Ohio Residency Policy

Ways to Qualify for Ohio Residency for Tuition Purposes
Based on Ohio Administrative Code Residency Rule 3333-1-10
For information on Indiana Reciprocity

To review the complete text of OAC 3333-1-10 go tohttp://codes.ohio.gov/oac/3333-1-10

Students who meet one of the following criteria for Ohio residency may apply for a change in residency status by completing the residency application form, providing clear photocopies of the requested documentation, and submitting them to Raider Connect by mail or in person no later than the first week of the term for which a student is applying. All residency requirements must be met by the first day of the term for which a student applies. Submission of residency application and the requested documents does not guarantee a change in residency status, because criteria must be met as specified in OAC 3333-1-10.

According to the residency regulations, it is the responsibility of the student to apply for a change in residency status as soon as he/she is eligible. It also states that tuition adjustments cannot be made retroactively for past semesters. Residency applications received after the first week of a term will be considered for future semesters.

A student who is not a U. S. citizen may be considered for Ohio residency for tuition purposes provided he or she meets the criteria established in the Ohio Administrative Code 3333-1-10 and whose legal status is in one of the following categories:

• Permanent Resident Alien
• Political Asylee
• Political Refugee
• Holder of one of the following visas, A, E. G, H, I, L, P, R, TC, TD or N

A student who holds a B, F, J, K, or M visa is not eligible for Ohio residency unless the student is married to a bona fide Ohio resident or is the dependent child of a bona fide Ohio resident. To be considered a bona fide Ohio resident, the spouse or parent must meet the residency criteria as established in the residency regulations. The student’s financial dependence on spouse or parent must be documented on the most current federal tax return.

 

General Rule

(C-1) DEPENDENT STUDENT

The spouse or dependent student of a parent/legal guardian who has been a resident of Ohio for at least the 12 consecutive months preceding enrollment. A letter of support and appropriate documentation from the parent/legal guardian that contains the following information is required:

• Student's name and Social Security number
• Number of years parent, legal guardian, or spouse has lived in Ohio parent must provide a photocopy of all lease(s) or closing statement(s) for the preceding 12 consecutive months
• Number of years parent, legal guardian, or spouse has paid taxes in Ohio (copy of most current Ohio personal income tax return)
• A statement of whether or not at least the spouse or one parent or legal guardian has claimed the student as a dependent for tax purposes since birth (copy of most recent federal income tax return showing dependency)

If not a U. S. citizen, then the parent or legal guardian must include whether he/she is a Permanent Resident Alien or visa type. For the student to be eligible, the parent/guardian or spouse must be a bona fide Ohio resident, i.e., be eligible to qualify for residency under OAC 3333-1-10. If qualifying as a spouse of an Ohio resident, a copy of the marriage certificate is required. If the student is a dependent of a legal guardian, a photocopy of the court document establishing legal guardianship must be submitted.

NOTE: In situations where a dependent student’s parents are divorced or separated and the student lives with and is the tax dependent of the parent who lives in another state, the student may be eligible as long as the other parent has resided in Ohio for the 12 month period prior to enrollment. The student does not have to be the tax dependent of the Ohio parent; however, in order for the student to qualify for residency, proof of dependency must still be provided by the parent who lives out of state. The Ohio parent must submit a personal statement, which includes items 1-3 as stated above.

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(C-2) INDEPENDENT STUDENT

A financially independent student who has lived in Ohio for a full, 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the semester for which he or she is applying for residency and who can present clear and convincing proof that no part of his or her financial support during the preceding twelve consecutive months has been provided directly or indirectly by persons or entities who are not residents of Ohio. Students who are claimed on federal income taxes by parents who are not Ohio residents or who are receiving financial assistance, including Plus Loans from parents who are not Ohio residents are not eligible for Ohio residency. These students do not meet the definition of independent student under this rule.

