Residency Policy
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is a state-supported institution of higher education supported by legislative funds derived from State of Oklahoma tax revenue. As a state tax-supported institution, the University gives preference in tuition to residents of the State of Oklahoma. The University follows the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Policy Statement on Residency Status for Tuition Purposes. The full text of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education policy statement on resident status for tuition purposes can be found at: http://www.okhighered.org/policy-proced/2006-policy/Chapter3/index.shtml, then click on Academic Affairs, then 3.17 Residence Status of Enrolled Students.
The University’s definition of the term "resident" may be different from the definitions developed by other, non-university agencies. The University does not recognize declarations of resident status made by other agencies. Thus, a person who is an Oklahoma resident for tax or voting purposes is not necessarily a resident for University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center tuition purposes.
Basic Definition of Resident Status
Resident status is granted to financially independent adults who are permanently residing in Oklahoma and who have been physically and continuously present in the State of Oklahoma for at least one calendar year prior to the first day of class attendance at any Oklahoma institution of higher education; and who, during this one-year period, resided in Oklahoma for some reason other than primarily to attend classes at a post-secondary educational institution.
Resident status for tuition purposes is based on the location of your permanent domicile. Domicile has two components, residence and intent to remain indefinitely. A person can have more than one residence, but only one domicile.
Attendance at an educational institution, albeit a continuous and long term experience, is interpreted as temporary residence. Therefore, a student neither gains nor loses resident status solely by such attendance.
Each residency petition is judged on its own merit using the guidelines and regulations established by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation to support a petition for in-state tuition classification. Petitions will be reviewed based upon the merits of the documentation supplied.
Supporting Evidence or Documentation
Actions, such as the following, may help to support an application for resident tuition status insofar as they apply to the Basic Definition of Resident Status: maintaining a permanent home/domicile in Oklahoma for at least 12 months prior to the first day of class attendance at any Oklahoma institution of higher education; listing Oklahoma as your tax state with the military; Oklahoma automobile registration and driver’s license; evidencing in some convincing way intent to remain in Oklahoma indefinitely after graduation (in other than a graduate student capacity); evidence of family ties to Oklahoma; owning property and paying state property taxes, voter registration in Oklahoma. All of these things will be taken into consideration as part of a petition for in-state tuition classification, but are not in and of themselves sufficient to establish residency.
The issue of intent to remain in Oklahoma after completing one’s education is important in reclassifying financially independent adult students. Each individual must present his or her own special set of circumstances, along with documentation, to support the contention that he or she intends to remain in Oklahoma after graduation or ceasing to enroll as a student. Verification of full-time employment after graduation is an example of documentable intent to remain. This is not the only means to establish this intent. All materials and circumstances presented by the student will be considered, but the evidence must clearly and convincingly show a student’s intent to stay in Oklahoma.
Residency Decisions
The University has been authorized to make residency determinations for tuition purposes for its individual students, either at the time of initial enrollment, or as the result of a petition for reclassification. The Office of Admissions and Records is designated to make these determinations for the University. Contact the Office of Admissions and Records, 941 Stanton L. Young Blvd., Basic Sciences Education Building, Room 200, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104 or please contact the Office of Admissions and Records at (405) 271-2347 extension 48902 with questions concerning resident classification. Petition forms are available on the Web at http://www.ouhsc.edu/admissions/Forms/respet.pdf.
- Students from Other States
If a student from another state moves to Oklahoma for the primary purpose of attending a post-secondary institution, that student shall be classified as a non-resident and will remain a non-resident throughout his or her presence as a student, unless he or she takes certain actions to meet the Basic Definition of Resident Status.
- Dependent Students
Dependent students are those who are receiving at least 50% of their total financial support from parent(s) and/or are claimed as tax dependents on their parents’ federal tax return. Dependent students acquire the resident status of their parents.
A student who resided in Oklahoma at the time of graduation from an Oklahoma high school and has resided in the state with a parent or legal guardian for the two years prior to graduation from high school will be eligible for resident tuition and scholarships or financial aid provided by the state, regardless of immigration status unless he/she has established residency in another state
In some cases, parents or a parent may relinquish primary financial support to a grandparent, sibling, or other relative (including a natural parent who resides in Oklahoma when the other parent does not) with whom the student resides and receives benefits of room, board, and other financial support including tuition payment. If this relation meets the Basic Definition of Resident Status, dependent students will similarly be classified as Oklahoma residents for tuition purposes.
- Oklahoma Resident Parents Moving Out Of
State
If an Oklahoma resident parent of a dependent student moves his or her residence to another state, the dependent student remains eligible for resident status as long as he or she does not break his or her enrollment at the University for a period long enough to require readmission (more than one calendar year). Should readmission be required, the dependent student will be considered a resident of the state in which the parent(s) reside(s).
- Spouses and Common Households
Marital status and common household relationships may support an application for resident status, but do not in and of themselves meet the Basic Definition of Resident Status. Presence in Oklahoma because a spouse is in school full-time does not qualify either spouse for resident status, even if the non-student spouse is working full-time.
