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Residency Status & Tuition

To be eligible to pay resident tuition a student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, who

  • is financially independent
  • has established a domicile in the state of Washington for other than educational purposes for a period of at least one full year prior to the beginning date of the quarter OR
  • is a dependent student whose parents or legal guardians have maintained a domicile in the state of Washington for at least one full year prior to the beginning date of the quarter and
  • who further meets and complies with all applicable requirements of WAC 250-18-030 and 250-18-035.

Note: Resident tuition applies to active duty military, Washington state Reservists/Guard members and refugees. Effective July 1, 2003, Washington State law, HB 1079, made certain students who are not permanent residents of the United States eligible for resident tuition.

Typically, state residents document their legal residence in Washington by showing that for the entire 12 months immediately preceding the beginning of the quarter, they have done all of the following:

  • held a Washington driver's license or identification card
  • had their vehicle registered in Washington
  • been registered to vote in Washington (if applicable.)

Students meeting the above criteria who were previously classified as non-residents are responsible for requesting a change in their residency status. Forms and information are available in the Registrar's Office (206.934.7938).

Students who are not permanent residents or U.S. citizens may qualify for
resident tuition at Washington state colleges, under provisions of a bill passed in 2003 by the state legislature. The bill applies to students who have graduated or who will have graduated from a Washington state high school; it also applies to students who have received the equivalent of a high school diploma while living in Washington. Students must also meet specific additional criteria. View State Funding Support of Students, or for more information, contact the Registration Office.

See current tuition information.