The tuition charge for persons who have been legal residents of North
Carolina for at least 12 months is less than for
non-residents. Out-of-state students are admitted under the same
regulations as others except for tuition charged.
I. General
- To qualify for in-state tuition a legal resident must have
maintained living quarters in North
Carolina for at least twelve months immediately prior to
classification as a resident for tuition
purposes. G.S. 116-143.1 of the N.C. State Statutes covers
the requirements for determining resident status for tuition
purposes. In order to be eligible for such
classification, the individual must establish that presence in
the state during the twelve-month period was for the purpose
of maintaining or establishing a home. The
establishment of a residence solely for tuition purposes
is unacceptable. The burden of establishing facts which
justify classification
of a student as a resident entitled to in-state tuition rates
is on the applicant. Decisions by school
officials will be based on the requirements of the General
Statutes of North Carolina and the regulations specified in a
Manual to Assist the Public Higher
Education Institutions for North Carolina in the Matter of Student
Residence Classification for Tuition Purposes. The residency
status form is part of the application;
however, applicants will be required to complete a more in-depth
form if additional information is needed.
II. Burden of Proof
- The burden of establishing facts which justify classification of a
minor student as a resident entitled to
in-state tuition is on the individual seeking enrollment. Proof
is controlled by two laws:
- If the parents or guardians of the minor student are not legal
residents, the student will likewise be
considered a non-resident. The student must assume
the burden of proving otherwise by showing evidence that
he/she independently established a
residence in North Carolina.
- If the parents of the minor student are legal residents of North
Carolina, such fact shall be
sufficient proof of residence. If the student has neither
parents nor legal guardians, this clause
does not apply.
III. Military Personnel
- The residence of a person employed by the federal government is
not necessarily affected by assignment in
or out of North Carolina. No person shall lose his/her
in-state status by serving the armed forces outside North
Carolina.
IV. Change of Status
- A student admitted to initial enrollment in an institution will be
classified by that institution for tuition
purposes before actual enrollment. A residence classification
once assigned may be changed thereafter only at intervals
corresponding with the primary
divisions of the academic calendar. The same is true if the student
reenrolls following an absence from the
college program which involved a formal withdrawal from enrollment.
V. Property and Taxes
- Ownership of property in or payments of taxes to the State of
North Carolina apart from legal residence
will not qualify one for in-state tuition.
VI. Responsibility of Student
- Any student or prospective student who is in doubt as to his/her
residence classification bears the
responsibility of securing a ruling by stating his/her
case in writing to the Admissions Officer. A student who
secures a change in residency status bears
the responsibility of immediately informing the Office of
Admissions.
VII. Appeals of Ruling of Admissions Office
- A student appeal of a classification decision may be filed in
writing by the student with the Admissions
Officer. The appeal will be transmitted to the Admissions
Committee by that officer who will not vote in that committee
on the appeal. The student will be
notified of the date set for consideration of the appeal and,
on request of the student, he/she will be afforded an
opportunity to appear and be heard. The
student may appeal the committee’s decision to the State Residence
Committee by filing his/her appeal in writing to the
chairperson of the Admissions Committee
within ten days.