Establishing Texas Residency

Under Texas state law, an applicant or enrolled student is classified either as a resident of Texas, a nonresident, or a foreign student. Residency for admission and tuition purposes at a public college or university in Texas is different from residency for voting or taxing purposes.

To qualify as a Texas resident, an individual must reside in Texas for one year and establish a domicile in Texas prior to enrollment. An applicant or student who is claimed as a dependent on a parent's most recent federal tax return will be classified based on the parent's qualifications for residency.

International students eligible to establish legal domicile in Texas may also qualify for Texas resident status; see the Residency FAQ for details.

An individual's residency classification is based on information from his or her admission application. If an applicant or student is classified as a nonresident and wishes to be reclassified as a resident, it is necessary to submit the Residency Core Questions.

For answers to specific residency questions or to contact the residency counselor, see the Residency FAQ.

Complete tuition/admission residency regulations for the State of Texas can be found at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Web Site.

More Information

• Residency Home
• Residency Frequently Asked Questions
• Residency Document Downloads
• Residency Glossary
• Residency Contacts