Georgia Residency for In-State Tuition

The following general descriptions are by no means all-inclusive, nor do they supersede existing regulations concerning in-state residency. This should only be used as an explanatory guide for Georgia residency. Detailed official guidelines are listed in both the UGA Bulletin and in the codes of the University System of Georgia. Please also consult the Student Residency description offered by the Board of Regents.

Since the University of Georgia is a state-supported institution, students must show documented proof of Georgia residency and the duration of their residency in order to qualify for in-state tuition. Following admission to UGA, students who are classified as non-residents prior to their enrollment may apply for in-state residency by completing the Petition for Classification as In-State Student for Tuition Purposes.

The Registrar’s Office reviews petitions for change of residency of currently enrolled and non-resident UGA students.

In reviewing petitions for in-state residency, UGA considers each student’s situation as unique and we do understand that there are situations—such as parents living in separate states or a family in the military—that may alter the review process.

IN ORDER TO PROVE GEORGIA RESIDENCY, WE LOOK AT THREE PRIMARY DETERMINANTS:

1. Students must first prove that they have established a primary or permanent Georgia home at least 12 months immediately preceding the beginning of classes for the semester in which they were admitted.
  - Typically, the residency status of a dependent student is tied to the status of the parent(s), or in the case of divorce, the tax-dependent or majority support parent, so the parent(s) must show proof of domicile.
2. Invariably, students and/or parent(s) of dependent students should also provide documentation showing payment of Georgia state income tax, as this shows a tie to the state that proves financial support for the Georgia educational system.
  - Mere property ownership in Georgia, by itself, is usually insufficient.
3. The Office of Admissions also suggests that students include copies of any other documents showing their intent to be a Georgia resident.
  - Accepted documents include: a Georgia driver’s license, car or voter registration, evidence of home ownership, full-time employment records, etc.
  - Attending college in Georgia is not proof of intention to be a Georgia resident

Residency Changes

Be aware that your residency designation has no bearing on an admissions decision. As such, we ask that most students wait to file a petition for change of residency until after they have received admission to UGA. If you have already applied and have been classified as a non-resident, you may petition to change your residency classification in one of two ways. Please select the option below that applies to your situation.

I indicated that at the time of my application that I was not a resident, but feel I will meet the criteria above at the time of enrollment. (most common)

To have any residency adjustments made, you will have to submit the Petition for Classification as In-State for Tuition Purposes. Please follow the instructions below as you complete this form.

Most students file for the Petition after they have received admission to UGA.

If you are currently enrolled at another University System of Georgia School, are transferring to UGA, and are currently considered a Resident there, then have your current institution send us a letter from their Registrar’s Office indicating your residency status.

Please submit only the first 2 pages of your GA tax forms and the first 2 pages of your Federal Tax forms from the most recent tax year.

If you are in the Military, please upload your Leave Earnings Statement (HOR Statement) with this Petition.

If you have a Divorce Decree, please upload this document with the Petition as well.

Log into your application status portal and upload this documentation in a single PDF under the “Upload” tab. If you do not see this option, you may also email the entire Petition and additional documents to gradoff@uga.edu in PDF form.

I made a mistake in answering one or more questions on my application that did not accurately reflect my true residency status.

We can permit an applicant to submit a notarized statement to correct an error in answering a tuition classification question on the application. A notarized statement is a letter you write to us stating that you have made an error and are correcting the error with this letter, then have it notarized by a public notary. At a minimum your notarized statement must include answers to the following questions.

In which State do you reside?
In which Georgia County do you reside?
How long have you continuously resided in Georgia?
Has the claiming individual (you if you claim to be independent, or your parents/legal guardians if you are a dependent) filed a Georgia Income Tax return claiming Georgia Residency in the past year?

In addition to this notarized letter, please also send:

A copy of the students’ and parents’ Georgia Driver’s License (if you claim to be a dependent of a parent).
A copy of your Permanent Resident card if you are a Permanent Resident of the US.

Once that is complete, please log into your application status portal and upload this documentation in a single PDF under the “Upload” tab. If you do not see this option, you may also email the entire Petition and additional documents to gradoff@uga.edu in PDF form.

