Determining Residency Status
for the Purpose of Tuition
For information on residency and in-state tuition for students enrolling through the Graduate School, please visit this web page - Graduate Residency Page
Residency status for the purpose of determining tuition charges at a public institution of higher education in the state of North Carolina is governed by the North Carolina General Statutes. Students who are classified as residents for tuition purposes are eligible for a tuition rate lower than that charged to non-residents because a resident’s tuition is subsidized by revenue from the state of North Carolina. In-state tuition is, therefore, a benefit offered by the state to its residents under terms in the applicable General Statutes. It is strongly recommended that students review the laws and regulations prior to submitting an Application for In-State Residence and Tuition Status.
The Residency Manual and General Information
The Manual to Assist the Public Higher Education Institutions of North Carolina in the Matter of Student Residence Classification for Tuition Purposes contains the governing statutes, definitions of legal terms, regulations, and other relevant information including some examples. You may wish to begin with East Carolina University’s Understanding Residence Status for Tuition Purposes which is intended as a quick reference containing general information only. Applicants should begin the process with the understanding that the legal definition of “residence for tuition purposes” is not the same as most commonly used definitions of the term “resident.”
Applications & Forms:
Application for In-State Residence and Tuition Status
Application for a Military Tuition Waiver
Parent's Affidavit
Military Tuition Waiver Renewal Instructions
Military Tuition Waiver Renewal Form
Process:
Initial determination:
New and Re-admitted Students: The initial determination of residency status for new and re-admitted students for tuition purposes is made during or immediately following admission using information from the application for admission and, as needed, the Application for In-State Residence and Tuition Status and other requested information.
Military Waivers and Requests for a change in Tuition Status: The determination is made based on the information supplied with the Application for a Military Tuition Waiver, the Application for In-State Residence and Tuition, and any other requested information.
Campus-level Appeals:
A student may request that his/her request for in-state tuition be reviewed by East Carolina University’s Residency Appeals Committee. Notice of intent to appeal should be made by the student in writing to the coordinator of residency appeals. Additional documentation and a descriptive letter of appeal may be provided for the committee’s review. The coordinator of residency appeals will notify students of the decision on the appeal in writing.
Appeals to the State Residence Committee:
A student whose appeal for in-state tuition has been turned down by the campus appeals committee may request that the appeal be submitted to the State Residence Committee. The request for this review must be made by the student in writing to the coordinator of residency appeals within 10 days of the notice of the decision by the campus Residency Appeals Committee.
The coordinator of residency appeals will submit a copy of the student’s file to the student and to the State Residence Committee according to the procedures outlined in the N.C. Residency Manual. No additional material may be submitted for this appeal, because the file reviewed by the campus committee must be the file that will be reviewed by the State Residence Committee.
Contact for questions regarding residency:
Coordinator for Residency Appeals
Whichard 100
252-328-6077 phone
252-328-1505 fax
cas@ecu.edu
