Idaho Residency for Tuition Purposes

Initial Determination of Residency Status

When you apply to the University of Idaho, the Admissions Office determines your status as a resident or non-resident for tuition purposes based upon your application. If you are an incoming student and have questions about your residency determination, contact the Admissions Office.

UW WWAMI Medical Education and WSU Veterinary Medicine Certifications

Applicants to these professional programs will follow the same procedures noted below with the exception of the worksheet which designates the program applying for.  Select the appropriate worksheet to complete: UW WWAMI Medical Worksheet or WSU Veterinary Medicine Worksheet.  Residency requirements must be met by the time certification is requested.

Requesting a Change of Residency

A student who feels they meet the following qualifications for Idaho residency must take the following steps:

• STEP 1: Thoroughly review the options for establishing Idaho residency and determine the ONE OPTION best fits your situation.
• STEP 2: Review requirements to establish domicile to ensure that the person on which your residency is based (self, parent, or spouse) has met all criteria.
• STEP 3: Review supporting documentation requirements to confirm that your application can be supported.
• STEP 4: Print the Idaho Residency Determination Worksheet. Carefully follow the instructions for each part of the worksheet to complete from beginning to end (do not skip around).
• STEP 5: Refer to the list of required supporting documentation listed below to collect copies of ALL required documents for your specific situation to submit with your application.

Submit applications after all qualifications have been met. Applications for fall are reviewed beginning in August and for spring beginning in December.  The deadline for submission is the 10th day of the semester, although all qualifications must have been met before the first day of the semester. A decision will be emailed to the student within 2-3 business days of submission of a complete application.

The student is responsible for payment of fees by the first day of the semester; if Idaho residency is granted after this date, the difference in fees will be refunded to the student.

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How Can I Establish Idaho Residency?

Following are the (lettered) options under which a student may qualify for Idaho residency for tuition purposes; at least one of these options must be met. It is best to focus on the one option that best fits the situation of the student. Under most of the options, the individual upon whom the residency is based must also prove establishment of domicile.

1. One or more parent(s)/legal guardian(s) of the student is a resident of the state of Idaho and provides at least 50% of the student's financial support (i.e. dependent). The parent(s)/legal guardian(s) must have maintained a bona fide domicile* in the state of Idaho for at least 12 months prior to the semester in which the student is applying for residency. [The parent/guardian must prove establishment of domicile.]
2. The student receives less than 50% financial support from their parent(s)/legal guardian(s) (i.e. non-dependent) and has continuously resided** in and maintained a bona fide domicile* in Idaho primarily for purposes other than education*** for at least 12 months prior to the semester in which the student is applying for residency. [The student must prove establishment of domicile.]
3. Unless disqualified as a nonresident student (see definitions below), any student who is a graduate from an accredited Idaho high school and immediately following, enrolled in an Idaho college or university and has continued to be and is presently enrolled in an Idaho college or university. [The student must prove continuous enrollment in an Idaho institution.]
4. The student is married to an Idaho resident. [The student's spouse must prove establishment of domicile if not a current resident student.]
5. A member of the Armed Forces**** who entered service as an Idaho resident and who has maintained Idaho resident status, but is not stationed within the state of Idaho on military orders.
6. The student is a member of the Armed Forces**** stationed in the state of Idaho on military orders.
7. The student is an officer or enlisted member in the Idaho National Guard.
8. The student is separated under honorable conditions from the Armed Forces**** after at least two years of service and at the time of separation designated the state of Idaho as their intended domicile or indicated Idaho as their home of record of service; and will be entering the university within one year of the date of separation, or who moves to Idaho for the purpose of establishing domicile; provided however, to maintain status as a resident student, such person must actively establish domicile in Idaho within one (1) year of matriculation in a public institution of higher education in Idaho. The dependent of a person who qualifies as a resident student under this paragraph and who receives at least fifty percent (50%) support from such person shall also be a resident student.
9. The dependent child of a person who qualifies as a resident student under the provisions of option E through H (above), and who received at least 50% financial support (i.e. dependent) from such person shall also be a resident student.
10. The student has been away from the state of Idaho less than 30 months, not including time spent at an out-of-state post-secondary institution, and has not established legal residence elsewhere; and the student continuously resided** in Idaho for at least 12 months immediately prior to departure. [Student must prove establishment of domicile for the period in Idaho.]
11. The student is a member of one of the following Native American tribes: (i) Coeur d'Alene; (ii) Shoshone-Paiute; (iii) Nez Perce; (iv)Shoshone-Bannock; or (v) Kootenai.

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Definitions

Nonresident Student:

• A student who does not qualify under any of the above options.
• A student attending an Idaho institution with financial assistance provided by another state or governmental entity thereof.  Note: WUE is classified as such financial assistance and therefore is a disqualifying factor for Idaho residency.
• A person who is not a US citizen, permanent resident, or holds "refugee-parolee" or "conditional entrant" status with US Immigration and Naturalization Service, or is not otherwise permanently residing in the US under color of law.

*Domicile is an individual's permanent home; the place where they intend to remain and expect to return to when leaving without establishing a new home elsewhere.

**Continuously Resided consists of physical presence in the state of Idaho for 12 consecutive months without absences totaling more than 30 days.

