Office of the Bursar
A Unit of the Corporate Controller's Office
FAQ Search Results
Residency
Q: Who makes the initial determination of a student's residency status?
A: The Admissions Office determines a student's residency status based on the information provided on each student's application.
Q: I've read the policy, but what is a petition, and what forms do I need to fill out?
A: A petition consists of a cover letter and copies of documentation, which support your contention of residency for tuition purposes. All materials must be in written form. At Penn State, there is no form or application to fill out. In a cover letter, a student should request reclassification and provide an explanation as to how her/his circumstances have changed since Penn State initially determined a non-resident status for tuition purposes. A student should include her/his Penn State ID number and the semester for which reclassification is being requested. The documentation should show clear and convincing evidence that the student's domicile is in Pennsylvania, and that her/his presence in the Commonwealth is not primarily for educational purposes.
Undergraduate Students: Because Penn State's policy presumes that most undergraduates have the domicile of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), their petition should demonstrate that they are independent if their parent or guardian does not have a domicile in Pennsylvania.
Q: What is domicile?
A: Domicile is a person's existing and intended fixed, permanent, and principal place of residence.
Q: What documentary evidence should I submit with my cover letter?
A: Each petition is reviewed individually on the basis of all evidence submitted by the petitioner. Accordingly, it is not possible to list a specific combination of factors or set of circumstances, which if met, would ensure reclassification for tuition purposes. However, there are certain documents which are typically suggested: the deed or lease to your principal domicile, a Pennsylvania state tax return, and Pennsylvania documents such as driver's license, voter registration, vehicle registration, etc. These are all appropriate items to provide. A petitioner may submit copies of any information that will help document her/his principal domicile is in Pennsylvania. Keep in mind that Penn State must retain the items in your residency file, so submit only COPIES of the documents. The information should be that of a student's parent(s) or legal guardian(s), if the student is dependent. A student seeking to show her/his independence should submit her/his own information, in addition to documentation of independent status.
Q: How do I establish I am independent from my parents?
A: Accompanying the previously suggested materials, a student may wish to submit a copy of his/her parent(s)' Federal tax return or a notarized statement from them indicating they are not providing the student's support or claiming the student as a dependent for tax reasons. Students receiving Financial Aid should be classified as independent for Financial Aid purposes. In addition, if the parents have taken out loans to support the student's education (such as PLUS loans), the student would not be considered independent, unless compelling evidence to the contrary is presented. The student should be prepared to show that he/she has sufficient means to support him/herself.
Q: My parent(s) own a home in Pennsylvania, does that make me a resident for tuition purposes?
A: No. Ownership of real estate or payment of real estate taxes in Pennsylvania does not necessarily qualify a student for residency for tuition purposes. Residency is based on a person's domicile. Unless your parent(s) live in the home and pay PA state taxes as resident(s) of the state, ownership of real estate does not qualify a student for residency. Domicile is defined as a person's existing and intended fixed, permanent and principal place of residence.
Q: I have just married a person who is a life-long resident of the Commonwealth - am I now a resident for tuition purposes?
A: Not necessarily. Marriage to a resident of the Commonwealth is just one factor considered in the decision regarding residency. The larger factor would be the establishment of an independent, permanent domicile in the Commonwealth.
Q: Is it possible to be a legal resident of Pennsylvania and still be a non-resident for tuition purposes at Penn State?
A: Yes. Residency for tuition purposes is a policy of The Pennsylvania State University. While you may meet the requirements to become a registered voter or a licensed driver, you still may not qualify for residency for tuition purposes.
Q: I have now lived in Pennsylvania for a year, while attending Penn State, and have registered to vote, obtained a PA driver's license, and pay Pennsylvania state taxes. Am I now a resident for tuition purposes?
A: Generally, unless a student has 12 months of continuous residence in the state prior to enrollment, the student is considered a non-resident. The 12 month requirement cannot be met while attending Penn State - the student is assumed to be in the Commonwealth for educational purposes. Although the student might be considered a resident of the Commonwealth, the student would remain as a non-resident for tuition purposes, unless there was clear evidence that the student's circumstances had changed and that a permanent, independent domicile in Pennsylvania has been established.
Q: Is it true that as a resident of Washington DC I am able to attend any public institution in the nation and be considered an in-state student for tuition purposes?
A: Residents of Washington DC will be classified as out-of-state residents for tuition purposes. However, these students may be eligible for the DC Tuition Assistance Program (DC TAG). This program allows the student to attend any public institution in the nation and pay the in-state tuition rate. The grant will pay the difference between the in-state and out-of-state tuition rate and is considered a source of financial aid. The DC TAG program is subject to certain maximum dollar limitations. All the facts on the DC TAG program are located on the web at: http://seo.dc.gov/seo/cwp/view,A,1226,Q,536777,seoNav_GID,1510.asp.
Q: Are children of Penn State University alumni considered as residents for tuition purposes?
A: No. The alumni status of a student's parents does not determine her/his residency status.
Q: If I am living with one of my parents in another state, can I be considered a resident for tuition purposes if my other biological parent is a Pennsylvania resident?
A: Possibly. If the biological parent of a student has been a Pennsylvania resident for 12 consecutive months prior to the student's enrollment, the student would be considered a resident for tuition purposes.
Q: I am living with my grandparents, who are life-long residents of the Commonwealth. Am I a resident for tuition purposes?
A: No. Residency status will depend on consideration of the factors identified in the policy in order to determine whether the student has established a permanent, independent domicile in the Commonwealth. Unless the relative is a legal court-appointed guardian of the student, the relative's residency status does not impact the decision. The same applies to living with family friends who are residents of the Commonwealth.
Q: If the parents of a resident student move to another state, will that student be reclassified as a non-resident for tuition purposes?
