stupid in-state rules

[rustonite]

I've discovered that it's actually possible to be a US citizen, but not qualify for in-state tuition in any state. Four years ago I moved to Louisiana from Massachusetts to attend school. At about the same time, I had to switch my driver's license, voter registration, etc. to Louisiana because my parents moved out of Massachusetts and I no longer had an address there.

Now I've applied to LSU for my PhD, and been told I likely don't qualify for in-state tuition because I've been enrolled in school the entire time I've lived here- I'm going to have to file an appeal, and that will probably fail. On a whim, I e-mailed UMass Amherst to see if I'd qualify for in-state tuition in Massachusetts (I didn't apply there, but I was curious). Turns out I wouldn't qualify there either, because as far as Massachusetts is concerned, I've been a resident of Louisiana for the past four years.

The word I have right now for this situation is LAME. If I end up at LSU (which is my fall-back school) and have to pay them out of state fees, I'll be using a much harsher word.

[miratrix]

That is pretty stupid. And really annoying. The MA rules kill me, too, because I will have been a resident for 11 months next September and to qualify for in-state, you have to have been a resident for 12 (I was abroad until October last year). Seems a bit unfair given that I've served for freaking jury duty in this state!

You do have hope in that some fellowships and assistantships automatically give you in-state rates no matter where you're from (I guess since they're paying for tuition anyway), so it would be good if you got offered one of those.

[rising_star]

Most of the time, you get out-of-state tuition remission with a fellowship, TA, or RA position so it's really not a big deal. I can never qualify for in-state where I'm doing my PhD but I don't worry about it because my TA position comes with full tuition remission.

[yivorechecho]

That sucks. I really don't understand how you can't be a resident of ANY state. It doesn't make logical sense to me.

I'm a Maryland resident whose undergrad is in Minnesota. I somehow voted in the Minnesota primaries without ever actually registering to vote in Minnesota. I then used my Maryland registration to vote absentee in the general election. I think I might have inadvertently committed voter fraud somehow.

But as others have said, you should probably be saved by tuition remission from a TAship or something, since they bill that at in-state rates. The problem would come if you lost that.

[rising_star]

Just to clarify, we're not saying you can't be a resident. Just that you can't be a resident for in-state tuition purposes. Does that make sense?

[Tinyboss]

Even the smallest scholarship often carries an out-of-state waiver. I got a $1,000 scholarship to one of my schools that provides such a waiver. Not that I can afford to go anywhere without full funding anyway...

[sweetiemb]

I'm wondering about some stuff in regards to the in-state versus out-of-state tuition as well, and now that it could be possible to not be a resident of ANY state...

Right now my husband and I live in and are residents of Wisconsin. I got accepted into and will be attending grad school in Minnesota, and we plan to move there and settle down, my husband finding work and all. I know that WI and MN have a reciprocity agreement, so of course I'm going to apply for reciprocity to avoid out-of-state costs (with reciprocity, I'll pay about the same as a MN resident). I know, though, that once my husband and I move, we don't become MN residents for 12 months (I know it would be tricky with me being a student the whole time, but I know that if he worked full time for 12 months, that would qualify him as a resident, and I'll be married to him, so I'd qualify too), but what happens to our WI residency? Sorry, I don't know how this works--do I lose it and am not a resident of any state and pay out-of-state tuition?! That would suck! Or do I keep my WI residency and then after 12 months of being in MN switch to MN residency?

[rustonite]

you need to ask the bursar (or whatever they call the office where you pay your bill) what the school's policy is on residency. it's typically NOT the same as residency for drivers' licenses, voting and all that jazz. it's also often different for grad students vs. undergrads.

[Tumbleweed]

I ran into the same thing with Texas. For all practical purposes I should be considered a 'Texas resident'. I have a TX driver's license, voter registration, and have maintained a professional license there for around 5 years; however, because I was living overseas for the last two years I cannot be considered 'in-state' for tuition purposes. So, apparently, I am without state residency as well.

[TulipOHare]

Some schools (Maryland, in my case) not only want you to prove that you've lived in the state for the last 12 months, but also to demonstrate that you don't intend to leave the state after you graduate. Insane.

