Georgia Residency

Under guidelines established by the Board of Regents (BOR) of the University System of Georgia (USG), Kennesaw State University is required to determine the tuition classification for tuition payment purposes of all applicants or students of the University in accordance with BOR Policy 4.3.2 Student Residency.

A student’s initial tuition classification is determined by the answers provided on their application for admission. If the student does not agree with their initial tuition classification, they can appeal the decision to the Tuition Classification Officer in the Office of the Registrar. Should the student enroll as a Non-Resident and later want to be classified as a Resident, the student must submit a Petition to Change Tuition Classification. The student has until 30 days after the first day of class for the term they are trying to get in-state tuition to appeal their tuition classification. If approved, the change is not retroactive to prior semesters.

The policy around tuition classification can be summarized in the following main points.

• Students under the age of 24 are considered dependent students and therefore their tuition classification is based on their parent or US Court-Appointed Legal Guardian’s domicile in Georgia.
• Independent students are those age 24 and older OR those under the age of 24 who can prove they are financially independent from their parents/guardians who live in another state.
• A student under the age of 24 whose parents/guardians do not reside in Georgia cannot be classified as Resident unless they can prove they are financially independent from their parent/guardian’s support by earning an income over the federal poverty level, not claimed on their parent/guardian’s taxes, and have severed all ties to their previous state. Extenuating circumstances outside of these parameters can be discussed with the Tuition Classification Officer for consideration.
• A person’s domicile is defined as the state where they have physically resided the past 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of the term. This includes where they work, file taxes as a Resident, hold a drivers license/state ID card, have their vehicle registered, etc. This is the state they intend to live indefinitely.
• Georgia law deems that a person moving to the state of Georgia to establish residency must change their license/state ID and vehicle registration to Georgia within 30 days of moving here.
• A student cannot be classified as a Resident if they moved to Georgia for the sole purpose of attending school.
• Moving to Georgia and living in on-campus housing does not show intent to remain in Georgia indefinitely for purposes outside of attending school.
• Since KSU is a public university, a large percentage of the cost of attendance for an in-state student to attend comes from Georgia taxpayers. Failure to appropriately file taxes as a Resident of Georgia can result in a student not being eligible to be considered a resident for tuition purposes. 
• Should the student enroll as a Resident at KSU and their parents move to another state AFTER the student first enrolls, the student shall retain their Resident status as long as they stay continuously enrolled at KSU.
• If a dependent student’s parents/guardians or an independent student leaves the state of Georgia for a year or longer by the start date of the term, the student will be classified as a Non-Resident.
• Students who are not US Citizens or not an eligible Non-Citizen under Federal Student Aid Title IV regulations are not eligible to reclassified as a Resident.
• U.S. Citizens under the age of 24 who are considered homeless under the definition of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act may qualify for in-state tuition if they can provide documentation permitted under Georgia Code 20-3-66(4).

Please note that the policy is very diverse and additional requirements not listed here may be requested from a student to ensure they are eligible to be classified as a Resident. If you feel you meet the criteria to be reclassified as a Resident, please reach out to us so we can determine how you should best proceed to apply to be reclassified.