A: Possibly. A student who changes her/his place of residence from Pennsylvania to another state is required to give prompt written notice of this change to the University and shall be considered for reclassification effective with the date of such change. The written notice should be provided to the Residency Appeal Officer, 103 Shields Building, University Park, PA 16802.
If a student has maintained continuous residence in the Commonwealth for other than educational purposes for a period of at least 12 months immediately prior to his/her initial enrollment at The Pennsylvania State University, and, the student continues to maintain such separate residence, the residency of the parents generally does not come into play.
Q: My parents moved out of state while I was a senior in high school - can I still be considered a resident for tuition purposes?
A: If the student remains in the Commonwealth and graduates from a Pennsylvania high school, it may be possible to be considered a resident for tuition purposes, depending on the circumstances of the case. However, if the student relocates with the parents out of the state, and does not have 12 months of residency for non-educational reasons prior to enrollment at Penn State, the student would most likely be classified as a non-resident. There is no "banking" of prior time in the Commonwealth - the residency requirements relate to the 12 months preceding enrollment at the University.
Q: My parent is active duty military, and is stationed in Pennsylvania. Do we qualify for in-state tuition?
A: Military personnel and their dependents who are assigned to an active duty station in Pennsylvania and who reside in Pennsylvania can be classified as residents for tuition purposes. A student may submit a cover letter, a copy of the service member's orders, and a copy of her/his parent's deed or lease as documentation.
Q: My parent or legal guardian is active duty military, and has maintained her/his home of record as Pennsylvania. Do I qualify for in-state tuition?
A: Any member of the armed forces who was a resident of Pennsylvania immediately preceding entry into the service and who has continuously maintained Pennsylvania as her/his domicile is presumed to have a Pennsylvania domicile. A student should submit a cover letter, in addition to documentation of the service member's home of record.
Q: I am currently classified as an out-of-state student, but am enrolling in the National Guard or Reserves and will make Pennsylvania my home of record. Do I now qualify for in-state tuition?
A: National Guard and Reserves are not considered active duty military. If a student is an out-of-state student for purposes of tuition, the classification will not change upon joining the National Guard or Reserves, even if the home of record for the military is Pennsylvania. Active duty for training, such as the two-week annual training or specialist school, would not qualify a student as having served in active duty. However, if a student in the National Guard or Reserves is called into active duty, with a home of record of Pennsylvania, and is later discharged into Pennsylvania, the student would be considered an in-state student for purposes of tuition upon re-enrollment at Penn State. Form DD214 would need to be submitted to show the home of record upon discharge.
Q: I don't have a green card yet. Can I be reclassified as a resident for tuition purposes?
A: No. You must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident immigrant with a green card or I-551 passport stamp to be considered for residency for tuition purposes. If you have some extraordinary circumstances you would like considered, you may contact the Residency Appeal Officer for your campus.
Q: What is the deadline for filing an appeal of my non-resident status and when would it be effective?
A: A student shall have until the last day of the effective semester to file her/his petition with the Residency Appeal Officer. Any reclassification would be effective at the beginning of the semester or session during which the appeal was filed or at the beginning of the following semester or session at the discretion of the person or committee rendering the decision on reclassification.
Q: If I pay the non-resident tuition rate, can I get a refund if I am reclassified?
A: Yes. Refund requests should be directed to the Bursar's Office at your campus location.
Q: If my petition is denied, can I appeal the decision?
A: Yes. A written request should be made to the University Appeals Committee on Residence Classification. A student is notified in writing of the decision of the Committee. If you wish to be present at the Committee meeting, please note that in your letter so that you may be notified of the meeting time and date.
Note that this committee only meets every few months. Therefore, if your initial petition is denied, it would behoove the student to submit the petition for appeal as soon as possible.
Q: Do I need to provide any documents with my appeal letter to support my petition for residency reclassification?
A: Yes, a student must provide sufficient evidence to support his/her appeal for residency reclassification. This information should be that of the student if over 23, married, or independent of his/her parents, or the parents if the student is under age 24, single, and a dependent of his/her parents. Please note that this information, standing alone, does not constitute sufficient evidence to affect residency classification.
The following documentation must be submitted with the residency appeal:
- Deed or lease of the Pennsylvania domicile for the past 12 months.
- Pennsylvania driver's license.
- Most recent Pennsylvania income tax return.
- Most recent Federal income tax return.
- Documentation of the student's U.S citizenship status, i.e. copy of a birth certificate, passport, green card or official Immigration and Naturalization Service stamp (I-551), or certificate of citizenship or naturalization.
- Voting registration.
- A formal letter from the employer on letterhead verifying full-time employment, date of hire or transfer, and the withholding of Pennsylvania income tax, if the change in domicile is due to a job relocation or offer of employment.
- Proof of sale/rental agreement for previous domicile, if applicable.
- A recent pay stub, if prior year taxes were filed as a non-Pennsylvania resident.
- If the student is under age 24 and claiming to be independent from his/her parents, a notarized statement from the parents verifying they do not claim the student as a dependent on their income taxes.
- Admission to a licensed practicing profession in Pennsylvania, if applicable.
Students should submit all correspondence addressed to the Residency Appeal Officer and forward as listed below:
| Milton S. Hershey Medical Center | Capital College & Penn State Harrisburg |
University Park and all Other Campus Locations |
|---|---|---|
| Residency Appeal Officer Milton S. Hershey Medical Center The Pennsylvania State University PO Box 850 Hershey, PA 17033 (717) 531-6126 |
Residency Appeal Officer Penn State Harrisburg 777 W. Harrisburg Pike Middletown, PA 17057-4898 (717) 948-6009 |
Residency Appeal Officer The Pennsylvania State University 103 Shields Building University Park, PA 16802 (814) 865-6528 |
This information is available in alternative format upon request.