[fortiesgirl]

I am a resident of PA. I own a home here and have for the past 12 months. When I applied to a certain state school in PA, they listed me as "non-resident," indicating that I would not be eligible for in-state tuition. So I guess the fact that my husband and I pay property taxes, local city taxes, and oodles of other state taxes aren't enough to cut me a break and give me in-state tuition. Sheesh!

[Reinventing]

Did you fill out a special form fortiesgirl, to declare your residency? I'd follow the appeals process, if you can do that.

I've found this whole financial aid process to be about as clear as mud. I was hoping to get a merit assistantship with tuition waiver, thereby bypassing the need for loans. I didn't fill out the FAFSA right away. Then I learned that for many of the assistantships, you had to have financial need (rushed to fill out the FAFSA, crossing my fingers). I also found some assistantships where I needed to be a resident to apply (bummer for my out-of-state schools). I feel like I'm finding out something and unexpected about this process daily.

[ElusiveMuse]

Some schools (Maryland, in my case) not only want you to prove that you've lived in the state for the last 12 months, but also to demonstrate that you don't intend to leave the state after you graduate. Insane.

That is insane! So are they going to offer you a job then?

My brother is actually having a bit of difficulty with undergrad residency for U of Maryland. He is just out of the military and our parents don't live at his original home of record so he's in the same resident-less boat.

[kahlan_amnell]

Some schools (Maryland, in my case) not only want you to prove that you've lived in the state for the last 12 months, but also to demonstrate that you don't intend to leave the state after you graduate. Insane.

California also wants people to prove they intend to stay in the state after they graduate. Perhaps this requirement might make sense for undergrads, but for people getting Ph.D.s? Don't they know that people looking for academic positions generally can't afford to be picky about where they will work? There are lots of other odd requirements to be a California resident for tuition purposes that make the requirement seem more like proving your loyalty to the state than proving your residency. I'm sorta glad I didn't get into UCSB so I don't have to deal with that hassle.

[Reinventing]

I considered working at a CA university, and they make you sign this form attesting your loyalty to the state, as though you were accepting a high political office, etc. Very strange.

[TulipOHare]

That is insane! So are they going to offer you a job then?

Job? Hell, I haven't even been accepted. Grr.

In contrast, Temple's process for PA residency, over the phone:

"How long have you lived in Pennsylvania?"

"I came here for college in 2001 and moved here full time in 2005."

"Can you give me an approximate date for when you first started living in Pennsylvania full time?"

"Uh, August 5th, 2005."

"OK."

... and my online profile says "Resident." I can only assume I'll have to fill out some forms at some point, but that was pretty cool.

[fortiesgirl]

Job? Hell, I haven't even been accepted. Grr.

In contrast, Temple's process for PA residency, over the phone:

"How long have you lived in Pennsylvania?"

"I came here for college in 2001 and moved here full time in 2005."

"Can you give me an approximate date for when you first started living in Pennsylvania full time?"

"Uh, August 5th, 2005."

"OK."

... and my online profile says "Resident." I can only assume I'll have to fill out some forms at some point, but that was pretty cool.

Hmmm... that's interesting because it's Temple that has me listed as a non-resident despite the fact that I own a home in PA and pay taxes here both for residence and employment! It makes no sense whatsoever!

[teaganc]

The worst in-state rules are ones that demand that you not only live in a state for 12 months, but that you live there for 12 months NOT as a full-time student. If you live there for 12 months, make money, pay taxes, pay rent, and buy things to support the local economy, why does it matter that you are a student during that time?

Some states (New Jersey, for one, and maybe CA?) recognize this and allow you to have in-state residency after the first 12 months of living there, even as a student, which makes more sense. But I support abolishing the concept of out-of-state tuition.

[rising_star]

I considered working at a CA university, and they make you sign this form attesting your loyalty to the state, as though you were accepting a high political office, etc. Very strange.

A lot of states require that.

[kahlan_amnell]

A lot of states require that.

Which other ones? I've only heard of it in California, but perhaps that is just because it makes the news when people refuse to sign it. I haven't heard of people in other states having issues with loyalty oaths.

[rising_star]

I know for sure that Georgia and Arizona both require it.