QUALIFYING FOR UTAH RESIDENCY FOR TUITION PURPOSES

NOTICE: Application and proof of residency -- DEADLINE: 09/14/2009 @ 5pm MTN Time

FOR MOST STUDENTS

  1. Reside in Utah for 12 continuous months (cannot leave the state for longer than 30 days).
  2. Not claimed as a dependent on the tax returns of a person who is not a resident of Utah. Must provide proof (first page of parent tax return showing that student was not claimed).
  3. Take steps to establish intent to become a resident of Utah, for example obtaining a Utah driver’s license. Need to make copies of documentation to accompany application.
  4. Submit an application for residency within 15 days after the beginning of each semester.

HOW TO APPLY

  • Complete the application and either drop it by the Registrars Office, fax to (435) 656-4005, or mail to DSC Registrars Office, 225 S 700 E, St. George, UT 84770.
  • Include documentation! We need proof that you are intending to reside in Utah permanently.
  • Make copies of as much of the following as possible:
    • Utah drivers license
    • Utah vehicle registration
    • Utah pay stubs
    • Rent receipts
    • Utah bank account proof
    • Utah voter registration
    • If based on parent or spouse move to Utah, also need parent/spouse Utah drivers license, proof of housing (power bill, rent receipt, etc.).
    • If based on marrying a Utah resident, also need copy of marriage license.
    • If based upon permanent offer of employment, need letter from employer.

ADDITIONAL WAYS TO QUALIFY

  • A family moves to Utah for employment purposes. The spouse and children are immediately eligible for Utah residency. Must provide proof of employment.
  • A person who can demonstrate that they have moved to Utah due to an employer-requested transfer to Utah, recruitment by a Utah employer, or comparable full-time employment move to Utah may be eligible.

    Supporting proof includes:

    • dates when employment was considered, offered, and accepted
    • date when the person moved to Utah
    • date when the person applied for admission (cannot be sooner than 4 months after the move)
    • evidence that person is independent (at least 24 years old, not a dependent on another's tax returns)
    • other factors showing abandonment of another domicile and evidence of a new domicile in Utah

    The burden of proof is on the individual, and a person will likely not qualify if they applied for admission prior to the employment offer, or prior to 4 months from moving to the state.

  • A student who marries a Utah resident is immediately eligible for Utah residency following the marriage (in addition to other documentation, copy of marriage license is mandatory). Please note that this provision only applies to students who are marrying current Utah residents.
  • A student’s parents are divorced or separated and at least one of the parents is a legal Utah resident.
  • A student who is receiving state social services benefits, which assist in paying tuition, are eligible for residency. A letter from the social services agency is needed along with the application and other supporting documentation showing permanency. Their eligibility is discontinued when the agency is no longer providing financial assistance.
  • United States Armed Forces personnel may be eligible - Individuals who are on "active duty" in Utah, have declared Utah as their "home of record" (on LES), were Utah residents prior to active duty deployment (and return to Utah within 90 days of release), or active members of the Utah National Guard.
  • Extenuating circumstances - A person who has established domicile in Utah for child care obligations or extenuating financial/health reasons related to his or her divorce, the death of a spouse, or long-term health care needs or responsibilities related to the student's health, or the health of an immediate family member (spouse, parent, sibling, child). Proof must be provided that move to Utah was, in good faith, based on such extenuating circumstances.
  • A Native American whose reservation or trust lands are either in Utah or in a state which is contiguous with Utah. Must provide tribal roll ID.
  • A Utah High School graduate who leaves the state, is not given residency in another state, and returns to Utah within 4 years may be eligible.
  • For additional exceptions, see http://www.utahsbr.edu/hel02d.html

WHO IS NOT QUALIFIED

  • The parents or student own property in Utah, but do not physically reside in Utah.
  • Student attended high school in Utah, but parents moved to another state prior to the student graduating from high school in Utah.
  • Parents or student work in Utah but physically reside outside of Utah.
  • Aliens who are present in the United States on a visitor, student, or other visa which authorize only temporary presence in the country.
  • Western Undergraduate Exchange students. The time spent while the student is taking advantage of the WUE program cannot be used towards becoming eligible for residency.
  • Grandparents or other relatives of the student reside in Utah, but the student's parents do not.