Understanding Washington State Residency
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Contents: Financial dependence and independence Establishing a bona fide domicile Washington residents absent from the state Graduate and professional nonresident students Military personnel in Washington Non-citizen Washington high school graduates # Links to non-UW websites open in a new browser window. Such links are marked with a red number sign. |
To be classified or reclassified as a resident, for tuition and fee purposes, a student must establish a bona fide domicile in the state of Washington primarily for purposes other than educational for the period of one year immediately prior to classification as a resident. A nonresident student who is enrolled for more than 6 credits a quarter will be presumed to be in the state of Washington for primarily educational purposes. Such period of enrollment shall not be counted toward the establishment of a bona fide domicile of one year in this state unless the student proves that he or she has, in fact, established a bona fide domicile in this state primarily for purposes other than educational. Washington state residency guidelines are outlined in legislation. For a more detailed explanation of residence classification, please use the following links to read the relevant Revised Code of Washington and Washington Administrative Code: |
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Financial independence and dependence: A student whose parents or court appointed legal guardians do not reside in Washington must show establishment of a bona fide domicile in the State of Washington. The student must also provide documentation showing independent payment of the majority of their expenses for the previous calendar/tax year and independent payment of, or the ability to independently pay, the majority of their expenses for the calendar/tax year of the application. Students who are financially dependent upon parents or legal guardians (provide court documentation verifying the guardianship is still valid) must show that their parents/legal guardians have established a bona fide domicile in the State of Washington. The student must also provide documentation to show that they are a financial dependent claimed by the parents/legal guardians on the most recent U.S. Federal Income Tax return. Students whose parents or legal guardians (provide court documentation verifing the guardianship is still valid) are either divorced or legally separated may be classified as residents if the following conditions are met:
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Establishing a bona fide domicile: To establish domicile in the State of Washington you must provide documentation showing you meet the following guidelines:
Live in the state for 12 consecutive months as a legal resident. A legal resident is an individual who has relinquished all valid legal ties (for example, driver's license, voter registration, et cetera) with their former state of residence and established such ties in Washington in accordance with state and local legislation. Examples of other factors that might help one establish proof of domicile include: disposition of property in the former state of residence, relocation of household members, participation in local community organizations, and generally becoming involved in activities that will help prove their intent to make Washington their official place of residence. |
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Permanent U.S. Residents: If you have final approval of your Permanent Resident immigrant status, you may apply for Washington State residency if your application for adjustment to Permanent Resident status was filed at least 12 months prior to the beginning of the quarter for which you are requesting to be classified a Washington resident, and if you meet the requirements listed under Establishing a bona fide domicile (with the exception of registering to vote). Qualifying visas: You may apply for Washington State residency for tuition and fee purposes if you are on an A, E, G, I, or K visa and if you meet the requirements listed under Establishing a bona fide domicile (with the exception of registering to vote). |
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Washington residents absent from the state: Absence due to military/civil service: Washington residents who enter military/civil service while domiciled in Washington, or persons who establish a domicile while stationed here for a period of at least one year, remain residents while stationed outside of Washington if they return within one year of discharge/end of service with the intent to be domiciled in Washington. If you are seeking a residency determination for a dependent prior to discharge/end of service, you must provide documentation of your Washington domicile, the student's dependency, and proof you have maintained significant legal ties with Washington evidencing an intent to return upon discharge/end of service. Absence for educational purposes only: If you are a Washington resident who has been out of Washington to attend an out-of-state college or university, submit a completed Residence Questionnaire (available in the application section below) to our office along with the following additional documentation:
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Graduate and professional nonresident students: In July 2005, the University of Washington Regents approved an operating fee waiver, effective Autumn Quarter 2005, for nonresident graduate and professional students. This is an annual waiver of the differential between resident and nonresident tuition. The waiver is for graduate and professional students who have lived in the state for at least one year (excepting students whose visa status precludes them from establishing permanent residency) and who have applied for resident status but failed to overcome the presumption they are residing in Washington primarily for educational purposes. When applying for residency the student must submit a completed Residence Questionnaire, be able to document financial independence for the current and prior calendar years, and show 12 consecutive months of legal residency in Washington state prior to the quarter of application. Students must file a residency application annually to either become reclassified as a bona fide resident or to establish eligibility for this operating fee waiver. You can obtain the Residence Questionnaire form in the application section below. |
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American Indian students who meet the following two conditions are eligible to pay resident tuition at colleges and universities in Washington state:
If you qualify under these conditions, please download the Resident Tuition for American Indian Students form from the application section below and return it to our office with the requested supporting documents. |
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Military personnel in Washington: Active duty military personnel and Washington National Guard members stationed in Washington are eligible to pay resident tuition. The spouse and dependents of these military personnel stationed in Washington also qualify for resident tuition. To receive the resident tuition rate, download the appropriate military or National Guard form from the application section below and return it to our office with the requested supporting documents. |
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Non-citizen Washington high school graduates: A student may be eligible to pay resident tuition rates if they meet all of the following 3 criteria:
Students who meet all of the above criteria are required to provide a completed Washington Higher Education Residency Affidavit to the Admissions Office verifying they will file an application to become a U.S. Permanent Resident at the earliest opportunity. The Affidavit form is available for download from the application section below. |
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The University of Washington does not have reciprocity agreements with neighboring states for undergraduate, graduate, dental, pharmacy, or law students. There is a reciprocity program for medical students as described below. 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 with your school of choice about your tuition rate as an Idaho or Oregon student. There are exchange programs available for students who retain residency in their home state. The UW Residence Classification Office is not involved in any way with these programs. For information on these programs, students should consult the following websites: |
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* All forms in this section are PDF documents that can be opened with Adobe Acrobat. If you need a copy of the software, you can download a free copy of Acrobat Reader# from the Adobe website. To apply for a change in residence classification:
Timelines to follow for Residence Questionnaires:
Autumn Quarter 2007 = October 26, 2007 To apply for residency for tuition as a qualifying American Indian student:
To apply for residency for tuition as an active duty military member or as that member's spouse or dependent:
To apply for residency for tuition as a Washington National Guard member or as that member's spouse or dependent:
To apply for residency for tuition as a non-citizen Washington high school graduate:
> It's the student's responsibility to submit all residency documentation and respond to all inquiries from the Residence Classification Office. > If you haven't been notified of a decision on your application
for Washington State residency by the time tuition is due, it's your responsibility
to pay nonresident tuition. If a change in your residence classification
is approved, the difference between nonresident and resident tuition will
be credited to your account. If you want the money refunded, you'll need
to contact the Student Fiscal Services Office, 129 Schmitz Hall. |
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Office hours: 8am - 5pm, Monday through
Friday (except holidays). Staff is typically available during these hours
-- no
appointment necessary. In person: 264 Schmitz Hall By email: resquest@u.washington.edu By phone: 206/543.5932 By fax: 206/221.4423 By mail: Residence Classification Office By express mail: Residence Classification Office |
