Residency

Basic “In-State” Requirements

THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR RESIDENCY IS 30 CALENDAR DAYS OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE TERM.

If a residency decision is determined after fees are due, your account will be adjusted according to the change.  You are still responsible for paying tuition and fees by the posted deadline. Specific dates can be found on the Academic Calendar.

Please Note: There is no retroactive backdating for residency to previous quarters.

Basic requirements for an “In-State” Residency Status is a student who is:

• Financially INDEPENDENT (see Financial Dependence/Independence) for the previous and current calendar years AND has established and maintained a Washington domicile for primary reasons other than education for the 12 months preceding the term of enrollment; or
• Financially DEPENDENT during the previous and current calendar years AND has a parent/legal guardian who has established and maintained a Washington domicile for the 12 months preceding the term of enrollment; or
• There are several other groups that may qualify for in-state tuition (see Exceptions)

To be eligible to establish a Washington state Domicile, a person must:

• be a US citizen
• permanent resident, or
• hold a qualifying visa or
• other qualifying status such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
• or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Qualifying Visas

Students who hold a qualifying visa (A, E, G, H, I, K, or L), and have applied for the visa for at least 12 months prior to the quarter of application, may be eligible for residency for tuition purposes. Please reference Establish Washington Domicile for details on establishing bona fide domicile.

Students must complete the Residence Questionnaire and provide the following documentation along with the form:

1. Proof of establishing bona fide domicile.
2. A copy of the qualifying visa.

H, E, or L Visas

Students Applying for Residency Based on Their Spouse Working in Washington:

Documentation to provide:

1. Residence Questionnaire – Students complete both page 1 and 2 with their information, not the spouse’s information.
2. Proof of establishing a domicile in Washington for 12 months. This documentation will be of the student, not the working spouse. View Establish Washington Domicile for more information.
3. A copy of the student’s visa.
4. A copy of the working spouse’s visa.
5. Proof of spouse’s employment in Washington for 12 months.

Note: A married student’s and spouse’s financial resources are considered to be the same in terms of determining financial independence/dependence.

Students Applying for Residency Whose Parent Works in Washington:

Documentation to provide:

1. Residence Questionnaire – Students complete page 1, and parents complete page 2 of the form.
2. Proof of parent establishing domicile in Washington for 12 months.
3. A copy of the student’s visa.
4. A copy of working parent’s visa.
5. Proof of parent’s employment in Washington for 12 months.
6. A copy of the parent’s most recent tax return showing the student is claimed as a dependent.

*Certain visa types (e.g. B, C, D, F, J, M) are incompatible with establishing domicile because they preclude the intent to remain in Washington.

Undocumented students may also qualify for in-state tuition by submitting a Washington Residency Affidavit.  Go to Citizenship/Immigration Status for more information regarding how citizenship/immigration status affects residency.

Financial Dependence or Independence

A student’s financial status is significant when determining residency.  A financially independent student can establish residency based on the location and duration of his/her own domicile, while a financially dependent student’s residency status will be based on one or both of their parent’s/legal guardian’s domicile.  The burden of proof regarding financial dependence/independence lies with the student.  See WAC 250-18-035. Note: Financial independence for residency purposes is determined SEPARATELY from financial independence for financial aid.

Students are financially dependent if they are:

• claimed as dependents on their parent’s/legal guardian’s tax forms for the last year, or receive significant financial support* during the current or previous calendar year.
• has spent at least seventy-five percent of both junior and senior years in high school in this state, who has at least one parent or legal guardian who had been domiciled in the state for a period of at least one year within the five-year period before the student graduates from high school, and who has enrolled in an institution within six months of leaving high school. The student shall retain resident student status so long as the student remains continuously enrolled for three quarters or two semesters in any calendar year.
• Example: Fall 2022 starts on 8/22/22. To be eligible for Fall 2022 residency, the parent must move to Washington state no later than 8/22/21.

You must complete the Financial Dependence Residency Questionnaire, include the required documentation, and complete this checklist with initials for your Residency Questionnaire to be reviewed. Submitting the Residency Questionnaire, this checklist, and any supporting documentation does not guarantee residency for tuition purposes.

