Residency Status

In-State/Out-of-State status for tuition purposes is determined according to Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education policy.

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Initial In-State/Out-of-State Classification

Initial status is granted at the time of admissions based off of the information and documentation provided at the time of admission.

 

• Dependendent Students

  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), his or her 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.

   

  If you have a non-custodial parent (one who you normally don’t live with) who is a resident of Oklahoma, you may be classified as an in-state student once a petition and statement with supporting documentation of primary care, custody, and support are submitted by the parent residing in Oklahoma. If you have extenuating circumstances and a family member (other than a parent) supports and claims you as a dependent for tax purposes and is an Oklahoma resident, he or she may petition on your behalf by providing supporting documentation in the Petition for In-state Status.

   

  Resident status is based on the location of your permanent domicile. This is considered to be your 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.

• Independent Students

  An independent person may be eligible for in-state status at his or her next term of enrollment once he or she has 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 he or she has provided for his or her own care and support, and can satisfactorily prove that he or she has come to Oklahoma to establish domicile. Domicile is a person's true, fixed, permanent home or habitation. It is the place where he or she intends to remain and to which he or she expects to return. A person can have more than one residence, but only one domicile.

• International Students

  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.

   

  Documented foreign nationals with visas other than lawful permanent resident status are not eligible for in-state tuition as their stay is considered temporary. 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.

   

  In accordance with Oklahoma House Bill 1804, students who cannot present OSU-OKC 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-OKC.

 

Residency Reclassification

Students can petition for reclassification of this initial status by submitting the Petition for In-State Status Form along with supporting documentation of that status. In-state reclassification (and associated in-state tuition) is not granted on a retroactive basis. It is the student’s responsibility to petition for re-classification once he or she has met the “Basic Definition of Resident Status” after living in Oklahoma for one year.

 

Note: It is still possible to lose your residency status. This can happen if you establish residency in another state or if you are absent from Oklahoma for twelve months for purposes other than education. You will also lose your residency if OSU-OKC finds your resident status was granted on the basis of false or misleading information.