Residence Classification for Tuition Purposes
The Texas Legislature and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board establish the rules and regulations for determining residence classification. Texas residency for tuition purposes is generally obtained by residing and/or being gainfully employed in Texas for 12 consecutive months immediately prior to enrollment in any college or university, by being a dependent of a Texas resident (an individual who is claimed as a dependent for federal income tax purposes by the individual’s parent or legal guardian at the time of registration and for the tax year preceding the year in which the individual registers), or by being classified as a Texas Resident for the first five of the six years immediately preceding registration (not living out of the state more than 12 months immediately prior to registration).
A nonresident student may qualify to pay in-state tuition by meeting the requirements of a tuition waiver. Current tuition waiver options include but are not limited to 1) the student or his/her spouse or parent is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and their home of record is Texas; 2) the student or his/her spouse or parent is employed at least half-time by an institution of higher education in Texas as a teacher or professor; 3) the student or his/her spouse or parent has a teaching or research assistantship at any Texas institution of higher education on at least a half-time basis; 4) the student holds a competitive scholarship awarded by the University of at least $1,000 for the academic year or summer; or 5) the student or student’s family has been transferred to Texas by a company in keeping with the state’s Economic Development and Diversification Program.