As a State of Ohio assisted institution, The University of Akron is obligated to comply with the law established by the Ohio legislature and charged to the chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents in regard to verifying residency status and assessing tuition costs for each student. In its assessment of a student’s eligibility for classification as an Ohio resident for tuition purposes, The University of Akron is obliged to apply the residency eligibility criteria established by Ohio Revised Code 3333.31 and Ohio Administrative Code 3333-1-10.
The information requested is necessary to satisfy state auditors upon their review of the applicant’s file. Students classified as residents for tuition purposes receive the benefit of a state-supported education, funded largely by the taxpayers of Ohio. The guidelines are therefore meant to exclude from residency those who are in Ohio primarily for the purpose of receiving a state-supported education.
Any student classified as a non-resident of the State of Ohio for tuition purposes may apply for resident status by submitting all materials via email to OhioResidency@uakron.edu or in person at the Office of the University Registrar. Communication from the Office of the University Registrar regarding the student’s residency request will be sent via email to the student’s University email address.
Please note that you are expected to make full payment (including nonresident fees) by the appropriate payment due date. Payment deadlines cannot be waived or extended while your residency is being reviewed. Retroactive residency determinations cannot be made for tuition surcharge purposes.
Because requests for residency must be approved prior to the first day of classes of the academic term for which you desire reclassification, application materials and all appropriate supporting documentation must be submitted by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for the desired semester:
Fall Semester: August 15
Spring Semester: December 15
Summer Semester: May 1
Failure to provide all required documentation will delay consideration as your application may be returned to you. The Request for Resident Classification form is considered a registration document and any falsification or purposeful omission on the form could be cause for your removal from the University in accordance with The University of Akron’s Code of Student Conduct.
To qualify for Ohio residency for tuition purposes, a person is expected to have acted as a citizen of the state in every way by living in Ohio no less than 12 consecutive months immediately preceding enrollment, qualifying and voting in Ohio elections, registering your car in Ohio (if applicable), obtaining an Ohio driver’s license (if applicable), and recognizing an obligation to file Ohio tax returns as required.
Read the following summary of the main ways to establish residency carefully to determine the guideline for which you are requesting residency. Then, print and complete the Request for Resident Classification form, attach all required documentation and submit all materials via email to OhioResidency@uakron.edu or in person at the Office of the University Registrar.
You are a student whose spouse, or are a dependent student of at least one of whose parent/legal guardian, has been a resident of Ohio for all other legal purposes for 12 consecutive months prior to the start of the semester you are applying for residency.
If you feel you meet the classification as the dependent student of an Ohio resident under this rule, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
You are trying to become an Ohio resident and have been a resident of Ohio for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the start of the semester you are applying for residency. You are not receiving, and have not directly or indirectly received in the preceding 12 consecutive months, financial support from persons or entities who are not residents of Ohio for all other legal purposes. You are claiming to be financially independent of anyone else unless you have a spouse who is also living in Ohio.
If you feel you meet the classification as an independent student under this rule, you should must the following minimum documentation. Additional documentation may be required to provide evidence of the independent student status:
You are the dependent student or spouse of a person who is living and employed on a full-time, self-sustaining basis in Ohio. An employed person who, as of the first day of a term of enrollment, has established domicile and accepted full-time self-sustaining employment in Ohio, their dependent spouse/children are eligible for instant residency. Graduate Assistantships are not considered as full-time employment.
If you feel you meet the classification as a dependent student under this rule, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
You are a veteran, the veteran's spouse or any dependent of the veteran, who meets both of the following conditions:
If you feel you meet the classification as a student under this rule, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
In addition to 1 and 2 above, a dependent (spouse or child) of a Veteran must also submit:
You are a student who graduated from an Ohio high school while living in Ohio and have established a current residence in Ohio. You have the current legal status to remain permanently in the United States, had left Ohio but returned to enroll in an Ohio public institution of higher education and have established a primary residence in Ohio by the first day of the term of enrollment. An Ohio high school does not include GED.
