Residency

A "resident student" for tuition purposes is one who, at the time of admission to the university,

• Is not a "minor" and is a resident of the state of Alabama or Service Area and has been a resident of the state for a least one year (12 consecutive months) immediately preceding the date of registration; or

• Is a "minor or dependent" whose "supporting person(s)" is a resident of the state of Alabama or Service Area and has been a resident of the state for at least one year immediately preceding the date of registration; or

• One who, at the time of registration, is not a "minor" and:

  • Is a full-time (not temporary) employee of the University of South Alabama or is the spouse of such an employee; or

  • Is employed as a graduate assistant or fellow at the University of South Alabama; or

  • Is able to verify full-time permanent employment within the state of Alabama and shall commence said employment not more than 90 days after registration (first day of classes) with the institution, or is the spouse of such an employee; or

  • Is a member or the spouse of a member of the United States military on full-time active duty stationed in Alabama under orders for duties other than attending school; or

  • Is a resident of any county within the University of South Alabama's Service Area (Florida: Escambia and Santa Rosa counties; and Mississippi: George, Greene, Harrison, Jackson, Perry, and Stone counties) and has been a resident of that county for at least one year immediately preceding the date of registration; or

  • Has been a member of the Alabama National Guard for a period of at least two years immediately preceding the student qualifying for resident tuition and continues to be a member of the Alabama National Guard while enrolled at the University of South Alabama; or

  • Is a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States, provided that the veteran has become a resident of Alabama and satisfies one of the following conditions:

  1. 1. The veteran has served on active duty for a continuous period of time, not less than two years, and has received an honorable discharge as verified by a United States Department of Defense
        Form 214 within five years of enrolling at the University of South Alabama.

     2. The veteran is currently serving in a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States as verified by a memorandum from the commanding officer of the veteran student.

     3. The veteran has been assigned a service-connected disability by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; or

  • Is a member of the U.S. Foreign Service or the spouse or child of a U.S. Foreign Service employee, provided that the employee satisfies one of the following conditions:
    
    
    1. The employee is assigned to a permanent duty station in the State of Alabama.
       
       
    2. The employee can document domicile in the State of Alabama via an Official Form 126 "Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report"; or
       
       

  • Is in a program or takes courses within an interstate consortium of colleges or universities that either offers reciprocal resident student tuition to residents of Alabama in the program or courses offered by colleges or universities not within Alabama, or is enrolled in a program or courses through an interstate consortium of colleges or universities that assesses tuition at a uniform rate for all students enrolled in that course or program; or

  • Is an accredited member of or the spouse of an accredited member of a consular staff assigned to
    duties in Alabama; or

• One who, at the time of registration, is a "minor or dependent" and whose "supporting person(s)":
  • Is a full-time employee (not temporary) of the University of South Alabama; or

  • Is able to verify full-time permanent employment within the state of Alabama and shall commence said employment not more than 90 days after registration (first day of classes) with the institution; or

  • Is a member of the United States military on full-time active duty stationed in Alabama under orders for duties other than attending school; or

  • Is an accredited member of a consular staff assigned to duties in Alabama; or

  • Is a resident of any county within University of South Alabama's Service Area and has been a resident of that county for at least one year immediately preceding the date of registration.

A non-resident student is one who does not meet the criteria for a "resident student" as specified in the preceding section.

The ultimate determination of residency status shall be made by the institution. In determining whether the student is in fact a resident of Alabama or a resident of the Service Area for the purposes of assessing a student non-resident fee, the burden of proof is on the student. A student can change their status from non-resident to resident student only by establishing a physical presence and place in Alabama or in the predefined Service Area and by providing clear and convincing evidence that, for 12 consecutive months prior to the semester of registration, this presence and place has been the student's or, if the student is a minor or dependent, the student's supporting person's single location at which they reside with the intent of remaining in that location indefinitely as evidenced by more substantial connections with that place than with any other place and not for the purposes of obtaining an education.

Definitions:

• Dependent Students:
  Dependent Students are those students under the age of 24 who are presumed to be a dependent of his or her supporting person(s) if he or she (1) has been primarily involved in educational pursuits as evidenced by being enrolled as a full-time student at any point during the last year, or (2) cannot prove financial self-sufficiency for at least one calendar year (12 consecutive months) prior to enrollment at the University. All students under the age of 24 are presumed to be dependent students unless proven otherwise through appropriate documentation.
• Minor Students:
  

  Minor Students are those students who lack the capacity to contract under the law of the State of Alabama because of their age (persons under 19 years of age or persons under 18 years of age if married) excluding those persons whose disabilities of non-age have been removed by a court of competent jurisdiction for a reason other than establishing a legal residence in Alabama.