Independent students should meet the following expectations:

• The student should not be absent from the state any longer than the December break, spring break, and three weeks during the summer.
• The student is expected to demonstrate his/her intent to become an Ohio resident by transferring any applicable items of registration to Ohio, such as a driver's license, automobile registration, and voter registration at the beginning of the 12-month period preceding the semester for which reclassification is desired.
• The student must provide clear and convincing proof that during the 12-month period while establishing residency, he or she has had sufficient Ohio based income (which can include federal financial aid) to meet all expenses without the need of money from outside the state of Ohio. Documentation of income that was used to pay all living expenses and all school expenses during the 12-month period is required. Income earned outside of Ohio will not be considered.

To apply under this rule, students should submit clear photocopies of the following documentation:

• Proof that the student has resided in Ohio for 12 consecutive months prior to the application for residency and can include any combination of the following:
  • Lease
  • Closing statement showing purchase of a home
  • Sworn affidavit from the lease holder or owner of the home(s) in which the student resided.
• Legal documents showing proof of intent to establish residency status in Ohio:
  • Ohio driver’s license
  • Ohio motor vehicle registration (if the student owns a car in his/her name)
  • Voter registration in Ohio (this is only required if the student is a registered voter. Students who are registered in another state must change voter registration to Ohio.

The student must complete question #12 on the residency application and provide documentation of all sources of income during the 12 month period that the student has resided in Ohio, which shows clear and convincing proof that the student has been financially independent during this period and has not received income from entities outside the state of Ohio. Documentation of sources of income during the 12 month period can include any combination of the following:

• Year to date pay stub of income earned from employment in Ohio
• Copy of the most recent Ohio tax return
• Federal financial aid received and used by the student (unused aid will not be counted)

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(C-3) DEPENDENT STUDENT OR SPOUSE OF A PERSON WHO IS RESIDING AND EMPLOYED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS IN OHIO.

A dependent student or spouse of an employed individual who has established domicile in Ohio and has begun working on a full-time basis in Ohio as of the first day of the term will be eligible for residency. The following documents are required:

A letter from the employed person's employer, on company letterhead or notarized, that indicates all of the following:

• Name of employed person
• Date employment began
• Must say employment is full-time
• A copy of the most recent pay stub, showing that Ohio taxes are being withheld
• One of the following documents as proof that the employed parent or spouse is residing in Ohio:
  • A copy of a rental agreement/lease for an apartment or home
  • A copy of the closing statement verifying the purchase of a home
  • If living with someone, a sworn affidavit from the owner of the residence certifying that the parent or spouse resides at that residence and the date the parent or spouse began living there

If the student is a dependent child, submit a parental letter of support that indicates the student's name and Social Security number and state whether or not the child has been claimed continuously as a dependent by the parent since the student's birth. (Attach copies of most current federal income tax return, showing the student listed as a tax dependent);

If the student is a spouse of the individual who is employed full-time, a copy of the marriage certificate is required.

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(C-4) A VETERAN AND THE VETERAN’S SPOUSE AND ANY DEPENDENT OF A VETERAN, WHO MEETS THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

Resides in Ohio as of the first day of the term in which residency status is requested
Veteran either served one or more years on active duty and was honorably discharged or received a medical discharge due to military related service; or the spouse or dependent of a veteran who was killed while serving on active military duty or a veteran who has been declared missing in action or a prisoner of war.

The following documents are required:

• Proof that the veteran (and student) resides in Ohio, which can include any combination of the following:
  • A copy of a rental agreement/lease for an apartment or home
  • A copy of the closing statement verifying the purchase of a home
  • Sworn affidavit from the lease holder or owner of the home in which the veteran resides
  • A copy of the veteran’s DD Form 214
  • An eligible spouse must also provide proof of marriage.
  • An eligible dependent child must also provide a copy of the parent’s most recent federal income tax form showing dependency.
  • Or copy of the DD Form 1300 for a veteran who was killed while serving on active military duty or has been declared missing in action or a prisoner of war.

