Residency Information & Waivers

The claimant is the person who will provide the necessary documentation for establishing Florida residency for tuition purposes.

The Student - the student can act as his or her own claimant if any one of the following applies:

• The student is 24 years of age or older by the first day of classes of the term for which residency status is sought at a Florida institution;
• The student is married (provide marriage certificate or joint tax return);
• The student has children who receive more than half of their support from the student (provide birth certificate or most recent tax return);
• The student has other dependents who live with and receive more than half of their support from the student (provide most recent year’s tax return);
• The student is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces or is currently serving on active duty in the United States Armed Forces for purposes other than training (provide DD-214 or military orders);
• Both of the student’s parents are deceased or the student is or was (until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court (provide appropriate proof)

Parent / Guardian - a parent or guardian will be the claimant for any student under 24 who does not otherwise qualify as a claimant; when a guardian other than the student’s parent acts as claimant, provide proof of guardianship or additional information, as requested.

Adult Relative - for students under the age of 24, when the adult relative has claimed the student on their taxes for the past three consecutive years; provide tax returns and proof of physical presence in Florida for past 12 months for both student and adult relative.

The claimant (as determined above) must provide evidence of physical presence and legal ties to Florida.

Residency determination must be supported by written or electronic verification, which includes either two documents from Section 1, or one document from Section 1 and one from Section 2. However, if proof of a homestead exemption in Florida is provided, it serves as a single, conclusive piece of evidence for residency.  If the provided documentation is unclear or insufficient, additional documents may be requested to verify residency.

All documents submitted must evidence a 12 month period immediately preceding the first day of classes of the term for which residency is sought.

Section 1 - The documents must include at least one of the following:

• • A Florida voter's registration card.
  • A Florida driver's license.
  • A State of Florida identification card.
  • A Florida vehicle registration.
  • Proof of a permanent home in Florida which is occupied as a primary residence by the individual or by the individual's parent if the individual is a dependent child.
  • Proof of a homestead exemption in Florida.
  • Transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple years if the Florida high school diploma or GED® was earned within the last 12 months.
  • Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least 30 hours per week for a 12-month period.

Section 2 - The documents may include one or more of the following:

• • A declaration of domicile in Florida.
  • A Florida professional or occupational license.
  • Florida incorporation.
  • A document evidencing family ties in Florida.
  • Proof of membership in a Florida-based charitable or professional organization.
  • Any other documentation that supports the student's request for resident status, including, but not limited to, utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; a lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; or an official state, federal, or court document evidencing legal ties to Florida.

Any person who meets the following criteria will be considered a Florida resident for tuition purposes. Documentation of qualification will be required.

• Active duty members of the Armed Services of the United States residing or stationed in this state, their spouses, and dependent children, and active drilling members of the Florida National Guard.
• Active duty members of the Armed Services of the United States and their spouses and dependents attending a public community college or state university within 50 miles of the military establishment where they are stationed, if such military establishment is within a county contiguous to Florida.
• United States citizens living on the Isthmus of Panama, who have completed 12 consecutive months of college work at the Florida State University Panama Canal Branch, and their spouses and dependent children.
• Full-time instructional and administrative personnel employed by state public schools and institutions of higher education and their spouses and dependent children.
• Students from Latin America and the Caribbean who receive scholarships from the federal or state government. Any student classified pursuant to this paragraph shall attend, on a full-time basis, a Florida institution of higher education.
• Southern Regional Education Board's Academic Common Market graduate students attending Florida's state universities.
• Full-time employees of state agencies or political subdivisions of the state when the student fees are paid by the state agency or political subdivision for the purpose of job-related law enforcement or corrections training.
• McKnight Doctoral Fellows and Finalists who are United States citizens.
• United States citizens living outside the United States who are teaching at a Department of Defense Dependent School or in an American International School and who enroll in a graduate level education program which leads to a Florida teaching certificate.
• Active duty members of the Canadian military residing or stationed in this state under the North American Air Defense (NORAD) agreement, and their spouses and dependent children, attending a community college or state university within 50 miles of the military establishment where they are stationed.
• Active duty members of a foreign nation's military who are serving as liaison officers and are residing or stationed in this state, and their spouses and dependent children, attending a community college or state university within 50 miles of the military establishment where the foreign liaison officer is stationed.

A person who is classified as a nonresident for tuition purposes may become eligible for reclassification as a resident for tuition purposes if that person or, if that person is a dependent child, his or her parent presents clear and convincing documentation that supports permanent legal residency in this state for at least 12 consecutive months rather than temporary residency for the purpose of pursuing an education.

Students requesting reclassification must complete the Residency Declaration and submit legible copies of all required documentation. Reclassification requires at least three documents from the lists under "Physical Presence and Legal Ties" above. Submissions should be made to the Admissions Office at any campus prior to the first day of classes of the semester for which reclassification is sought or residency cannot be granted for that semester.

Residency decisions may be appealed, in writing. Submit the Residency Appeal form with all supporting documentation to the Admissions Office on the Daytona Beach Campus, attention to Admissions Coordinator. The appeal will be reviewed and a response provided to the student’s FalconMail email account.