Residency

Establishing Texas Residency

Under Texas state law, an applicant or enrolled student is classified either as a resident of Texas, a nonresident, or a foreign student. Residency for admission and tuition purposes at a public college or university in Texas is different from residency for voting or taxation purposes.

To qualify as a Texas resident, an individual must reside in Texas for 12 continuous months and establish a domicile in Texas the 12 months prior to census date. An applicant or student who is claimed as a dependent on a parent's most recent federal tax return will be classified based on the parent's qualifications for residency.

International students eligible to establish legal domicile in Texas may also qualify for Texas residency status; see the Residency FAQ for details.

If you are classified as a nonresident and feel you meet residency requirements, you may petition for reclassification by completing the Residency Core Questions prior to the first day of class for the current term.

Due to the changing nature of residency requirements, please review any updates or changes at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Website.

* Students enrolling during the 2006-2007 academic term will need documentation that states the student is continuing their higher education enrollment and was classified by the previous institution as a resident. (No core questions required.)