Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Residency for tuition purposes can be established in several ways: through high school graduation in Texas, as a dependent individual, as an independent individual or as a military individual.
Residency determinations for tuition are based on guidelines set by the state of Texas and administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The official Texas Administrative Code rules and regulations concerning residency are available.
Determining Residency
When you apply to a Texas college or university, the school uses the information on your application to decide if you qualify as a Texas resident. These decisions follow rules set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Important: Qualifying Texas residents can be classified as nonresidents based on the information they provide on their applications.
When you apply for admission, SFA uses information you provide on the admissions application to make an initial determination about residency. Make sure you answer each question of the residency section completely and accurately. This determination will remain on your student record and continue each semester in which you are enrolled.
View Texas Administrative Code §21.24 for full details.
What if I'm classified as a non-resident?
Once admitted to SFA, you'll be notified if you're classified as a nonresident and provided instructions regarding how to request a review if you feel this classification is an error. Make sure your email and postal mailing addresses are correct on your admission application. The earlier you can identify a possible mistake, the easier it will be to correct. You are responsible for your residency classification and subsequent tuition rates and payments.
If you believe you're incorrectly classified, view the requesting reclassification information.
Texas residency eligibility
You're eligible to establish residency if you're:
- a U.S. citizen.
- a permanent resident (green card holder).
- eligible for permanent resident status (has filed an I-485).
- an international student who holds an eligible visa and meets eligibility through Texas high school requirements.
Establishing residency
If your application responses indicate you may be eligible to establish residency, you must fulfill certain documentation to show proof of lawful presence within the state of Texas.
Residency through high school graduation
Available to:
- U.S. citizens
- permanent residents (green card holders)
- and some international students.
Requirements
To establish residency through high school graduation, you must:
- graduate from a Texas high school
- live in Texas for 36 consecutive months prior to high school graduation
- and live in Texas for 12 consecutive months immediately prior to the census date of the semester in which you enroll at SFA.
If your admission application indicates that you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (green card holder), but you graduated from a Texas high school, you may still be considered for in-state tuition. The residency questionnaire will prompt you to:
- Download the oath of residency.
- Complete, sign and notarize the form.
- Submit the oath of residency and proof of lawful presence requirements with your residency questionnaire to admissionsdata@sfasu.edu.
Residency as an individual
You may use this option if you're eligible to establish Texas residency.
Requirements
If you're independent for tax purposes, you may gain resident status if you establish domicile in the state. If your parent(s)/legal guardian(s) claim you as a dependent on their federal income tax return, they must establish domicile in the state for you to claim residency.
To establish domicile, you or your parent(s)/legal guardian(s) must:
- physically reside in Texas and have for the previous 12 consecutive months prior to the term of enrollment
- and establish and maintain a domicile in Texas for 12 consecutive months prior to the term of enrollment by meeting the proof of lawful presence criteria.
Permanent residents (green card holders)
If you're a permanent resident, you may be coded as a nonresident until we receive a copy of your permanent resident card (green card).
Email a copy to admissionsdata@sfasu.edu or upload it through your mySFA account:
- Log in to mySFA.
- Select "Future Lumberjacks" from the menu.
- Click the "Check Admission Status" link.
- Scroll to the "Upload Materials" section and select "MISC" from the dropdown options.
- Upload your file and click "Submit."
Once the Office of Admissions receives this proof of permanent residence status, your records will be updated.
Residency through Louisiana
Students from Louisiana are considered border-state residents and can receive a waiver to be charged border-state tuition rates.
Additional documentation is required. To receive this waiver, you must submit a copy of your driver's license or state ID along with the notarized oath of residency form.
If you have any questions, contact the Office of Admissions at admissionsdata@sfasu.edu or call 936.468.1285.
Residency for military individuals, spouses and dependent children
Home of Record is Texas
Presumed to be a Texas resident.
Home of Record is not Texas
If leave and earnings statements indicate you claimed Texas as your place of residence for the 12 consecutive months prior to enrollment, you're be presumed a Texas resident.
- Email a copy of your leave and earnings statements (do not redact income) to admissionsdata@sfasu.edu.
If you have not taken steps with the military to change your permanent residence to Texas, contact vaservices@sfasu.edu for possible waiver eligibility under Texas statutes.
How to apply for a change of residency status
You may provide supporting documentation to show you or your parent(s)/legal guardian(s) have met the requirements to be classified as a Texas resident if:
- information on your application for admission resulted in an incorrect classification
- or your domicile situation has changed and you're now eligible for Texas residency.
Important: Your residency classification will not update automatically. It will remain unchanged until the proper documentation is processed.
To reclassify your residency status, email a completed residency questionnaire with the supporting documentation to admissionsdata@sfasu.edu no later than the first day of classes of the term in which you're seeking reclassification. Any residence status changes after the census day will apply to the following term.
Review process
The Office of Admissions will review your documentation and additional information or documents may be requested. The decision of the Office of Admissions is final.
Keep in mind that the review time period may vary and you are responsible for payment of any tuition and fees due during this time.
Exemptions, waivers and financial aid
If you are correctly classified as a nonresident of Texas, you may qualify for certain tuition exemptions and waivers. All students also are encouraged to explore different aid options.