Who is a resident?

ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES

If Admissions classified you as a Non-Resident and you graduated from an Alabama High School, Please review the Residency Requirements in FAQ.

In order to be considered a resident for tuition purposes at Auburn University, a student who has been coded non-resident by Admissions Processing or the Graduate School due to an out-of-state address, test score or transcript at any point in their academic career, must submit a residency appeal packet to our office. (See Petition for Residency Appeal).

Deadlines

  • Fall Semester: July 1
  • Spring Semester: January 1
  • Summer Semester: May 1
  • Petitions will not be considered for previous terms

For the purpose of assessing fees, applicants will be classified as Alabama or non-Alabama students. Non-Alabama students are required to pay a non-resident tuition fee.

Students who come to the state of Alabama from another state for the purpose of attending Auburn University will be considered a non-resident student for tuition purposes. Classification of students as a non-resident will be made at the time of their initial admission to the university and the non-resident status will continue unchanged through all registrations at the university until and unless satisfactory evidence is provided to qualify for residency.

A person who moves to Alabama for the primary purpose of attending college will not be considered eligible for classification as a resident student.

It is the student’s responsibility to check their residency status when accepted to Auburn University. Students should carefully examine their ebill account as this is a clear indicator of whether one is being charged resident or non-resident tuition.

An Alabama student/resident is a person who is:

  • a citizen of the United States or a legal permanent resident

AND

  • has lived in the State of Alabama for at least 12 months immediately preceding current registration.

A person who establishes domicile in Alabama for the purpose of avoiding non-Alabama fees will be subject to non-resident tuition.

Non-resident students who carry an academic load considered normal (10 or more hours per term for Undergraduates, and 7 hours or more for Graduate students per term) will be presumed to be in the State of Alabama primarily for the purpose of gaining an education and, thus, have not demonstrated the intent to establish a true domicile in Alabama.

Burden of proof for changing residency status rests with the student. Clear and convincing evidence to the contrary must be presented to overcome this presumption. Decisions regarding change of residency will be made by the following dates.

For additional information see the Auburn policy regarding Alabama residency, the Alabama Code and our Frequently Asked Questions.

Documentation

If you believe you qualify for residency and in-state tuition please review the following guidelines and required documents that must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar and Residency Coordinator for consideration.

The Residency Coordinator in the Office of the Registrar will determine whether a student will be classified as an Alabama or non-Alabama student. The decision of the Residency Coordinator will be subject to review by the Residency Appeals Committee upon written request of the applicant. Residency Appeals Committee recommendations are sent to the Provost for a final decision. (6 members)

Other students eligible for resident tuition:

  • Students enrolled in the College of Veterinary Medicine professional D.V.M. program admitted under contract with the Southern Regional Education Board. Contact admiss@vetmed.auburn.edu
  • Non-resident students enrolled in programs included in Common Market visit Academic Common Market

Please note – supplying all documents required for a residency appeal does NOT guarantee residency but allows us to assess each situation and apply Alabama law accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

In order to reclassify a student to “resident” status, the student must show a 12-month history in the State of Alabama as a full-time employee, be able to demonstrate financial self-sufficiency without support from parents and must not attend school on a full-time basis during that 12 months (10 hours or more is considered full-time for residency purposes). The student must document his or her residency status in accordance with category A of the Petition for Classification as In-State for Tuition Purposes.

Residency Appeals Committee

The Residency Appeals Committee shall consist of the University Registrar or designee as non-voting chair; Provost’s office representative; Student Affairs’ office representative; and three faculty members. Of the three faculty members, when possible, one will be from the School of Accountancy, with expertise in accounting and taxation. The committee reviews appeals of initial decisions of residency for tuition purposes by the Office of the University Registrar based on the Board of Trustees’ Student Residency Tuition Policy. Residency Appeals Committee recommendations are sent to the Provost for a final decision. (6 members)