current residence in Oklahoma. (Effective July 1, 2022)

 

Veteran or current member of Uniformed Services (Regardless of Home of Record)

A veteran or current member of the uniformed services ( who was stationed in Oklahoma for more than one year in the previous ten years, and who resides in Oklahoma with an intent to establish residence in the state is immediately eligible for in state status without meeting other domiciliary requirements listed above. The in-state status eligibility also applies to the veterans’ spouse and dependent children. (Effective July 1, 2022)

 

Veteran eligible for Chapter 31 Benefits

Pursuant to Title 38 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) 3679(c), individuals using educational assistance under Chapter 31, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), will be eligible for in-state status if she/he files, with the institution within the State System at which the student intends to register, a letter of intent to establish residence in the state of Oklahoma along with residing in the state while enrolling in the institution. (Effective March 1, 2019 and beginning with the Summer 2019 term)

Is special consideration given to current members of the Oklahoma National Guard?

 

A person who is a current member of the Oklahoma National Guard is immediately eligible for in-state status without meeting other domiciliary requirements listed above. The student's membership in the Oklahoma National Guard will be reviewed each semester. Students who do not remain in the Oklahoma National Guard will be reclassified as out of state. (Effective July 1, 2022)

Are ROTC students eligible for In-State status?

 

Students who are active participants in one of OSU’s ROTC programs (or are receiving full or partial ROTC scholarships) will be immediately eligible for in-state status even if the scholarship has ended, without meeting other domiciliary requirements listed above. The appropriate Army or Air Force ROTC office will determine whether a student meets the participation/scholarship criteria for the program. Participation in ROTC is generally defined as a student who is enrolled in ROTC courses, completes all ROTC courses with a passing grade, has completed all application requirements for ROTC membership, and intends to commission into the Army or Air Force upon graduation from their academic program. The Petition for In-State Status for ROTC Participants may be found at:

https://registrar.okstate.edu/site-files/documents/petition_for_in-state_status_for_rotc_participants.pdf

Is special consideration given to independent persons who have relocated to Oklahoma to work full-time, but have not yet lived in Oklahoma for 12 months?

 

Independent U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who provide sufficient evidence of having come to Oklahoma to work full-time may qualify for in-state classification without the 12-month domiciliary requirement. Full-time employment must precede enrollment in any institution of higher education in Oklahoma. However, the individual must provide documentation of their continued full-time employment in Oklahoma before the beginning of each subsequent semester of enrollment to retain in-state classification until such time that they independently establishes in-state status. Full-time workers who do not provide continued documentation of full-time employment as required by the University will be reclassified as out-of-state.

Is special consideration given to students whose families live in another state but have a parent who works full-time in Oklahoma?

 

OSU offers an Out-of-State Oklahoma Income Tax tuition waiver for students who can satisfactorily document that they meet one of the 2 criteria below:

 

A dependent student’s parent (or an independent student) works full-time in Oklahoma and pays Oklahoma state income tax, but is domiciled in another state (ex: lives in Kansas but works full-time in Oklahoma, and pays Oklahoma state income tax for the income earned in Oklahoma). Independent students should provide evidence that their full-time work in Oklahoma preceded their enrollment in an Oklahoma school.


A dependent student’s family is domiciled in another state and has a farm or other full-time business in Oklahoma, and pays Oklahoma state income tax on the Oklahoma business.


To apply for the Out-of-State Oklahoma Income Tax tuition waiver, students should submit a completed Petition for In-State Status to the Office of the Registrar before their first semester with supporting documentation attached. These petitions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Can I qualify for in-state status if I marry someone who has already established domicile in Oklahoma and is recognized as in-state?

 

Each spouse in a family shall establish their own status on a separate basis. Exceptions include the following:

 

  • When an individual with out-of-state status marries a person with established in-state status, the out-of-state individual may be considered in-state after documentation of the marriage and proof of domicile are satisfied without the 12-month domiciliary waiting period. The marriage exception applies only to lawful permanent residents and citizens. Please note that circumstances that qualify a student for in state reclassification must be in effect as of the first day of classes of a given term. 
  • Exceptions for spouses of full-time active duty military stationed in Oklahoma and spouses of full-time Oklahoma workers, as specified in sections 3.18.7 and 3.18.8 of the policy.

I am currently classified as in-state at another Oklahoma college or university. Will this automatically qualify me for in-state classification at OSU?

 

Not necessarily. While all public Oklahoma institutions of higher education follow the same policy to determine in-state/out-of-state status (Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education policy 3.18), each institution is responsible for evaluating the residence status of its enrolled students. Residency factors can change from the time a student is admitted at one institution to the time that student transfers to another school, and these factors may change a student’s status from out-of-state to in-state, or vice versa. The institution to which a student transfers is not bound by the in-state/out-of-state classification previously determined. The burden of proof to establish in-state status is upon the student, and each case is judged on its own merit.

 

Upon admission to Oklahoma State University, your Oklahoma residency status will be evaluated from the information provided in your application materials and you will be notified of your in-state/out-of-state status in writing (typically in your letter or email of admission). If you are classified as out-of-state and want to request a further review of your status, you may submit a Petition for In-State Status and include appropriate supporting documentation (see Section 2 of the petition form for suggested documentation). It may be helpful for you to include a certified letter from your current Oklahoma college/university indicating their classification of your residency status, but this document alone will not determine your residency status at OSU.

Can I qualify for in-state classification if I am an undocumented foreign national?

 

In accordance with Oklahoma House Bill 1804, students who cannot present OSU with valid documentation of U.S. citizenship or an immigration status permitting study at a U.S. institution but who have (1) graduated from a public or private high school in Oklahoma, and (2) resided in Oklahoma with a parent or legal guardian for at least two years prior to high school graduation, may be eligible for enrollment and an out-of-state tuition waiver if they file an Affidavit of Intent with OSU, or can provide the institution with a copy of a valid application or petition with the USCIS to legalize their immigration status.

Is special consideration given to students impacted by war and who meet the criteria for Special Student Relief (SSR) or have been given Temporary Protected Status (TPS)?

 

Students are eligible for an out-of-state waiver if they meet the criteria for Special Student Relief (SSR) established by the US Department of Homeland Security; or have been given Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. The university Designated School Official (DSO) must provide a letter of verification to support SSR or TPS eligibility. To apply for the Out-of-State tuition waiver, students should submit a completed Petition for In-State Status to the Office of the Registrar before their first semester with supporting documentation attached. These petitions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Is special consideration given to Foreign Service Workers if their home residency is Oklahoma?

 

A foreign service officer employed by the United States Department of State and enrolled in an Oklahoma State System institution of higher education is entitled to in-state tuition and fees if the person's home residency is Oklahoma, even if they permanently work abroad to fulfill their duties. Students should submit a completed Petition for In-State Status to the Office of the Registrar before their first semester with supporting documentation attached.

Is special consideration given to citizens of the Freely Associated States?

 

Students are eligible for an out-of-state waiver if they are citizens of the Freely Associate States (Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau) are eligible for in-state tuition rates. To apply for the Out-of-State tuition waiver, students should submit a completed Petition for In-State Status to the Office of the Registrar before their first semester with supporting documentation attached.

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