WAC 250-18-020   Student classification.  (1) For a student to be classified as a "resident" for tuition and fee purposes, he or she must prove by evidence of a sufficient quantity and quality to satisfy the institution that he or she:

     (a)(i) Has established a bona fide domicile in the state of Washington primarily for purposes other than educational for the period of one year immediately prior to commencement of the first day of the semester or quarter for which he or she has registered at any institution; and

     (ii) Is financially independent; or

     (b) Is a dependent student, one or both of whose parents or legal guardians have maintained a bona fide domicile in the state of Washington for at least one year immediately prior to commencement of the semester or quarter for which the student has registered at any institution provided that any student who has spent at least seventy-five percent of both his or her junior and senior years in high school in this state, whose parents or legal guardians have been domiciled in the state for a period of at least one year within the five-year period before the student graduates from high school, and who has enrolled in a public institution of higher education within six months of leaving high school, shall be considered a resident only for as long as the student remains continuously enrolled for three quarters or two semesters in any calendar year; or

     (c) Is a person who has completed the full senior year of high school and obtained a high school diploma - both at a Washington public or private high school approved under chapter 28A.195 RCW (or who has received the equivalent of a diploma). The person must have lived in Washington at least three years immediately prior to receiving the diploma (or its equivalent), and lived continuously in Washington state after receiving the diploma (or its equivalent) until the time of admittance to an institution of higher education (defined as a public university, college, or community college within the state of Washington). In addition, the person must provide an affidavit to the institution indicating that the individual will file an application to become a permanent resident at the earliest opportunity the individual is eligible to do so. Furthermore, the individual must indicate a willingness to engage in other activities necessary to acquire citizenship, including, but not limited to, citizenship or civics review courses; or

     (d) Is a student who is on active military duty stationed in the state, or who is a member of the Washington national guard; or

     (e) Is the spouse or dependent of an active duty military person stationed in the state of Washington; or

     (f) Is a student who resides in Washington and is the spouse or dependent of a member of the Washington national guard; or

     (g) Is a student of an out-of-state institution of higher education who is attending a Washington state institution of higher education pursuant to a home tuition program agreement under RCW 28B.15.725; or

     (h) Is a student domiciled for one year in one or a combination of the following states: Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington, and is a member of a federally recognized tribe whose traditional and customary tribal boundaries included portions of the state of Washington, or whose tribe was granted reserved lands within the state of Washington. The official list of federally recognized Washington tribes maintained by the governor's office of Indian affairs shall be used to determine eligibility.

     (i) Is a student who is a resident of Oregon residing in Columbia, Gilliam, Hood River, Multnomah, Clatsop, Clackamas, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, or Washington county. The student must meet the following conditions:

     (i) Is eligible to pay resident tuition rates under Oregon laws and has been domiciled in one or more of the designated Oregon counties for at least ninety days immediately prior to enrollment at a community college located in the following Washington counties: Asotin, Benton, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin, Garfield, Klickitat, Pacific, Skamania, Wahkiakum, or Walla Walla; or

     (ii) Is a student enrolled for eight credits or less at the Tri-Cities branch or Vancouver branch of Washington State University.

     (2) A student shall be classified as a "nonresident" for tuition and fee purposes if he or she does not qualify as a resident student under the provisions of subsection (1) of this section. A nonresident student shall include a student if he or she:

     (a) Will be financially dependent for the current year or was financially dependent for the calendar year prior to the year in which application is made and who does not have a parent or legally appointed guardian who has maintained a bona fide domicile in the state of Washington for one year immediately prior to the commencement of the semester or quarter for which the student has registered at an institution;

     (b) Attends an institution with financial assistance provided by another state or governmental unit or agency thereof wherein residency in that state is a continuing qualification for such financial assistance, such nonresidency continuing for one year after the completion of the quarter or semester for which financial assistance is provided. Such financial assistance relates to that which is provided by another state, governmental unit or agency thereof for direct or indirect educational purposes and does not include retirements, pensions, or other noneducational related income. A student loan guaranteed by another state or governmental unit or agency thereof on the basis of eligibility as a resident of that state is included within the term "financial assistance;"

     (c) Is not a citizen of the United States of America, unless such person holds permanent or temporary resident immigration status, "refugee - parolee," or "conditional entrant" status or is not otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law and further meets and complies with all applicable requirements of WAC 250-18-030 and 250-18-035.

     (3) A person does not lose a domicile in the state of Washington by reason of residency in any state or country while a member of the civil or military service of this state or of the United States, nor while engaged in the navigation of the waters of this state or of the United States or of the high seas if that person returns to the state of Washington within one year of discharge from said service with the intent to be domiciled in the state of Washington.

     (4) Any resident dependent student who remains in this state when such student's parents or legal guardians, having theretofore been domiciled in this state for a period of one year immediately prior to commencement of the first day of the semester or quarter for which the student has registered at any institution, move from this state, shall be entitled to continued classification as a resident student so long as such student is continuously enrolled during the academic year.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.15.015. 06-20-118, § 250-18-020, filed 10/4/06, effective 11/4/06; 03-20-053, § 250-18-020, filed 9/26/03, effective 10/27/03; 03-13-056, § 250-18-020, filed 6/13/03, effective 7/14/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.15.015 and 28B.15.0131. 98-08-004, § 250-18-020, filed 3/18/98, effective 4/18/98. Statutory Authority: 28B.15.015. 93-20-004, § 250-18-020, filed 9/22/93, effective 10/23/93. Statutory Authority: Chapter 28B.15 RCW as amended by 1982 1st ex.s. c 37 § 4. 87-21-079 (Order 5-87, Resolution No. 87-60), § 250-18-020, filed 10/21/87; 87-16-048 (Order 3-87, Resolution No. 87-58), § 250-18-020, filed 7/29/87. Statutory Authority: 1982 1st ex.s. c 37 § 4. 83-13-092 (Order 2-83, Resolution No. 83-65), § 250-18-020, filed 6/17/83; 82-19-015 (Order 10-82, Resolution No. 83-1), § 250-18-020, filed 9/8/82.]