The following general descriptions are not inclusive, nor do they supersede existing regulations concerning in-state residency. This is only an explanatory guide for Georgia residency for tuition purposes. Detailed official guidelines are listed in both the UGA Bulletin and in the codes of the University System of Georgia.
For Georgia resident status, the three most important things to remember are:
- Students must first prove that they have established a primary domicile or permanent Georgia home at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the beginning of classes for the term to be considered for residency. 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.
- Students and/or parent(s) of dependent students also should be able to 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.
- The Office of Admissions also suggests that students be able to provide copies of any other documents showing their intent to be a Georgia resident, such as a Georgia driver’s license, car or voter registration, home ownership, full-time employment records, etc. Attending college in Georgia is not proof of intention to be a Georgia resident.
Since the University of Georgia is a state-supported institution, students must show documented proof of residency and the duration of their residency in order to qualify for in-state tuition.
In reviewing petitions for in-state residency, UGA CVM considers each student’s situation as unique, and so there are no universal formulas. In general, though, the three items mentioned previously are key. UGA CVM does understand that there are situations, such as parents living in separate states or a family in the military, that may alter the review process.
Special Situations Involving Residency Classification
The following descriptions should help in understanding what the our Office of Admissions considers when reviewing certain situations.
Dependent versus Independent Students
If a student is listed as a dependent on their parent’s / parents’ 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 and UGA considers the student to be a resident, for tuition purposes, of the parent’s / parents’ or guardian’s state of residence. (A legal guardian must provide court and/or financial documentation of support for the student.)
An independent student who wishes to establish in-state tuition residency must document that his/her parent(s) have not claimed him/her as a tax dependent for the 12 months prior to the start of the term, and that he/she has provided 100% of his/her 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.
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. These students must still provide documentation of in-state residency for the 12-month period prior to the start of the term.
As stated before, all petitions for in-state residency are considered in their entirety, so every file must be reviewed based upon 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.
*Important Note: Once a student matriculates into the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, he/she cannot change his/her tuition classification to become a Georgia resident for tuition purposes.