- Full-Time Professional Practitioner or
Worker
An individual who provides evidence of having come to Oklahoma to practice a profession on a full-time basis, conduct a business full time, or work on a full-time basis shall be immediately declared an Oklahoma resident for tuition purposes along with his/her spouse and dependent children, so long as he/she continues in such full-time employment capacity for at least one calendar year and can document such upon request by the University.
- Immigrants
Students who are not United States citizens but hold permanent resident status in the United States or have a refugee visa or political asylum visa status, may be considered for resident status assuming they meet the Basic Definition of Resident Status. The visa statuses previously mentioned do not automatically grant resident status for tuition purposes.
- Non-Immigrants
Non-immigrants residing in this country or state under a temporary visa, such as F or J visas, shall be classified as non-resident and are not eligible for reclassification for tuition purposes.
- Foreign Nationals
An individual who is not a U.S. national may become eligible for classification as an Oklahoma resident provided that the individual holds lawful permanent residence status as defined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS), evidenced by whatever documents may be required under applicable federal law, who has resided in Oklahoma for at least 12 consecutive months, and who meets other applicable criteria for establishment of domicile as set forth in this policy or who has come to Oklahoma as a full-time professional practitioner or worker as described below.
In accordance with Title 70, O.S., Section 3242 (2007) (also known as HB1804 of the First Regular Session of the 51st Legislature (HB1804)), an individual who cannot present to the institution valid documentation of United States nationality or an immigration status permitting study at a postsecondary institution, but who has graduated from a public or private high school in Oklahoma, may be eligible for enrollment, resident tuition and state student financial aid if the individual meets the following criteria:
A.
Resided in this state with a parent or legal guardian while attending classes at a public or private high school in this state for at least two (2) years prior to graduation;
B.
Satisfied admission standards for the institution; and
C.
Either:
(1)
Provides to the institution a copy of a true and correct application or petition filed with the USCIS to legalize the student’s immigration status, or
(2)
Files an affidavit with the institution stating that the student will file an application to legalize his or her immigration status at the earliest opportunity the student is eligible to do so, but in no case later than:
(a)
One (1) year after the date on which the student enrolls for study at the institution, or
(b)
If there is no formal process to permit children of parents without lawful immigration status to apply for lawful status without risk of deportation, one (1) year after the date the USCIS provides such a formal process, and
(3)
If the student files an affidavit pursuant to subsection C(2) above, presents to the institution a copy of a true and correct application or petition filed with the USCIS no later than:
(a)
One (1) year after the date on which the student enrolls for study at the institution, or
(b)
If there is no formal process to permit children of parents without lawful immigration status to apply for lawful status without risk of deportation, one (1) year after the date the USCIS provides such a formal process, which copy shall be maintained in the institution’s records for that student.
D.
Any student who completes the required criteria prescribed in subsection A, subsection B and subsection C(1) above, shall not be disqualified on the basis of the student’s immigration status from any scholarships or financial aid provided by this state.
E.
This policy shall not impose any additional conditions to maintain resident tuition status at a post-secondary educational institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education on a student who was enrolled in a degree program and first received such resident tuition status at that institution during the 2006-2007 school year or any prior year.
- Active Duty Military Personnel Stationed
in Oklahoma Not Claiming Oklahoma as Their Tax State
Active duty military personnel (and their dependents) who are stationed in Oklahoma and are not claiming Oklahoma as their tax state are considered non-residents. They are, however, entitled to a non-resident tuition waiver, providing a statement of military status in Oklahoma is provided to the Office of the Bursar each semester before or at the time of fee payment. Documentation of military status in Oklahoma can be obtained from the base education office.
Dependent children of military personnel who have established residency under State Regent's policy shall maintain residence status if their parents are subsequently stationed out-of-state. Dependents of military personnel who have not established residency according to policy may maintain non-resident waiver status if their parents are subsequently stationed out-of-state.
- Temporary Absences
An Oklahoma resident may be absent from the state and retain Oklahoma resident status for tuition purposes provided he or she is enrolled as a non-resident in a full-time accredited post-secondary institution or is on active military duty and claims Oklahoma as his or her tax state and has not established resident status in any other state or the District of Columbia.
Oklahoma residents who leave the state for other reasons may be gone up to one calendar year without jeopardizing their resident status if they do not establish resident status in any other state or in the District of Columbia. Temporary absences lasting longer than one year will result in the loss of resident status unless there are extenuating circumstances and extraordinary efforts have been made to maintain Oklahoma residency during the absence.
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center does not participate in any in-state tuition reciprocity agreement with bordering states.
The University does participate in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Academic Common Market non-resident tuition waiver program. This tuition waiver applies only to certain states and certain majors and does not constitute a change of resident status. For more information on the Academic Common Market, please contact the Office of Admissions and Records Regulatory Officer at (405) 271-2347 extension 48908. Last Updated: June 1, 2004
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