Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes

At University of Central Florida, three offices are responsible for the review of residency for tuition purposes under Florida Statute 1009.21 (formerly 240.1201) and Board of Regents chapter 6C-7.005. The offices of Undergraduate Admissions and Graduate Studies determine residency for all first-time-on-campus students; thereafter the Registrar’s Office reviews student requests for changes in residency.

A first-time-on-campus student will be classified according to the information he or she includes on the application for admission, providing that no other information is available that calls into question the information contained on the application.

To qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes in accordance with State regulations, the student must be a United States citizen, resident alien, parolee, Cuban national, Vietnamese refugee, or other refugee or asylee so designated by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service,

Have established a legal residence in this state and maintained that legal residence for 12 months immediately prior to the term in which they are seeking Florida resident classification. The student’s residence in Florida must be as a bona fide domiciliary rather than for the purpose of maintaining a mere temporary residence or abode incidental to enrollment in an institution of higher education, and should be demonstrated as indicated below (for dependent students, as defined by Internal Revenue Service regulations, a parent or guardian must qualify),

Submit the following documentation (or in the case of a dependent student, the parent must submit documentation) prior to the last day of registration for the term for which resident status is sought:

1. Documentation establishing legal residence in Florida (this document must be dated at least one year prior to the first day of classes of the term for which resident status is sought). The following documents will be considered in determining legal residence:
1. Declaration of Domicile (Note: the Declaration of Domicile will support a claim of residency for tuition purposes only after a period of 12 months from the date that the Clerk of the Court notes that the declaration was sworn and subscribed to them.)
2. Proof of purchase of a home in Florida in which the student resides;
3. Proof that the student has maintained residence in the state for the preceding year (e.g., rent receipts, employment records).
2. Documentation establishing bona fide domicile in Florida which is not temporary or merely incidental to enrollment in a Florida institution of higher education. The following documents will be considered evidence of domicile even though no one of these criteria, if taken alone, will be considered as conclusive evidence of domicile:
1. Declaration of Domicile;
2. Florida voter registration;
3. Florida vehicle registration;
4. Florida driver license;
5. Proof of real property ownership in Florida (e.g., deed, tax receipts);
6. Verification of permanent employment in Florida by the employer, employment records, or other employmentrelated documentation (e.g., W-2 paycheck receipts), other than for employment normally provided on a temporary basis to students or other temporary employment. The document must show 12 consecutive months of Florida employment prior to the first day of classes of the term for which the student requests Florida residency;
7. Proof of membership in or affiliation with community or state organizations or significant connections to the State;
8. Proof of continuous presence in Florida during periods when not enrolled as a student;
9. Proof of former domicile in Florida and maintenance of significant connections while absent;
10. Proof of reliance upon Florida sources of support;
11. Proof of domicile in Florida of family;
12. Proof of admission to a licensed practicing profession in Florida;
13. Any other factors peculiar to the individual that tend to establish the necessary intent to make Florida a permanent home and that the individual is a bona fide Florida resident, including the age and general circumstances of the individual;
14. Proof of graduation from a high school located in Florida.
3. No contrary evidence establishing residence elsewhere;
4. Documentation of dependent/independent status (notarized copy of most recent IRS tax return) Or Be married to a person who has been a legal resident of the State of Florida for the required 12-month period and relinquish legal ties to any other state, Or Be a member of the Armed Forces on active duty stationed in Florida, or a spouse or dependent, Or Be a member of the full-time instructional or administrative staff of a state public school, community college, or university in Florida, a spouse or dependent, Or Be a dependent and have lived five years with an adult relative, who has established legal residence in Florida, Or Be a person who was enrolled as a Florida resident for tuition purposes at a Florida institution of higher education, but who abandoned Florida residency and then reenrolled in Florida with 12 months of the abandonment, Or Be a full-time Latin American or Caribbean student who receives scholarships from the federal or state government, Or Be a United States citizen living on the Isthmus of Panama who has completed 12 consecutive months of college work at the Florida State University Panama Canal Branch, or a spouse or dependent, Or Be a graduate student of the Southern Regional Education Board’s Academic Common Market attending Florida’s state universities, Or Be a full-time employee of a state agency or political subdivision of the state when the student fees are paid by the state agency or political subdivision for the purpose of job-related law enforcement or corrections training, Or Be a U.S. Citizen who is a McKnight Doctoral Fellowship recipient, Or Be a qualified beneficiary under the Florida Pre-paid Post-secondary Expense Program per s.240.551(7)(a), Or Be an active duty member of the Canadian military residing or stationed in this state under the North American Air Defense (NORAD) agreement, or a spouse or dependent

Submit a statement as to the length of residence in Florida and their residency qualifications under the above criteria. Students requesting Florida residency for tuition purposes shall apply to the appropriate admissions office if they have not yet enrolled, or to the Registrar’s Office if they already are enrolled.