Residency Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When you apply for admission, you must complete a series of questions that determines whether you meet the Residency Standards pertaining to residency classification. If your answers indicate that you are not a resident, or your answers are incomplete or seem to provide conflicting information, you will be classified as a nonresident. [return to top]

How will I be notified about my initial residency classification?

When you are admitted to OSU, you will receive a letter of admission. Your letter of admission will indicate your fee status which is your residency classification. Questions about your classification can be sent to [email protected]. [return to top]

How can I prove that I should be classified as a resident?

The first step in making a case for residency is to apply for admission. The Office of Admissions will make an initial residency assessment. If you disagree with this assessment, you may complete the DocuSign Residency Affidavit. This form is reviewed by a Residency Officer, who makes a determination about the affidavit. If the affidavit is approved, you will be classified as a resident.

If the affidavit is denied, you may appeal the decision to the Inter-institutional Residency Committee.[return to top]

How would I qualify for a change in classification?

Students seeking residency reclassification must meet the requirements of the Oregon Administrative Rules pertaining to residency. To have your residency reviewed, you must submit a completed DocuSign Residency Affidavit with appropriate documentation by the deadline for the term in which residency is sought.

What is meant by “financially independent”?

The residency regulations define financially independent as:

a) has not been claimed as a dependent during the immediately preceding tax year, and will not be claimed as a dependent during the current tax year, on the federal or state income tax returns of any other person; and

b) has not received in the immediately preceding calendar year, and will not receive during the current calendar year, one-half or more of his or her support, in cash or in kind, from another person or persons, except for support received from his or her spouse.[return to top]

If I receive information from the OSU Office of Financial Aid that indicates that I am a resident, does it mean I have been classified as a resident?

Not necessarily. The Financial Aid Office gets its initial information from your FAFSA form. If you report that you are a resident, then the Financial Aid Office will process your form as a resident. If that assessment runs counter to the Residency Officer’s assessment, then you are considered a nonresident and your financial aid offer will be recalculated. If you detect discrepancies in correspondence you receive from the Office of Admissions and the Office of Financial Aid, you should contact [email protected] for clarification.[return to top]

What are the key considerations for determining my residency classification?

Establishment of a domicile and predominant physical presence in Oregon for a period of twelve months or more prior to the beginning of the term for which residency is sought
Financial dependence on an Oregon resident or financial independence
Primary purpose for being in Oregon other than to obtain an education
Nature and source of financial resources
Various other indicia of residency (ownership of Oregon living quarters, permanent Oregon employment, payment of Oregon income taxes, etc.)

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What is meant by “domicile?”

A domicile is a person’s true, fixed, and permanent home and place of habitation. It is the place where a person intends to remain and to which the person expects to return when a person leaves without intending to establish a domicile elsewhere.[return to top]

If my parents are divorced and my father lives in Oregon, but my mother does not, can I be considered as a resident?

If you are financially dependent on the Oregon parent, and the Oregon parent has established residency, then you would be considered to be a resident. You are considered to be dependent if you have been claimed as an exemption on a parent’s state and federal tax forms.[return to top]

Does OSU participate in any reciprocity agreements with other states?

No, the OSU does not participate in any such agreement.[return to top]

Is there an exemption from out of state tuition?

No, only bona fide residents that meet the guidelines outlined in the Residency Standards will be assessed resident tuition.[return to top]

If I live just across the Oregon border, but work in Oregon and pay Oregon taxes, are my dependents or I considered residents for tuition purposes?

No, if you live out of state, you would be considered a nonresident.[return to top]

If I own property in Oregon, and pay Oregon property taxes, are my dependents or I considered residents for tuition purposes?

If you own property but do not maintain a predominant physical presence in Oregon, you will be considered a nonresident.[return to top]

If I live in a state other than Oregon, and I marry an Oregon resident, will I be considered a resident for tuition purposes?

Marriage to an Oregon resident does not grant you immediate residency. Individuals in this situation would usually be considered independent and need to meet residency qualifications pertaining to an independent person.[return to top]

If I attend an Oregon community college or other institution that classifies me as a resident, will I be considered a resident when I transfer to OSU?

You will be classified as an Oregon resident only if you meet the requirements for residency at the time you are applying for and enrolling at OSU. Previous residency classifications by community colleges or other institutions will not be carried forward to your OSU record.[return to top]

If I live in Oregon for twelve consecutive months, will I be a resident after attending as a nonresident for a year?