• Residence
  

  For the purpose of this policy, a residence shall be the single location at which a person resides with the intent of remaining in that location indefinitely as evidenced by more substantial connections with that place than with any other place and not for the purposes of obtaining an education.

• Resident
  

  A person or, if the person is a minor or dependent, the person's supporting person(s) whose residence is in the state of Alabama or the defined Service Area and not for the purposes of obtaining an education.

• Residence of a Minor or Dependent Student
  

  The residence of a minor or dependent student shall be the residence of his or her supporting parent unless, in the case of a minor, neither parent has legal custody. When neither parent has legal custody, the residence of the minor student shall be the residence of the person having legal custody of the minor student.

• Supporting Person
  

  If the student's parents are living together, the "supporting person(s)" may be either or both of the parents. If the parents are divorced or living separately, then either the parent having legal custody or the parent providing the greater amount of financial support of the two (verified by a copy of the most recent income tax return) shall be the "supporting person." If both parents are deceased or if neither has legal custody, then supporting person shall be established in the following order: legal custodian of the student, and, if none, the guardian, and, if none, the conservator.

• Service Area
  

  The following counties in the states of Florida and Mississippi shall be defined as the University of South Alabama Service Area: in Florida: Escambia and Santa Rosa; in Mississippi: George, Greene, Harrison, Jackson, Perry, and Stone.

• Resident/Non-Resident Student
  

  In determining resident or non-resident classification, the primary issue is one of intent. If a person is in Alabama primarily for the purpose of obtaining an education, that person shall be considered a non-resident student.

To be reclassified for tuition purposes, a non-resident student must prove by sufficient evidence, as determined by the institution, that he or she is a resident of the state of Alabama. A student's status as a resident student is determined by one of the following methods by proving that:

• The student has a residence in the state of Alabama which means the specific address in Alabama at which they reside; that they intend to remain there indefinitely; that they have more substantial connections with Alabama than with any other state; and that the student has established a physical presence and place that that has been their true, fixed, and permanent place of habitation for the 12 consecutive months preceding the semester of registration; or

• The student is not a "minor" and is a full-time employee (not temporary) of the University of South Alabama or is the spouse of such an employee; or

• The student is able to verify full-time permanent employment within the state of Alabama and shall commence said employment not more than 90 days after registration (first day of classes) with the institution, or is the spouse of such an employee; or

• The student is a member or the spouse of a member of the United States military on full-time active duty stationed in Alabama under orders for duties other than attending school; or

• The student is a resident of any county within the University of South Alabama's Service Area and has been a resident of that county for at least one year immediately preceding the date of registration; or

• The student has been a member of the Alabama National Guard for a period of at least two years immediately preceding the student qualifying for resident tuition and continues to be a member of the Alabama National Guard while enrolled at the public institution of higher education; or

• The student is in a program or takes courses within an interstate consortium of colleges or universities that either offers reciprocal resident student tuition to residents of Alabama in the program or courses offered by colleges or universities not within Alabama, or is enrolled in a program or courses through an interstate consortium of colleges or universities that assesses tuition at a uniform rate for all students enrolled in that course or program; or

• The student is an accredited member of or the spouse of an accredited member of a consular staff assigned to duties in Alabama.

If the student is a minor or dependent, then his or her "supporting person," as that term is defined in the Non-resident Tuition Policy statement, must meet similar tests which are described in the Non-resident Tuition Policy.

In determining whether a student has a residence in Alabama, the University will evaluate the presence or absence of connections with the state of Alabama or Service Area including, but not limited to, the following:

• Continuous physical presence in the state or Service Area for a purpose other than attending school except for temporary absences for travel, military service, temporary employment, etc.

• Payment of income tax to the State of Alabama or Service Area in the previous calendar year.

• Evidence of employment in the State of Alabama or Service Area for the 12 consecutive months prior to the semester of registration.

• In-state or Service Area address and date shown on selective service registration, driver's license, automobile title registration, hunting and fishing license, insurance policies, stock and bond registrations, last will and testament, annuities, or retirement plans.

