Residency and Lawful Presence for In-State Tuition

Verifying Lawful Presence in the United States

In order to be coded in-state, you must have lived in the state of Georgia for the past 12 months and accurately answer the residency questions on your admissions application. Additionally, because of a new law that was passed in January 2012, all students applying for in-state tuition must provide validation of lawful presence in the United States. One of the following must be provided in order to be coded in-state:

A current Driver's License issued by the State of Georgia after January 1, 2008
A current ID issued by the State of Georgia after January 1, 2008
A current Driver’s License or ID issued by a state that verifies immigration status and only issues to persons lawfully present in the United States; See list of compliant states here
A certified U.S. Birth Certificate showing the student was born in the U.S. or a U.S. territory; A photocopy is not acceptable
An approved completed FAFSA for the current financial aid year
A current, valid Permanent Resident Card (USCIS form 1-151 or 1-551)
A U.S. Certificate of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State (DS-1350) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240)
A current U.S. Passport
A U.S. Certificate of Citizenship (USCIS form N-560 or N-561)
A U.S. Certificate of Naturalization (USCIS form N-550 or N-570)

Acceptable Documents for Determining Residency:

Student graduated from an Eligible High School located in the State of Georgia (student must be age 24 or younger)
Utility bills in their own name (electricity, water, cable, telephone; not cellular phone).
Proof of ownership of primary residence in Georgia/property tax document
Complete lease document with signatures (12 month requirement)
Notarized letter on company letterhead indicating length of employment (12 month requirement)
Address on driver’s license and state of issuance (12 month requirement from issue date)
Georgia voter registration (https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do My Voter’s Page)
Georgia automotive registration (12 month requirement) (2 recent years)
Parent/guardian’s Georgia Driver’s license (student must be age 24 or younger)
State for which the individual filed and paid state income taxes (GA-500)
State of issuance of business, professional, or other licenses.

Eligible Out-of-State Tuition Exemptions (appropriate documentation required)

Employees and their children who move to Georgia for employment with a new or expanding industry as defined in OCGA 20-4-40; (must provide documentation)
Full-time employees of the Technical College System of Georgia, their spouses, and dependent children;
Full-time teachers in a public school, a military base, or a public postsecondary college, their spouses, and dependent children; (must provide documentation of employment and spouse/dependent status)
United States military personnel stationed in Georgia and on active duty and their dependents living in Georgia;
United States military personnel, spouses and dependent children reassigned outside Georgia, who remain continuously enrolled and on active military status;
United States military personnel and their dependents that are Domiciled in Georgia, but are stationed outside the State;
Students who are Domiciled in out-of-state counties bordering on Georgia counties and who are enrolled in a Technical College with a local reciprocity agreement;
Career consular officers and their dependents that are citizens of the foreign nation which their consular office represents, and who are living in Georgia under orders of their respective governments. This waiver shall apply only to those consular officers whose nations operate on the principle of educational reciprocity with the United States.
Members of a uniformed military service of the United States who, within thirty-six (36) months of separation from such service, enroll in an academic program and demonstrate an intent to become domiciled in Georgia. This exemption may also be granted to their spouses and dependent children or individuals eligible for GI Bill benefits.