Special Situations Involving Residency Classifications

There is a good deal of confusion as to how UGA interprets different circumstances concerning residency. The following descriptions should help in understanding what the Office of Admissions considers when determining residency for tuition purposes.

Dependent vs. Independent Students

If a student is listed as a dependent on their parent or legal guardian’s previous year’s tax returns or receives more than 50% of their financial support from a parent or guardian, they are considered a dependent student. UGA considers the student to be a resident, for tuition purposes, of the parent or guardian’s state of residence. A legal guardian must provide court and/or financial documentation of support for the student.

Independent students who wish to establish in-state tuition residency must document that their parent(s) have not claimed them as a tax dependent for the 12 months prior to the start of the term, and that the student provided 100% of their financial support as shown in federal and state tax returns.

No student shall gain or acquire in-state classification while attending any post-secondary educational institution in this state without clear evidence of having established domicile in Georgia for purposes other than attending a post-secondary educational institution in this state.

Currently Enrolled Students at UGA

Current UGA students may have their residency status changed to in-state but they must show detailed evidence that they are an actual resident of Georgia, and they would have lived in Georgia even if they had not been in college. Current students should work with the Registrar’s Office if they have more questions.

Currently Enrolled Students at Other Georgia Higher Education Institutions

Transfer applicants currently considered a resident at your Georgia institution should have your current institution send us a letter from their Registrar’s Office indicating your residency status. You may upload that in your application status portal or email the letter to gradoff@uga.edu.

Separated Family Situations

If a student lives outside Georgia, but a parent is a Georgia resident, it is sometimes possible for the student to be considered a Georgia resident for tuition purposes. The student and the parent must document that the parent has lived in Georgia for the 12-month period prior to enrollment, that the student is a dependent, and that a majority of the student’s financial support is contributed by the parent living in Georgia.

Military Personnel and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad

Dependents of active duty military personnel who claim Georgia residency must provide UGA with documentation, such as Georgia tax records or a Leave and Earnings statement.

Dependents of active military personnel who are residents of other states but are stationed in Georgia can receive a waiver of the out-of-state tuition difference, provided the parent(s) submit documentation to the Registrar’s Office showing the military posting. The waiver continues only as long as the requirements are met.

Dependents of U.S. citizens living abroad who consider themselves residents of Georgia must provide documentation showing Georgia as their last state of residency, as well as Georgia tax records and proof of a prior domicile in Georgia to which they may return.

Non-U.S. Citizens

Non-U.S. citizens are only eligible for in-state residency if they are lawful permanent residents as documented by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service or have been granted a visa in an eligible category. F-1 student visas are not eligible.

Please consult the U.S. Department of Education for Federal Student Aid website for more information on non-U.S. citizens.

For Residency purposes, a student on a non-intent to immigrate visa will be considered a “Non-Resident” as the student is not a Green Card holder or U.S. Citizen (if the student has a Green Card, then the student can file for the Petition for Classification as In-State for Tuition Purposes as only Green Card holders and U.S. Citizens can file for the Petition).

If the student is on a non-intent to immigrate visa, he/she can file for an Out-of-State Tuition Differential Waiver offered by the Registrar’s Office.

Please make sure to send us your most up to date immigration status records (meaning if you have filed for an I-485, then we will need a copy of that), by sending us a legible copy of your immigration documents to gradadm@uga.edu.

Waivers of Out-of-State Tuition

Students may be eligible for a waiver of the out-of-state tuition difference if they are in one of the following categories:

a full-time employee of the University System, or a spouse or dependent child of a full-time employee;
a full-time teacher in a Georgia public school or a dependent child of a full-time teacher;
active-duty military personnel while stationed in Georgia (or a dependent of active-duty military personnel)

How Do I Contact a Residency Officer?

You can contact our Residency Officer at gradadm@uga.edu.

Final Note

As stated before, all petitions for in-state residency are considered in their entirety, so every file must be reviewed based on its own merit. In addition, this page is meant as a general guide about Georgia residency for tuition purposes, but does not supersede any existing policies for in-state residency found in the UGA Bulletin and in the codes of the University System of Georgia.