Policy 210.20 - Procedures for Student Residency Classification for Admission, Tuition and Charge-Differential Purposes

  This Replaces
File: 210.20 210.20
Date: 4/9/08 1/29/07

Originator: Provost and Chief Academic Officer

SUBJECT: Procedures for Student Residency Classification for Admission, Tuition and Charge-Differential Purposes

  1. Procedures
    These Procedures implement VIII-2.70 - the University System of Maryland ("USM") Policy on Student Classification for Admission and Tuition Purposes ("the USM Policy"), amended by the Board of Regents on February 15, 2008.
  2. Initial Determination
    An initial determination of in-state status will be made by UMUC at the time a student's application for admission is under consideration by the admissions staff. If the student does not provide all information necessary for an initial residency determination, or the information given is inconsistent, ambiguous or otherwise questionable, the student will be assigned out-of-state status. The determination made at that time, and any determination made thereafter, shall prevail for each semester/term until the determination is successfully challenged. If a student inadvertently is misclassified as a Maryland resident, the student will be billed at the out-of-state rate for all subsequent semesters.
  3. Change in Residency Status
    1. A change in residency status must be requested in writing by submitting a Petition for Change in Classification for Tuition (the "Petition"). The Petition is available on the UMUC Web site (http://www.umuc.edu/students/admissions/residency.cfm). Students must submit the Petition and supporting documentation (as indicated on the Petition) to the residency evaluator by the last published date to register for courses for the semester or term in which the student is seeking a change in residency status as follows.
      1. The deadlines for submitting a Petition for an upcoming semester or term are available in UMUC's academic calendar at http://www.umuc.edu/.
      2. Students seeking a change in residency status who are planning to take a co-op course (where there is no published date to register) must submit their Petition and supporting documentation prior to the date they register for the co-op course in order to qualify for in-state tuition for that co-op course
    2. Students may not be required to submit a Petition if the student was:
      1. Classified as out-of-state because he or she failed to submit required documentation such as military ID or orders or verification of USM employment. In this situation, the student can be reclassified as in-state upon submission of the required documentation.
      2. Admitted to UMUC as out-of-state due to an error made by a UMUC staff member. In this situation, the student can be reclassified as in-state back to the point that the error occurred upon discovery and verification of the error.
      3. Initially admitted as out-of-state, but leaves UMUC for two or more years and must reapply to UMUC before being able to take additional courses. In this situation, a determination of residency classification will be made based upon the information given on the new admissions application.
    3. Once a Petition is submitted, the residency evaluator will review it and the supporting documentation. If the residency evaluator determines that the Petition contains any inconsistent information, is incomplete, or requires any additional information, the evaluator will contact the petitioning student to obtain all the information necessary to complete the Petition for a comprehensive review. If any outstanding information is not submitted to UMUC within 30 days of the date of the residency evaluator's request, the student's Petition may not be considered for the current semester or term.
    4. If it is determined that the student meets all of the requirements for in-state residency, the student's classification will be changed. If the student has already paid the out-of-state tuition rates for the applicable semester or term, a refund or account credit (if there is a balance due on the student's account) will be generated.
    5. If UMUC determines that the student does not meet all of the requirements for in-state residency, the student may appeal the decision in writing to the President's designee, the Provost and Chief Academic Officer ("Provost"), for a waiver of the criterion that the student does not meet. The Provost may waive any residency criterion set forth in Section II of the USM residency policy if it is determined that the application of the criterion creates an unjust result.
  4. Criteria
    Students must meet the criteria provided in Section II of the USM Policy to be eligible for in-state status. Additional information about some of those criteria follows:
    1. Students in the United States holding specific Visa classifications satisfy criterion Section II.H of the USM Policy as determined by the Office of the Attorney General. Students may contact the Residency Evaluator to ask about their eligibility.
    2. Students who do not owe Maryland income taxes or are exempt from United States federal, state, or local taxes due to the student's Visa status, will not be required to meet Section II.C of the USM policy.
    3. Students in the "uniformed services" (e.g. NOAA, Public Health Service) but not in the "armed forces," do not automatically qualify for in-state residency under Section IV.E of the USM Policy.
    4. Students who maintain Maryland as their permanent address, but who are temporarily residing outside of Maryland for no more than 12 months, may be considered to meet Section II.A of the USM Policy if they submit the following documentation to the residency evaluator:
      1. a statement indicating the length and purpose of the temporary absence,
      2. if licensed to drive, a copy of his or her Maryland driver's license,
      3. if employed, a copy of a recent paycheck stub showing Maryland taxes being withheld, and
      4. a copy of a lease or deed for the student's Maryland residence.
    5. Students who separated from the military prior to applying for admission to UMUC and who claimed Maryland as their home state of record while in the military satisfy II.D, II.E and II.F of the USM Policy if: (i) the student was prevented from living in Maryland while on active duty, (ii) the student now lives in Maryland, (iii) the student has a Maryland driver's license, and (iv) the student has registered his/her car in Maryland, if applicable, and (v) the student is registered to vote in Maryland. These students are not required to comply with these requirements for the period of twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to and including the last date to register for courses in the semester or term for which the student seeks in-state status.
    6. Students who must register their vehicles outside of Maryland for business purposes satisfy criteria Section II.D.
  5. Alteration of In-State Status
    1. Students shall notify the residency evaluator, in writing, within fifteen days of any change in circumstances that may alter in-state status.
    2. In the event, incomplete, false, or misleading information is presented, UMUC may, at its discretion, revoke in-state status and take other disciplinary actions provided by UMUC's Code of Student Conduct. If in-state status is gained due to false or misleading information or UMUC is not notified within 15 days of any change in circumstances that may alter in-state status, UMUC reserves the right to retroactively assess all out-of-state charges for each semester/term affected.