Proof of Residency for Tuition Purposes

A Florida Resident Discount is available for students who are classified as an in-state Florida Resident. An in-state Florida Resident is defined as:

"An independent person who or a dependent person whose parent or legal guardian has maintained legal residency in Florida for at least 12 months preceding the first day of the semester."

Please Note: Students will be admitted as non-Florida residents until documentation to prove Florida Residency is submitted. Residency documents must be submitted by the start of term to avoid out-of-state tuition rates. If you think you qualify as a Florida resident, upload your documents using our online form.

Residency Form

Residency Reclassification - If you are classified as out-of-state and want to request "reclassification" to in-state status, you must complete a Residency Statement and submit to the Admissions Office for consideration prior to the term for which reclassification is sought. See Residency Reclassification for more information.

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Who qualifies as a Florida resident for tuition purposes?

To qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes you must be classified as one of the following

U.S. citizen.
Qualifying nonimmigrant visa classification that grants the legal ability to establish residency in the United States (a foreign national in a nonimmigrant visa classification that grants you the legal ability to establish a bona fide domicile in the United States).
Permanent resident alien.
Parolee.
Asylee.
Cuban-Haitian entrant.
Legal alien granted indefinite stay by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or another qualified alien as defined under federal law.

Please Note: Living in or attending school in Florida will not, in itself, establish legal residence. Students who depend upon out-of-state parents for support are presumed to be legal residents of the same state as their parents.

For more information, please view the Guidelines on Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes.

Am I a dependent or independent student?

To qualify for the Florida Residency Discount, you will be required to submit supporting documentation. Independent students are required to submit their own documents, while dependent students will be asked to submit the documents of their parent or guardian. To determine if you are an independent or dependent student see the information below.

To qualify as an independent student, you must meet one of the following criteria:

At least 24 years old.
Employed with income that is equal to or exceeds 50% of the yearly cost of attendance provided by financial aid each year.
Married.
Graduate or professional student.
Ward of the court.
Veteran or member of the armed forces.
Someone with legal dependents other than a spouse.

To qualify as a dependent student, you must meet one of the following criteria:

Defined as a dependent student by s. 1009.21(1)(a).
Eligible to be claimed as a dependent under the federal tax income code.
Claimant is the "student's" parent as defined by s. 1009.21(1)(f) Florida Statutes. A copy of the parent’s previous year's tax return or a legal guardian's previous three year's tax return may be requested to establish dependence.

For qualification exceptions please use this link.

What documents can I submit to prove my Florida Residency?

Students will be asked to provide two documents proving 12 months residency, at least one of these documents must come from Tier 1.

Tier 1:

Florida driver's license.
Florida state identification card.
Florida vehicle registration.
Florida voter's registration card.
Proof of permanent home in Florida occupied as primary residence for 12 consecutive months prior to the student’s enrollment. (Required: document such as a deed or other evidence of title to property used as primary residence, a homeowner’s policy, a title insurance policy, evidence of a property tax payment on the primary residence.)
Proof of a homestead exemption in Florida. (Required: document from the county tax collector demonstrating the application of a homestead exemption to the claimant’s primary residence.)
Official transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple years (2 or more years), if the Florida high school diploma or GED® was earned within the last 12 months.
Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least 30 hours per week for a 12-month period. (Required: pay stubs and/or verification from employers, and/or an IRS 1099 with verification of employment for the past 12 consecutive months from an employer.)

Tier 2:

Declaration of domicile in Florida in accordance with s. 222.17, Florida Statutes.
Florida professional or occupational license.
Florida incorporation.
Proof of membership in a Florida-based charitable or professional organization.
Any other documentation that supports your request for resident status, including, but not limited to, utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; a lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; or an official state, federal, or court document evidencing legal ties to Florida.

If you think you qualify as a Florida resident, upload your documents using our online form.

Residency Form

Proof of Residency for Tuition Purposes

Residency FAQs