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(C-5) A VETERAN WHO IS THE RECIPIENT OF FEDERAL VETERANS' BENEFITS UNDER THE "ALL-VOLUNTEER FORCE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM" OR "POST-9/11 VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM".

Resides in Ohio as of the first day of the term in which residency status is requested.
Veteran served at least ninety days or is active duty.

The following documents are required:

• Proof that the veteran resides in Ohio, which can include any combination of the following:
  • A copy of a rental agreement/lease for an apartment or home
  • A copy of the closing statement verifying the purchase of a home
  • Sworn affidavit from the lease holder or owner of the home in which the veteran resides
• A copy of the Letter/Certificate of Eligibility for GI Bill Benefits

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(C-6) RECIPIENT OF THE FEDERAL MARINE GUNNERY SERGEANT JOHN DAVID FRY SCHOLARSHIP OR TRANSFERRED FEDERAL VETERANS' BENEFITS UNDER C-5.

Resides in Ohio as of the first day of the term in which residency status is requested.
Veteran served at least ninety days or is active duty.

The following documents are required:

• Proof that the veteran resides in Ohio, which can include any combination of the following:
  • A copy of a rental agreement/lease for an apartment or home
  • A copy of the closing statement verifying the purchase of a home
  • Sworn affidavit from the lease holder or owner of the home in which the veteran resides
• A copy of the Letter/Certificate of Eligibility for GI Bill Benefits

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(C-7) FOREVER BUCKEYE.

Resides in Ohio as of the first day of the term in which residency status is requested.
Graduated from a high school in Ohio or completed the final year of instruction at home as authorized under section 3321.04 of the Revised Code.

The following documents are required:

• Proof that the student resides in Ohio, which can include any combination of the following:
  • A copy of a rental agreement/lease for an apartment or home
  • A copy of the closing statement verifying the purchase of a home
  • Sworn affidavit from the lease holder or owner of the home in which the veteran resides
• A copy of your Ohio high school transcript. To request your transcript from the Ohio Department of Education, call 1 877-644-6338.

Exceptions to the General Rule are specifically addressed in OAC 3333-1-10, and Wright State University is not authorized to make other exceptions. Students who do not qualify under the General Rule may be eligible based on one of the following exceptions:

(E-1) Student who is living in Ohio and is employed on a full-time (or part-time and self-sustaining basis) and who is pursuing a part-time program of study, regardless of how long the individual has resided in Ohio.

Because this rule is written for those who have moved to Ohio to accept self-sustaining employment, the student must be able to demonstrate that he/she is self-supporting and meets living and school expenses solely on his/her income based on employment in Ohio. In determining whether or not a student qualifies for residency, financial aid, savings, or other sources of income (i.e. Social Security benefits or support from entities outside the state of Ohio) cannot be considered as income contributing to a student's self-supporting status.. The student must be registered as a part-time student and not register for more than 11 hours (if an undergraduate student) or seven hours (if a graduate student), or they will be billed as a nonresident for all hours.

Students who qualify under this exception must submit proof of employment each term and also remain part-time students in order to remain eligibile under this rule.

The following documentation is required:

• One of the following documents as proof that the employed student is residing in Ohio:
  • A copy of a rental agreement/lease for an apartment or home
  • A copy of the closing statement verifying the purchase of a home
  • If living with someone, a sworn affidavit from the owner of the residence certifying that the student resides at that residence and the date the student began living there
    • Photocopy of the most recent (year-to-date) pay stub
  • If employed full-time:
    • Letter from their employer on official company letterhead or notarized copy verifying the following:
      • Date employment began
      • Full-time employment status
  • If employed on a part-time and full sustaining basis:
    • Must complete question #12 on the residency application
    • Letter from employer verifying the number of hours a week the student is working and rate of pay per hour

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(E-2) Ohio Residents serving in the military and their dependents.

A person who enters and remains on 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.