Domicile Requirement

Residency for Tuition Purposes requires three basic actions from the parent/legal guardian:

• Move to or live in Washington state for reasons other than education, AND
• Establish a domicile. Surrender previous state documents and obtain Washington documents, including identification, voter registration (if desired), and vehicle registration (if you drive), AND
• Wait 12 months from the date of moving to Washington or the date of last action to establish a domicile, whichever is later.

Students are considered financially dependent when they are claimed on someone else’s federal income taxes and/or they receive more than half of their support from another person. The residency of a financially dependent student is based on the domicile of the student’s parent/step-parent or legal guardian, not the domicile of the student. It does not matter where the student lives. It is possible for a student to be considered a resident in more than one state when parents are separated or divorced.

Students are financially independent if they are:

• not claimed as a dependent on their parent’s/legal guardian’s tax forms for the last year AND do not receive significant financial support* from family during the current and previous calendar year AND have income** to cover the majority of tuition and living expenses for the current and previous calendar year.

You must complete the Financial Independence Residency Questionnaire, include the required documentation, and complete this checklist with initials for your Residency Questionnaire to be reviewed. Submitting the Residency Questionnaire, this checklist, and any supporting documentation does not guarantee residency for tuition purposes.

Domicile Requirement

Residency for Tuition Purposes requires three basic actions:

• Move to Washington state for reasons other than education, AND
• Establish a domicile. Surrender previous state documents and obtain Washington documents, including identification, voter registration (if desired), and vehicle registration (if you drive) within 30 days, AND
• Wait 12 months from the date of moving to Washington or the date of last action to establish a domicile, whichever is later.

Requirements for residency for tuition purposes

• Meet domicile requirements, AND
• Meet financially independent requirements, including:
  • Not claimed as a dependent by anyone on federal IRS income tax returns for the current and prior calendar year, AND
  • Provide documentation of personal financial resources of at least 51% of the EWU Non-Resident Estimated Cost of Attendance for the calendar year prior to the term you are seeking residency, AND
  • Provide documentation of personal financial resources of at least 51% of the EWU Resident Estimated Cost of Attendance for the current calendar year.

Note: If you are 24 years of age or younger, you will need to demonstrate that you are NOT claimed on your parent’s/legal guardian’s taxes by submitting a copy of the first page of their tax return.

*Significant financial assistance is usually defined as more than what the student provides through their income.

**Financial aid, grants, scholarships, and loans authorized by the financial aid office in the student’s name may be considered as personal income. A spouse’s income may also be counted.

***Private loans (from friends, family, or third parties, etc.) cannot be counted towards income.

Documents that may be required to show one’s financial status include:

• the individual’s sworn statement;
• state and federal income tax returns from current and previous year;
• W-2 forms:
• other documented financial resources;
• evidence of coverage for medical, life, automobile and property insurance.

Establish Washington Domicile

To be considered a Washington resident for tuition purpose, you must establish that Washington is your one and true bona fide domicile.  Before a bona fide domicile can be established, an individual must complete all basic requirements that a legal Washington resident is required to do by law.  To be considered a resident for tuition purposes, individuals must:

1. Physically reside in Washington for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the term they are seeking residency for reasons other than education. (See Presumption below).
2. Demonstrate that Washington is your one and true bona fide domicile by completing the actions below.
3. Relinquish all ties to your former state.

Note: The 12 month period begins once all residency actions have been taken.

Steps leading to Washington domicile include:

• obtaining a Washington driver’s license or identification card (Note: residents of Washington State are required to replace their previous state’s driver’s license with a Washington driver’s license/identification card within 30 days of arrival to Washington. Go to the Washington State Department of Licensing  for more information);
• registering one’s vehicle or paying taxes on other property (Note: residents of Washington State are required to register their vehicles within 30 days of arrival to Washington.  Go to the Washington State Department of Licensing for more information);
• working full-time in Washington;
• using Washington residence information on federal and state income tax returns (If you need a copy of your federal income tax return, please go to the Internal Revenue Services );
• registering to vote (See Washington Secretary of State’s Elections & Voting  for more information);
• purchasing a home, signing a rental agreement, or providing other evidence of physically residing in Washington;
• opening a Washington bank account. Existing bank account(s) prior to arriving in Washington is sufficient as long as one’s name and Washington address are associated with the account and documented;
• becoming a member in a professional, business, civic, or other organization;
• receiving benefits under a Washington state public assistance program (e.g. housing assistance, food assistance like SNAP and WIC)

For a full list of factors used to determine one’s domicile, click here. Domicile is not determined by one single factor, but on the individual’s overall situation. Documentation of evidence of one’s domicile is required when submitting the residency questionnaire.