No, if you take more than 8 credits per term, in any term, in those first twelve months, the state will presume that your primary purpose for living in the state is for educational purposes, and you will continue to be classified as a nonresident.[return to top]

If I am not an Oregon resident, what is my state of residency?

Residency rules vary widely from state to state. We can only determine if you meet the requirements for resident classification (for tuition purposes) in Oregon. We cannot determine your true state of residency for tuition purposes.

In fact, it is possible for you to qualify as a resident of Oregon for purposes of voting or obtaining an Oregon driver’s license and not meet the residency requirements for tuition purposes. [return to top]

If I serve in the military, am I considered an Oregon resident?

Active members of the armed forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Military Reservists, and members of the Oregon National Guard) and their spouses and dependent children shall be considered residents for tuition purposes if certain conditions are met.

Members of the armed services and their spouses and dependent children who reside in Oregon while assigned to duty at any base, station, shore establishment, or other facility in Oregon, or while serving as members of the crew of a ship that has an Oregon port of shore establishment as its home port or permanent station, shall be considered residents for tuition purposes.
An Oregon resident entering the armed services retains Oregon residence classification until it is voluntarily relinquished.
An Oregon resident entering the armed services and assigned on duty outside of Oregon must return to Oregon within 6 months after completing service to retain classification as an Oregon resident.
A person who continues to reside in Oregon after separation from the armed services may count the time spent in the state while in the armed services to support a claim for classification as an Oregon resident.
For the complete residency guidelines for active members of the armed forces please see “Residence Classification of Armed Forces Personnel” in the Residency Standards.

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Can I be considered a resident if I am not a U.S. citizen?

If you are not a citizen of the United States you may be considered an Oregon resident if you meet the basic rules for residency and are one of the following:

A lawful permanent resident. The date of approval of lawful permanent residency shall be the earliest date upon which the twelve-month residency requirements may begin to accrue.
An immigrant granted refugee or political asylum in the United States. The date of approval of political asylum or refugee status shall be the earliest date upon which the twelve-month residency requirements may begin to accrue.
A person holding one of the following nonimmigrant visa classifications: A, E, G, H-1B, H-1C, the spouse or child of a person holding a H-1B or H-1C visa, I, K, L, NATO, O, R, S, T, TN, U, or V. The date of issuance of a visa for one of these classifications shall be the earliest date upon which the twelve-month residency requirements may begin to accrue. A person possessing a nonimmigrant or temporary visa that is not identified under this rule shall not be considered an Oregon resident.

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If I am a member of a Native American tribe in Oregon, do I qualify for residency?

Enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe of Oregon or enrolled members of a Native American tribe that had traditional and customary tribal boundaries that included parts of the state of Oregon or that ceded or reserved lands within the state of Oregon shall be a resident regardless of state of residence. For a complete listing of Native Americans tribes eligible for this consideration, please see "Residence Classification of Members of Oregon Tribes" in the Residency Standards.

Students seeking resident classification as a member of an Oregon Tribe should submit a DocuSign Oregon Tribal Residency Affidavit with documentation of tribal membership. For instructions on how to submit an Oregon Tribal Residency Affidavit, email the Residency Office. [return to top]

I am a U.S. citizen but my family lives outside the United States as ex-pats and our last home in the U.S. was in Oregon, will I be a resident?

A component in determining eligibility for residency is based on physical and permanent domicile in Oregon. The guidelines require a minimum of 12 consecutive months domicile immediately prior to applying for residency. At this time, the only exception for the 12 month domicile is for active duty military Oregon residents who are assigned to duty outside of Oregon, and enrolled members of certain Native American tribes in Oregon.

If your family has not been residing in Oregon for the 12 consecutive months prior to the term in which residency is sought, you would not be eligible for resident classification for tuition purposes.[return to top]

My parents recently moved to Oregon, when will I become a resident?

A financially dependent individual can apply for residency based on a parent or legal guardian who meets the residency requirements including establishment of a permanent domicile in Oregon for 12 consecutive months for purposes other than education. Once your parent or legal guardian has met the criteria to be classified as a resident, you should submit a DocuSign Residency Affidavit. [return to top]

What happens when I meet the residency requirements after the start of a term?

A student who becomes eligible for resident tuition during a term of enrollment would not qualify for resident tuition until the beginning of the next term. The student will need to submit a DocuSign Residency Affidavit for review by the deadline for the term in which residency is sought. [return to top]