• Ownership of personal property in the state or Service Area and payment of state taxes thereon (e.g. automobile, boat, etc.) and possession of state license plates.

• Ownership of a residence or other real property in the state or Service Area and payment of state ad valorem taxes thereon; more significantly ownership of a residence other than the place where the student resides while in school.

• Residence in the state or Service Area of a spouse, parents, or children.

• Transfer of all banking services to Alabama or Service Area, such as "checking and savings" accounts, safe deposit boxes, and/or investment accounts.

• Financial transactions in the state or Service Area.

• Previous periods of residency in the state or Service Area continuing for 12 months or more.

• Possession of state or local licenses to do business or practice a profession in the state or Service Area.

• Membership in religious, professional, business, civic, or social organizations in the state or Service Area not connected to their status as a student.

• Location within the state or Service Area of the high school from which the individual graduated.

• Financial independence from non-Alabama resident parents or other relatives.

• Military records, such as Leave & Earning Statements, showing an in-state address. CO Letter indicating date of Assignment in Alabama or Service Area (for Active Duty Military).

• Documentation that Alabama or Service Area is home state of record for returning military personnel.

Other Possible Supporting Documentation:

Voter registration in the State of Alabama or Service Area; more significantly certification of voting in the State of Alabama or Service Area that initially occurred at least 12 months prior to the initial registration of the student in Alabama at a public institution of higher education.

This list is not meant to be all inclusive and merely describes examples of supporting evidence which may be considered in the determination of whether a student has more substantial connections with the state of Alabama than any other state. Supplying such supporting evidence does not guarantee classification as a resident.

For a student who is not a minor, factors which may show more connections with a state other than Alabama or Service Area include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Student maintains ties with another state, excluding Service Area, such as maintaining a driver's license in another state, or owning a house in another state.

• Student begins living in Alabama or Service Area shortly before or only after being admitted to attend school in an Alabama university.

• Student lives in Alabama or Service Area only while in school and returns repeatedly to another state during summer term, vacations, and holidays.

• A parent or other person who is not an Alabama resident or Service Area resident provides more than minimal or occasional financial support.

• Student leaves personal possessions in another state, excluding Service Area, and only brings to Alabama what is necessary for temporary stay.

• Student receives PLUS loan money from parents who are not Alabama residents or Service Area residents.

• Student receives personal loans other than from a financial institution.

• Student obtains loans with co-borrowers who are non-Alabama residents.

• Student receives financial aid that requires the student to be a resident of another state.

Tuition and fees for programs delivered in a distance format are assessed based on a separate schedule approved by the Board of Trustees.

In general, international students may apply for residence reclassification but must have the ability to remain indefinitely in the United States and otherwise meet the requirements of the Code of Alabama 1975, Title 16, Chapter 64. More specifically, a person must be a Permanent Resident Alien, Political Asylee, Political Refugee, or hold an A, E, G, H, I, L, 0, P, R, TC, TD, TN, or U visa to be eligible for review as an in-state resident for tuition purposes. Students with non-immigrant visa, such as a B, F, J or M status visa, will generally not be considered eligible for state residency status

Academic Common Market (ACM) non-resident tuition remission (exemption) is available to students from certain states for specific academic programs. Application must be made first with the awarding state. The student must be a legal resident of that state and approved for a specific major at the University of South Alabama. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply. The waiver is 100 percent of the non-resident tuition remission and will remain at this level unless the student's field of study changes, or a student no longer has full-time status.

A qualified student must maintain full-time status, remain in academic good standing and comply with all the requirement of the degree program. If a student changes their major from the approved ACM certified major, then they must inform the Office of the Registrar at USA of the change of status. The student will be responsible for the non-resident tuition for the remaining semesters at the University of South Alabama. To be eligible for the non-resident tuition remission during the first semester of enrollment, applications and resident verification must be submitted to and approved by the Office of the Registrar prior to the first day of class.

For more information about submission and deadlines, please contact the Office of the Registrar at (251) 460-6251. Students seeking information on the Academic Common Market waiver should contact the Academic Common Market at:

Southern Regional Educational Board
592 10th St. N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30318-5776

Main Phone: (404) 875-9211
Main Fax: (404) 872-1477

Website:
Academic Common Market