Residency
When applying, students will be given a residency status of in-state, out-of-state, international out-of-state, or border county. This status must be verified before the start of every semester. Verifying your residence can be done by filling out the FAFSA or submitting one of the legal EVEA documents.
Residency Definitions
- » In-State Residency
Students are considered in-state if they have lived in the state of Tennessee for at least a year for non-academic purposes.
- » Domestic Out-of-State Residency
Students are considered domestic out-of-state if they live outside the state of Tennessee and do not live within one of the designated Kentucky border counties. Tech graduates consistently enter workforce with the least debt of all public Tennessee universities. Make this advantage your advantage: check out Tennessee Tech's affordable out-of-state tuition.
- » International Out-of-State Residency
An international student is classified for educational purposes as a person who is a citizen or permanent resident of a country other than the United States. Tennessee Tech is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant students. For tuition purposes, degree seeking international undergraduate students are accessed international out-of-state tuition. The cost of international out-of-state tuition is a combination of the in-state rate, the domestic out-of-state rate, and the international out-of-state rate. If you are an international student, please visit Tech's International Admissions page for more information.
- » Border Counties
Students who live in Clinton, Cumberland, McCreary, Monroe, Wayne or Whitley counties in Kentucky are eligible for in-state tuition.
- » Applying for In-State Residency or Exceptions
Tennessee Tech policy states that a person cannot qualify for in-state fees if he or she came to Tennessee for the primary purpose of attending college. For example, if you moved to Tennessee and immediately enrolled at Tech as a full-time student, you are presumed to have moved to Tennessee for the primary purpose of attending college and you will not be eligible for in-state fees. The presumption is a student cannot acquire domicile in this state while enrolled as a full-time student.
If you have been given a status of “Classification in Progress” or “Out-of-State” and wish to apply for full in-state residency, you may do so by submitting copies of documents supporting your request including, but not limited to: deed of trust of primary domicile, long-term lease of primary domicile, evidence of longevity in the state, evidence of full-time employment in Tennessee or transfer to Tennessee, military discharge papers, driver’s license, etc.
What if none of the above applies to me?
You may want to consider our full-time/part-time program to reduce your tuition costs. Graduate students who work a full-time job (or a combination of part-time jobs totaling 30 hours or more a week) and are registered for seven graduate level credit hours or less a semester qualify for this tuition-reduction program. After submitting signed letters from each employer on letterhead documenting your start date, hours worked per week, and the likelihood the job will continue throughout the semester, students enrolled in this program will receive in-state rates for at least two consecutive semesters. At the end of the calendar year, the student is then eligible to apply for permanent in-state classification.
EVEA
All students must verify their residency. Many students verify their residency by filling out the FAFSA. Some opt to turn in an EVEA document instead. EVEA refers to the Tennessee Eligibility Verification for Entitlements Act. These documents can be submitted by scanning and emailing one of these documents to gradstudies@tntech.edu.
- EVEA (TCA 4-58-101 et seq.)
This act (TCA 4-58-101 et seq.) was passed by the Tennessee legislature on October 1, 2012 and is effective for all students applying for admission for terms beginning Spring 2013 and later. The EVEA requires state public institutions of higher education to verify that persons seeking a “state public benefit” are either United States citizens, qualified aliens, or are otherwise lawfully present in the United States.
The term “state benefit” includes in-state tuition, lottery scholarship, academic scholarship, common market, or any other form of tuition assistance or waiver funded with state-appropriated dollars. State benefit does not include tuition assistance that is privately funded, such as a scholarship from the institution’s foundation or a privately endowed scholarship.
If you are not interested in receiving a state benefit, you are not required to verify your citizenship or lawful presence. This will in no way affect your admissibility to Tennessee Tech, but will affect your fees to attend. Per Tennessee state law, students who do not verify citizenship or lawful presence will be charged out-of-state tuition.
Verifying Your Citizenship, Qualified Alien Status, or Lawful Presence
You can verify your citizenship or lawful presence in several ways. The easiest and most recommended way is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application data is then used to confirm your U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen status.-
If you do not wish to complete the FAFSA but would still like to seek state benefits, you can verify your U.S. citizenship, qualified alien status, or lawful presence in the United States by providing one of the following documents:
- a valid, regular Tennessee driver’s license or identification (ID only) card. Temporary Tennessee Driver licenses, Temporary ID licenses, or licenses from other states are not acceptable;
- a valid, unexpired, Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) with ID picture;
- a valid, unexpired, U.S. passport;
- a certificate of citizenship (N560 or N561);
- a certificate of naturalization (N550, N570, or N578);
- a U.S. citizen identification card (I-197, I-179);
- a valid, unexpired foreign passport with visa stamped “Processed for I-551”;
- a non-resident alien Canadian border crossing card;
- Permanent Resident Re-Entry Permit (I-327);
- Refugee Travel Document (I-571);
- a valid, unexpired foreign passport with valid visa;
- any other document determined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to be acceptable through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program created pursuant to the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
OR
You can present either:
- a valid, government-issued photo ID (such as a regular driver’s license, temporary
driver’s license, or identification card) from any other U.S. state;
or - a valid, unexpired Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766, also known as the EAD card);
Plus one of the following documents:
- a valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) without ID picture;
- an official birth certificate issued by a U.S. state, jurisdiction, or territory, excepting Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010;
- a U.S. government-issued certified birth certificate;
- a U.S. certificate of birth abroad (DS-1350 or FS-545);
- a reprint of a certificate of birth abroad of a citizen of the U.S. (FS-240);
- Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94);
- Notice of Approval of Status with bottom I-94 portion attached (Form I-797).
If you are unable to provide the document or combination of documents described above, Tennessee Tech will verify your lawful presence in the U.S. through the SAVE program.
Regarding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA):
Students who are in “deferred action” status (DACA recipients) are not considered
“qualified aliens” or “lawfully present” in the United States under federal or state
law. DACA recipients do not qualify for any state benefits, including in-state tuition.