Ties to Your Former State
To be considered a resident for tuition purposes, you cannot be receiving or accessing benefits that require you to be a resident of another state.  Some examples of benefits that may negate establishing residency: WUE tuition benefits (Western Undergraduate Exchange)*, driver’s license or car registration from another state, Hunting/Fishing license from another state, in-state tuition benefits from another state, unemployment benefits from another state, Medicaid from another state, etc.)

*Your time receiving this award cannot be used toward fulfilling the 12 month domicile requirement for establishing Washington residency.

Presumption of Non-Residency While Attending School
A presumption exists in WAC 250-18-030 which states that a financially independent, nonresident student attending more than 6 credits per term is presumed to be in Washington for primarily educational purposes and should not count this time toward establishing Washington domicile.  The student must demonstrate that he or she has established a bona fide domicile in Washington primarily for reasons other than education.

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Request a Residency Status Review

If you believe you were assigned an incorrect residency status, or if you believe your status has changed since the time of admission.

• File a Residency Questionnaire by the 30th calendar day of the term.
• You MUST include supporting documentation. The burden of proof for demonstrating residency lies with the student.
• Supporting documentation includes:
  • Previous year’s tax return (and current year’s pay stubs) to determine financial independence or dependence
  • Parent’s previous year’s tax return (if 24 years old or younger)
  • Housing documentation for prior 12 months
  • Driver’s license
  • Voter registration
  • Vehicle registration
  • Other documents as needed
  • If financially dependent, the supporting documentation should belong to the parent or legal guardian
• Applications received after the 30th calendar day will be reviewed for the following term.

*Please note, the normal processing time is 2-4 weeks. Residency applications submitted without all required documentation, or in the event the Residency Officer must request additional documentation due to unclear situation, all paperwork must be received by Records and Registration no later than the deadline stated in the request. If documentation is received after that day, the application is considered “incomplete” and will not be reviewed further for the current term.

Prior to Scheduling an Appointment

• Students are encouraged to thoroughly review the topics and content within this website before making an in-person appointment.
• All necessary forms/applications, as well as the answers to most basic questions about the requirements and processes, are provided within.
• During high-demand times, appointment length is limited to 15 minutes — be prepared with a list of specific questions to make the most of the appointment time.

Appointments

Advising appointments are held via Zoom/In person. Be sure to check your email before the scheduled appointment for meeting information.

Residency Documents

• Submission of Residency Questionnaires, Residency Affidavits, and all tuition waiver eligibility forms and documentation should be done via in person or regonline@ewu.edu for the quarter you are applying for.

What to Expect During a Residency Appointment

The primary role of the Residency officer is to determine whether students have demonstrated that they have met the requirements to be classified as a Washington State resident for tuition purposes. Information and clarifications are provided about how the requirements and processes for students to demonstrate their residency may apply to particularly complicated circumstances. However, we cannot tell students how to become a resident, make a residency determination, or project the outcome of a residency application during an appointment.

Parents and Relatives

The Residency officer will not discuss a student’s residency status or application with anyone other than the student. Please have the student schedule an appointment.

Schedule an Appointment

Please contact the Residency Coordinator in the Records and Registration Office if you have further questions. Email regonline@ewu.edu to schedule an appointment. Include 3-4 times that you would be available. Appointment times are 15 minutes in length. Records and Registration goal is to respond to email inquiries within 5 business days. For pressing or complicated advising questions, please schedule an appointment with the subject line “Residency Meeting Proposal”. 

