Who is a resident?
ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
If Admissions classified you as a Non-Resident and you graduated from an Alabama High School, Please review the Residency Requirements in FAQ.
In order to be considered a resident for tuition purposes at Auburn University, a student who has been coded non-resident by Admissions Processing or the Graduate School due to an out-of-state address, test score or transcript at any point in their academic career, must submit a residency appeal packet to our office. (See Petition for Residency Appeal).
Deadlines
| Applications Open | Deadline to Submit | Appeals Mtg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | October 1st | December 15th | January |
| Summer | October 1st | May 1st | May |
| Fall | October 1st | July 1st | August |
* Petitions will not be considered for previous terms
* Applications will be accepted after student has been accepted and enrollment deposit has been paid.
For the purpose of assessing fees, applicants will be classified as Alabama or non-Alabama students. Non-Alabama students are required to pay a non-resident tuition fee.
Students who come to the state of Alabama from another state for the purpose of attending Auburn University will be considered a non-resident student for tuition purposes. Classification of students as a non-resident will be made at the time of their initial admission to the university and the non-resident status will continue unchanged through all registrations at the university until and unless satisfactory evidence is provided to qualify for residency.
A person who moves to Alabama for the primary purpose of attending college will not be considered eligible for classification as a resident student.
It is the student’s responsibility to check their residency status when accepted to Auburn University. Students should carefully examine their ebill account as this is a clear indicator of whether one is being charged resident or non-resident tuition.
An Alabama student/resident is a person who is:
- a citizen of the United States or a legal permanent resident
AND
- has lived in the State of Alabama for at least 12 months immediately preceding current registration.
A person who establishes domicile in Alabama for the purpose of avoiding non-Alabama fees will be subject to non-resident tuition.
Non-resident students who carry an academic load considered normal (10 or more hours per term for Undergraduates, and 7 hours or more for Graduate students per term) will be presumed to be in the State of Alabama primarily for the purpose of gaining an education and, thus, have not demonstrated the intent to establish a true domicile in Alabama.
Burden of proof for changing residency status rests with the student. Clear and convincing evidence to the contrary must be presented to overcome this presumption. Decisions regarding change of residency will be made by the following dates.
For additional information see the Auburn policy regarding Alabama residency, the Alabama Code and our Frequently Asked Questions.
Documentation
If you believe you qualify for residency and in-state tuition please review the following guidelines and required documents that must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar and Residency Coordinator for consideration.
The Residency Coordinator in the Office of the Registrar will determine whether a student will be classified as an Alabama or non-Alabama student. The decision of the Residency Coordinator will be subject to review by the Residency Appeals Committee upon written request of the applicant. Residency Appeals Committee recommendations are sent to the Provost for a final decision. (6 members)
Other students eligible for resident tuition:
- Students enrolled in the College of Veterinary Medicine professional D.V.M. program admitted under contract with the Southern Regional Education Board. Contact admiss@vetmed.auburn.edu
- Non-resident students enrolled in programs included in Common Market visit Academic Common Market
Please note – supplying all documents required for a residency appeal does NOT guarantee residency but allows us to assess each situation and apply Alabama law accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
In order to reclassify a student to “resident” status, the student must show a 12-month history in the State of Alabama as a full-time employee, be able to demonstrate financial self-sufficiency without support from parents and must not attend school on a full-time basis during that 12 months (10 hours or more is considered full-time for residency purposes). The student must document his or her residency status in accordance with category A of the Petition for Classification as In-State for Tuition Purposes.
Any student who attended or graduated from an out-of-state high school, attended an online college or university, or attended a higher education institution in another state will be coded as a non-resident upon admission and must file a residency appeal.
Property ownership alone does not equal residency in the State of Alabama. To satisfy Alabama law and the Auburn Residency Policy, you must demonstrate that the property in Alabama is your permanent residence. Alabama law defines residence as, “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.” (Alabama Code 16-64-1)
Although Alabama Code 16-64-4 authorizes higher education institutions to extend resident tuition rates to students who reside in any county within 50 miles of its campus, each institution determines whether or not to grant this exception. Auburn does not grant in-state tuition to non-resident students residing within 50 miles of its campus.
The State of Alabama is specific in granting in-state tuition to military personnel and their dependents. Active Duty military personnel who are ordered to or stationed in Alabama are eligible for reclassification to in-state tuition. Active Duty military who claim Alabama as their state of residence on their Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) for 12 months or more are eligible for reclassification to in-state tuition.
Out of State waivers for military personnel, veterans, and their dependents who are using VA Educational benefits should contact the Auburn University Veterans Resource Center at 334-844-8167 or e-mail: veterans@auburn.edu.
No. Residency will be based on your parent’s primary domicile or residence.
Yes, members of the Alabama National Guard are eligible for a waiver of out-of-state tuition and fees. To request the waiver, please contact Student Financial Services at 334-844-4634.
Maybe. Your parent’s income must solely derive from his or her business operations in Alabama, and he/she must be physically present and working in the State of Alabama. However, if the business activities in Alabama is part of a larger business operation involving other states, you will have demonstrated more ties to another state than Alabama and would not qualify. Should you decide to petition for reclassification, you should choose category C.
Yes. Auburn University Policy states, “Spouses and dependent children of persons who establish domicile within the State of Alabama, provided that the person who establishes domicile is employed full-time in a permanent position in Alabama qualify for reclassification to in-state tuition.
Yes. Full-time Employees of Auburn University are state employees.
No. Only full-time employees of the University are eligible.
No. Auburn policy in accordance with Alabama State law requires persons to show fulltime employment in the State of Alabama. Auburn University considers 35 hours per week as full-time employment.
No. This would be a conflict of interest and would not be allowed.
Residency Appeals Committee
The Residency Appeals Committee shall consist of the University Registrar or designee as non-voting chair; Provost’s office representative; Student Affairs’ office representative; and three faculty members. Of the three faculty members, when possible, one will be from the School of Accountancy, with expertise in accounting and taxation. The committee reviews appeals of initial decisions of residency for tuition purposes by the Office of the University Registrar based on the Board of Trustees’ Student Residency Tuition Policy. Residency Appeals Committee recommendations are sent to the Provost for a final decision. (6 members)