The following documentation is required:

• Verification of Ohio as Home of Record. Acceptable documentation include enlistment papers, DD214 (discharge papers), or a letter from the base personnel officer verifying your HOR. Or,
• Documentation verifying that Ohio income taxes have been paid during the 12-month period prior to enrollment or copy of most recent Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), which shows Ohio taxes being withheld from military pay.

If the student is the spouse of the military person, who is an Ohio resident, a copy of the marriage certificate should be provided in addition to # 1 or #2. Dependent children should provide in addition to (1 or 2 above) a copy of the parent’s most current federal income tax returnwhich lists the student as a tax dependent of the military service member.

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(E-3) Military service member serving on active duty status in the United States military, who is both stationed and residing in Ohio shall be considered a resident of Ohio for tuition purposes.

This exception also applies to the spouse and dependent children.

The following documentation is required:

• A copy of your current military orders verifying that the service member is stationed in Ohio.
• Proof of domicile in Ohio by either a copy of a rental agreement/lease for an apartment or home or a copy of the closing statement verifying the purchase of a home.
• The spouse of the Ohio resident should provide a copy of the marriage certificate in addition to the above.
• Dependent children should provide in addition to 1 and 2 above, a photocopy of the parent’s most recent federal tax return, which lists the student has his/her tax dependent.

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(E-4) Ohio resident who was transferred by the employer beyond the territorial limits of the United States and who has satisfied his/her tax obligation to Ohio.

This exception also applies to the spouse and dependent children.

The following documentation is required:

• Statement on employer’s letterhead indicating the employee was an Ohio resident at the time of transfer.
• Signed copy of employee’s Ohio tax return for the previous year is required.
• If the student is the spouse, a copy of the marriage certificate should be provided in addition to the employer letter.
• Dependent children should provide in addition to 1 and 2 above, a copy of the most recent federal income tax return, which the lists the student as a tax dependent.

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(E-5) Migrant Workers who have been employed in the state of Ohio at least four months during the three years preceding the proposed enrollment.

This exception also applies to the spouse and dependent children. The following documentation is required:

• Letter from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services verifying that the Migrant worker has been working in Ohio at least four months during each of the previous three years.
• For dependents, in addition to the letter, a spouse needs to provide a copy of the marriage certificate. A dependent student must also provide a signed copy of the federal tax return showing dependency.

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(E-6) Community Service Worker– an Ohio resident who took a position working for the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or similar program as determined by the Ohio Board of Regents, or an elected or appointed public official who lives outside Ohio for a period of time not exceeding 24 consecutive months returns to Ohio.

This exception also applies to the spouse and dependent children. Note: Some community service programs are not included in this exception.

The following documentation is required:

• Letter from the community service organization verifying that the worker was an Ohio resident prior to the service.
• The spouse needs to provide a copy of the marriage certificate in addition to the above.
• If the student is a dependent child of the worker, a copy of the federal income tax return showing that the student is a tax dependent is required.

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(E-7) Marital Hardship – a person (or dependent child of such a person) who has returned to Ohio, who has taken legal steps to end a marriage and reestablishes financial dependence upon a parent or legal guardian, who is an Ohio resident.

The following documentation is required:

• Copy of court papers verifying that the student (or student’s parent) has taken legal action to end the marriage
• Proof that the student (or the student’s parent) is residing in Ohio (lease, closing statement or sworn affidavit from owner of the residence verifying that the student lives there and the date the student began living there.
• Sworn affidavit from the Ohio parent (who is now supporting the student), stating the following information about themselves: how long the parent has lived in Ohio and paid Ohio taxes, and whether the parent is a U. S. citizen, permanent resident, or which visa. The affidavit should also include the name of the student and student i.d. number and the percentage of student’s support he is providing.

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(E-8) Ohio National Guard – a member of the Ohio National Guard.

This exception also applies to the spouse and dependent children.