***Primarily Educational Purposes is defined by a student being enrolled in more than 8 credit hours in any semester during the past 12 month period.

****Armed Forces is defined as United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Idaho National Guard; it does not include National Guard from other states or other reserve forces.

Dependent/Non-Dependent status is verified through tax return of parent and/or student.

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How Does an Individual Establish Domicile in Idaho?

The individual must be physically present in Idaho primarily for purposes other than education.  If the individual is a student and has been enrolled for more than 8 credits at any time during the past 12 months, Idaho considers that primarily for educational purposes disqualifying them from Idaho residency, unless the student can rebut that presumption by proving establishment of domicile.  To establish domicile, the individual must have continuously resided** in Idaho for 12 consecutive months and have met one of the following criteria prior to the opening day of the semester for which the student is applying for residency:

1. Filing a full-year resident Idaho state income tax return (Must be most current tax year; return must be complete and submitted to Idaho State Tax Commission during acceptance period.) OR
2. Maintained permanent, full-time employment in the state of Idaho for at least 12 months OR
3. Student has owned their own living quarters for at least 12 months.  (This applies only to students who are basing residency on themselves; does not apply when residency is based on parent/legal guardian.) OR
4. Establishment of 5 of the following 7 factors; each factor must have been done for at least 12 months prior to the semester which the student is applying for residency:
   
   1. Registration and payment of Idaho taxes or fees on a motor vehicle, motor home, travel trailer, or other item of personal property for which state registration and the payment of a state tax or fee is required;
   2. Registration to vote for state elected officials in Idaho at a general election;
   3. Holding an Idaho driver's license or Idaho state-issued ID card;
   4. Evidence of abandonment of previous domicile;
   5. Presence of household goods in Idaho (living in University housing cannot be used as a factor);
   6. Establishment of accounts with Idaho financial institutions;
   7. Other similar factors indicating intent to be domiciled in Idaho and maintenance of such domicile.  Factors may include but are not limited to enrollment of dependent children in Idaho primary or secondary schools, establishment of acceptance or an offer of permanent employment for self in Idaho, or documented need to care for a relative in Idaho.

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Supporting Documentation

The following information is a guide to ensuring all required documentation is submitted with a residency application.  Remember that ALL documentation must be in the name of the person on which the residency is being based.  Documentation is required only for those questions that apply to the situation of the applicant.  All documentation must be submitted with the Idaho Residency Determination Worksheet  from the student.

PART II

Option A: applicant must document dependency via copy of tax return (first page only unless included as Idaho tax return noted below in Part IV) of parents/legal guardians.

Option B: applicants under 25 must document non-dependency via parent/legal guardian tax return (first page only).

Option C: medical and veterinary school applicants must include a (unofficial) transcript from their Idaho post-secondary institution to document full enrollment period along with an account statement showing type of tuition paid.

Option D: marriage certificate to confirm marriage.

Option E: copy of military orders and Form DD 1966 or Form DD 4  or Leave and Earning statement to document resident state.

Option F: copy of orders assigning applicant to Idaho.

Option G: Form DD 4/2 (parts D and E) confirms enlistment date in Idaho National Guard.

Option H or I: separated military DD 214 must be Member 4 copy.

Option I: military member documentation to show state of residence is a DD 1966 or DD 4 form.

Option J: if time out of state includes enrollment in a post-secondary institution, include a (unofficial) transcript to document full enrollment period and a copy of billing statement or letter from school indicating type of tuition paid (resident or non-resident).

Option K: copy of tribal membership papers.

PART IV

Income Tax Return:

• Idaho state tax form 40 (2 pages only, no supplemental forms) AND
• Federal tax form 1040 (2 pages only, no supplemental forms) filed with Idaho return AND
• Copy of confirmation page for electronically filed returns OR signed and dated copies of mailed returns. 

Employment:

• Payroll summary from employer confirming number hours worked per pay-period for past 12 months OR
• Current pay stub and a pay stub from 12 months ago as long as employment has continuously been 40+ hours per week over the entire year; the pay stubs must show hours worked and pay-period date range

Home Ownership: Note: leasing or renting is not ownership

• Dated purchase agreement/deed of sale OR
• Property tax bill(s) covering at least 12 months

PART V

Motor Vehicle Registration: Current vehicle registration (part kept in vehicle, not the certificate of title)

Voter Registration:

• Original voter registration application confirming registration date OR
• Statement from Voter Registration Office confirming registration date (voting location card does not confirm registration date)

Driver's License: Current Idaho driver's license or state ID card

Abandonment of Previous Domicile:

• Deed of sale of prior home OR
• Moving expenses bill with date, rental location, and return date and location OR
• Move out statement or signed letter from prior landlord/rental agency confirming address of rental and date moved out

Household Goods:

• Property tax statement (if home is owned) OR
• Lease agreement for rental (multiple agreements may need to be provided to document past 12 months and current); note: University housing cannot count as a factor of domicile

Banking:

• Current bank statement and a statement from 12 months ago; statements must be for same bank account and have address of customer

Dependent Children School Enrollment: Signed letter from school confirming dates of enrollment of child

Care of Relative: Signed letter from physician confirming care requirements