Determining Residency for In-State Tuition

Any student classified as out-of-state at the time of admissions is considered to be in Arkansas primarily for the purpose of attending school and not for the purpose of establishing residency. Mere presence in Arkansas or a border state alone does not establish residency. Any student previously classified as out-of-state may request a change of residency status through the Registrar’s Office. The student must submit documentation showing six (6) months of residency in Arkansas or a border state before the start of the given semester for purposes other than attending college.

Residency can be shown submitting any two (2) forms of documentation from the following list:

• Current permanent driver's license (at least six months old) bearing the address where the student resides. Post office box addresses are not acceptable.
• State automobile registration.
• Statement from employer indicating the dates of employment, length of service, and address where student resided when employed.
• Lease which includes student's name and dates spanning a minimum six-month period.
• Personal or real estate property tax statement from their permanent domicile from the previous year.
• Documented home purchase in Arkansas or a border state
• Payment of state income tax.
• Previous year’s state income tax return showing the student is a dependent of an Arkansas or border state resident.
• Utility bills dated to cover the six months immediately before the start of the semester and indicating the student's permanent address.
• Other forms of verification may be accepted at the discretion of the institution.

Any student who meets any of the following criteria shall be classified as in-state, regardless of their residence:

1. A veteran who was honorably discharged from the U.S armed forces.
2. A dependent or spouse of a veteran who meets criteria above. For the purpose of this policy, dependents are unmarried children who are legal dependents of the military person as defined by the IRS.
3. A member of the armed forces.
4. A spouse of a member of the armed forces.
5. A Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadet who has an executed armed forces service contract.
6. A dependent of a member of the active duty armed forces, when the member of the armed forces:
   1. is stationed in Arkansas pursuant to permanent change of station military orders;
   2. is continuously domiciled in Arkansas for at least six (6) consecutive months before entering active military service and who maintains Arkansas as the permanent home of record while on active duty, or
   3. demonstrates a change of domicile from another state to Arkansas at least 12 months prior to separation, discharge, or retirement from active duty. This provision is forfeited if the military person does not return to Arkansas with 36 months after separation, discharge, or retirement from active duty.
7. A veteran using educational assistance under either chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill® – Active Duty Program) or chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill®), of title 38, United States Code, who lives in Arkansas while attending a school located in Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
8. Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Arkansas while attending a school located in Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor’s discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
9. Anyone described in 7 and 8 above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school. The person so described must have enrolled in the school prior to the expiration of the three year period following discharge or release as described in 7 and 8 above and must be using educational benefits under either chapter 30 or chapter 33, of title 38, United States Code.
10. Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311(b)(9)) who lives in Arkansas while attending a school located in Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence).
11. Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Arkansas while attending a school located in Arkansas (regardless of their formal state of residence) and the transferor is a member of the uniformed service who is serving on active duty.
12. A member of the armed forces or “covered individual” as identified in Section 702 of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014.
13. Any individual using educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E).

The policy shall be read to be amended as necessary for compliance with the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 3679, as amended, and Ark. Code Ann. § 6-60-205.

Under the provisions of Arkansas Code Ann. § 6-60-215 (Act 844), students who provide documentation to satisfy the requirements of 1, 2, or 3; and A and B below will be granted in-state tuition.

1. Student has immigrated from the Republic of the Marshall Islands and has verified legal presence in the State of Arkansas. Acceptable documentation certifying citizenship/country of birth as the Republic of the Marshall Islands may include:
   1. Passport.
   2. Employment Authorization Document Card.
   3. Permanent Resident Card.
   4. Unexpired Immigrant Visa.
   5. Additional forms of verification may be accepted at the discretion of the institution.
2. Student or parent holds a Federal Form I-766 United States Citizenship and Immigration Services issued Employment Authorization Document, known as a work permit. Required documentation includes:
   1. Unexpired Employment Authorization Card issued to the student.
   2. Unexpired Employment Authorization Card issued to the parent and documentation, such as birth certificate, verifying the parent-child relationship.
3. Student has requested and been approved for an exemption under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Exemption must be current. Required documentation includes one of the following:
   1. Unexpired Employment Authorization Card issued to the student.
   2. Form I-797, Notice of Action addressed to the student that specifies “Case Type: Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” and “Notice Type: Approval Notice [which has not expired the two (2) year validity.]”

If the student is able to provide proper documentation to establish they meet one of the above requirements, the student must also provide documentation to satisfy both requirements listed below.

1. The student must be a graduate of an Arkansas public or private high school or must have earned an Arkansas high school equivalency. Required documentation includes one of the following:
   • Official high school transcript from an accredited Arkansas public or private institution indicating a graduation date and final grade point average.
   • GED certificate or scores issued by the Arkansas Department of Career Education or other appropriate state agency.
2. The student must have resided in Arkansas for at least three years at the time of application for admission. Acceptable documentation can include but is not limited to any of the following:

1. Official high school transcript from an accredited Arkansas public or private institution indicating a graduation date and final grade point average.
2. Official college transcript from an Arkansas college or university, if that transcript shows residency at the school for three (3) years immediately prior to UAFS admission.
3. Billing/rental history indicating Arkansas residency for at least three (3) years prior to admission. Examples include but are not limited to utility bills and rental agreements.
4. Documented home purchase in Arkansas by the student at least three years prior to admission.
5. Driver’s license or state identification card issued in the State of Arkansas at least three years prior to admission.
6. Notarized letter from an employer or landlord verifying Arkansas residency status for at least three years prior to admission.
7. Other forms of verification may be accepted at the discretion of the institution.