If you feel you meet the classification as a student under this rule, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
You are independent, living and gainfully employed on a full-time or part-time and self-sustaining basis in Ohio and pursuing a part-time program of instruction. You must be able to demonstrate that you are self-supporting based solely on your current employment income. Other sources of income such as financial aid, savings, social security, VA benefits, etc. cannot be considered as income contributing to your self-supporting status but can be used over and above the amount necessary to meet expenses.
If you feel you meet the classification as an independent student under this exception, you must submit the following minimum documentation. Additional documentation may be required to provide evidence of the independent student status:
A person who enters and remains upon active duty status in the U.S. military while a resident of Ohio for all other legal purposes (and his or her dependents) shall be considered a resident of Ohio for tuition purposes as long as Ohio remains the state of that person’s domicile.
If you feel you meet the classification as a student under this exception, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
In addition to 1 – 4 above, a dependent (spouse or child) of an active duty person must also submit:
A person on active duty status in the United State military who is both stationed and residing in Ohio (and his or her dependents) shall be considered a resident of Ohio for tuition purposes.
If you feel you meet the classification as a student under this exception, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
In addition to 1 – 3 above, a dependent (spouse or child) of an active duty person must also submit:
A person who is transferred by his or her employer beyond the territorial limits of the 50 states of the United States and the District of Columbia while a resident of Ohio for all other legal purposes and his or her dependents shall be considered residents of Ohio for these purposes as long as Ohio remains the state of such person’s domicile as long as such person has fulfilled his or her tax liability to the state of Ohio for at least the tax year preceding enrollment.
If you feel you meet the classification as a student under this exception, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
A person who has been employed as a migrant worker in the state of Ohio and his or her dependents shall be considered a resident for these purposes provided such person has worked in Ohio at least four months during each of the three years preceding the proposed enrollment.
If you feel you meet the classification as a student under this exception, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
A person who was considered a resident under this rule at the time the person started a community service position as defined under this rule, and his or her spouse and dependents, shall be considered as residents of Ohio while in service and upon completion of service in the community service position (VISTA, AmeriCorps, City Year, Peace Corps or working for an elected or appointed public official for a period of time not exceeding 24 consecutive months).
If you feel you meet the classification as a student under this exception, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
A person who returns to the state of Ohio due to marital hardship, takes or has taken legal steps to end a marriage, and reestablishes financial dependence upon a parent or legal guardian (receives greater than 50% of his or her support from the parent or legal guardian), and his or her dependents shall be considered residents of Ohio.
If you feel you meet the classification as a student under this exception, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
A person who is a member of the Ohio National Guard, and his or her spouse and dependents shall be considered residents of Ohio while the person is in Ohio National Guard service.
If you feel you meet the classification as a student under this exception, you must submit the following minimum documentation:
Students who are U.S. citizens, Permanent Resident Aliens, Political Asylees or Political Refugees, or students who hold an A, E, G, H, I, L, O, P, R, TC, TD, TN or V visa may apply to be reviewed for in-state residency according to the guidelines above.
International Students who hold B, C, D, F, J, K, M or U visas are NOT eligible for establishing in-state residency, unless they are financially dependent upon a spouse or parent who is a bona fide Ohio resident. This is defined as a person who meets the criteria established in the Ohio Board of Regent's Guidelines and is also a U.S. citizen, Permanent Resident Alien, Political Asylee, Political Refugee, or holds an A, E, G, H, I, L, O, P, R, TC, TD, TN or V visa.
Students whose immigration status is pending are eligible to establish Ohio residency only if their most recent immigration status was eligible to establish Ohio residency. “Financially dependent on a parent” is defined as having been claimed on the parent’s federal tax return in the most recent tax year. “Financial dependence upon a spouse” is proven with a marriage certificate. In addition, students holding a B, F, J, K, M or U visas and who are financially dependent upon a spouse or parent who is a bona fide Ohio resident must also have applied to adjust their status to permanent resident alien in order to qualify for the in-state tuition subsidy benefit, or they must have applied to adjust their status to match that of the person they are dependent upon. (Example: Student is F1 visa holder and marries Ohio resident with H1B visa, then student must be in process of adjusting to an H4 status.) If a student’s immigration status changes after being classified as a resident it may affect their ability to remain classified as a resident. (Example: Student changes from an H visa type to F visa type).