Military Personnel and Dependents

 Please review the Veterans Resource Center website for information about resident tuition for:

• Active Duty Military Stationed in Washington
• Dependents of Current and Former Service Members
• Veterans
• Washington National Guard Members

*Note that students who are residents through the uniformed services forms above are not eligible for state aid programs such as Washington College Grant or College Bound.

If you are a Washington resident who is also a military member stationed outside of Washington, please read the following information about how to apply for residency using the Residency Questionnaire.

Washington Military Members Stationed Elsewhere

If you are a Washington resident who either entered the military while domiciled in Washington, or you established a domicile while stationed in Washington for a period of at least one year, you will remain a resident while stationed outside of Washington as long as you:

• Return within one year (12 months) of discharge/end of service with the intent to be domiciled in Washington.
• Maintain all legal ties in Washington.

To apply as a military member (or dependent) who are Washington State resident but stationed in another state or overseas:

1. Complete the appropriate Establish Washington Domicile
2. Provide documentation of the active duty military member’s state of legal residence (L.E.S. – Leave and Earnings Statement).
   • The military member will need to provide a copy of their current L.E.S. and L.E.S. from 12 months prior to the quarter of application for residency.
3. Provide documentation showing that Washington legal ties have been maintained while being stationed elsewhere. At least three of the following must be provided:
   • Driver’s License
   • Voter’s Registration
   • Vehicle Registration
   • Bank Account
   • Property Ownership

For additional information on military-related residency benefits, please contact:

Veterans Resource Center
Lena M. Tanguay | VA School Certifying Official
US Navy Veteran – 509.359.6592

M. David Millet | Director
US  Army Veteran – 509.359.2461

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Exceptions

Exceptions for American Indians

Federally Recognized Indian Tribes

Want to know if you qualify? Take our quick American Indian Residency Quiz!

American Indian students who meet the following two conditions are eligible to pay resident tuition:

1. for a period of one year immediately preceding the term of enrollment, students must have been domiciled in one or a combination of the following state: Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington;
2. students must be a member of one of the federally recognized Indian tribes whose traditional and customary tribal boundaries included portions of the state of Washington or whose tribe was granted reserved lands within the state of Washington. 

Students who meet this exception, please provide Records & Registration with your Tribal Card for review. Students can submit a copy in person, online or fax 509.359.6153.

Residency Affidavit

You can qualify for residency using the affidavit if you meet all the following conditions:

1. You have received a high school diploma (or equivalent).
2. You maintained a primary residence in Washington for at least 12 consecutive months immediately before your first term at the college determining residency. The Washington residence must be for purposes other than college. If you take any courses at another Washington college during the prior 12 months, you cannot have taken more than six credits in any given term. If you exceed that limit you must prove that you have a Washington residence for non-college reasons.
3. You will affirm that you are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or that you will file an application to become a permanent resident of the United States as soon as you are eligible to apply.

 Absence for Educational Purposes Only

Students who are Washington residents and have been absent due to attending an out-of-state college/university will need to complete the Residence Questionnaire process.

Documentation to provide along with the Residence Questionnaire:

1. Proof that student has maintained all Washington legal ties and did not take steps to establish domicile in another state.
2. Verification that student resided in Washington for a minimum of one year (12 months) prior to leaving the state for educational purposes.
3. Documentation from the out-of-state college/university verifying student’s continuous enrollment as a non-resident, paying non-resident tuition. If the student attended a private college/university, only verification of continuous enrollment is required.

Other Exceptions

Other exceptions may exist for those who have moved outside of Washington on a temporary sojourn or for educational purposes and those who completed 75% of their junior and senior year in a Washington state high school but whose parents have moved out of Washington.

Washington Residents Absent from State

Absence Due to Military/Civil Service

Washington residents, who enter the military/civil service while domiciled in Washington or established a domicile while stationed in Washington for a period of at least one year, will maintain resident status while being stationed outside of Washington if they:

• Return within one year (12 months) of discharge/end of service with the intent to be domiciled in Washington.
• Maintain all legal ties in Washington.

Border States

Individual community colleges and four-year universities within the Idaho and Oregon border regions may, at their discretion, offer residency rates to border state students. Please inquire directly with the school of choice regarding tuition rates as Idaho or Oregon students.