The following documentation is required:

• A copy of the enlistment papers or an official letter from the personnel officer verifying enlistment in the Ohio National Guard is required.
• A spouse must also provide proof of marriage.
• A dependent child must provide a copy of the parent’s most recent federal income tax form showing dependency.

Students who live in a contiguous state and who are gainfully employed in Ohio by a business or government agency located in Ohio, may qualify for in-state tuition when the employer enters into a contract with Wright State University (or any state institution of higher education) to pay all of the student's tuition and fees directly to the institution without seeking reimbursement from the student in any manner.

Students who wish to apply for residency under this rule should complete the residency application and submit an official letter on letterhead from the employer verifying employment status and stating that they agree to enter into such a contract with Wright State University. Students who register for additional classes, which are not included in the employer's contract with the university, will be charged out-of-state fees for those classes.

Forever Buckeye, a provision included in the FY 12-13 budget bill, extends the in-state resident tuition rate to any graduate of a public or private Ohio high school who leaves the state but returns and establishes a primary residence in Ohio. This provision of the law removes the 12-month period of establishing residency in Ohio before becoming eligible for in-state tuition and applies to both undergraduate and graduate programs. The provision does not apply to students who received a GED.

To apply for Ohio Residency for Tuition Purposes under the Forever Buckeye provision:

1. Complete the In-State Residency Petition (PDF).
2. Attach required documentation (a copy of your Ohio high school transcript and one of the following: a copy of your closing statement, property tax bill or print out from the county auditor’s website if you own your primary Ohio residence OR a copy of your rental or lease agreement or a statement from your landlord on letterhead that includes your name, address and dates of occupancy if you rent your primary Ohio residence) to the petition.
3. Submit the petition and required documentation to Raider Connect by mail or in person no later than the first week of the term for which you are applying.

All requirements for Forever Buckeye eligibility must be met by the first day of the term for which a student applies. Submission of the residency petition and the required documents does not guarantee a change in residency. Any additional information required to confirm residency status will be requested through your University email account.

According to the residency regulations, it is the responsibility of the student to apply for a change in residency status as soon as he/she is eligible. It also states that tuition adjustments cannot be made retroactively for past semesters. Residency applications received after the first week of a term will be considered for future semesters.

Please note: Fee payment deadlines cannot be extended while a student’s residency application is being reviewed. Students may opt to pay by using the university’s installment plan. Information on payment plans can be found on the Payment Options webpage. The University’s deadlines for fee payment and for withdrawing with a refund are published on the Registrar’s web page.

Exceptions for Non-Ohio Residents to Qualify for In-State Tuition

Under this agreement, Wright State University agrees to accept at Ohio resident tuition rates, any resident of the following counties of Indiana who enrolls and who satisfies all regular admission requirements (including those requirements of the specific course or program in which admission is sought).

This agreement is in effect July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2021, and may be renewed. Students who qualify for in-state tuition under this reciprocity agreement who remain actively enrolled at Wright State while completing their academic program will continue at the in-state tuition rate, even if the agreement expires.

To be considered for the in-state tuition rate, an Indiana student must:

• Be a legal resident of one of the counties listed below.
• Satisfy admission requirements and be officially admitted to Wright State University.
• Complete the Request for In-State Tuition Status for Indiana Residents Form (PDF) and submit it to the Office of the Registrar at Wright State.
• Provide any documentation to help prove IN resident status, if requested.
• Be approved for in-state tuition before the first day of the term of application. Late applications will be considered for future terms.

Participating Indiana Counties

• Adams
• Allen
• Blackford
• Clark
• Dearborn
• Decatur
• DeKalb
• Delaware
• Fayette
• Floyd
• Franklin
• Harrison
• Henry
• Jay
• Jefferson
• Jennings
• Noble
• Ohio
• Randolph
• Ripley
• Rush
• Scott
• Steuben
• Switzerland
• Union
• Washington
• Wayne
• Wells