Residency & Reclassification Requirements

A student shall be classified as an in-state student for fee payment purposes at Arkansas Tech if he or she is a bona fide domiciliary of Arkansas or a contiguous state (specifically, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas) and has resided in the state for at least six consecutive months prior to the beginning of the semester or term for which the fees are to paid. Bona Fide Arkansas domiciliary means that Arkansas is the legal home and place of permanent living of the student for all purposes.

Out-of-State Students

A student who is residing in Arkansas primarily for the purpose of attending school and not for the purpose of establishing in good faith a true, fixed and permanent home. Continued presence in Arkansas during vacation periods or during a period when not enrolled, where any one such period does not extend for at least six months, shall not justify reclassification to an in-state student status. Mere physical presence in the state alone is insufficient for establishing residency.

International Students

Any student who is not a United States citizen or a permanent resident of the United States is considered an international student. International students are subject to out-of-state tuition rates and an international student services fee as well as additional admission requirements.

Students with nonimmigrant visas, such as F-1, J-1, TN, L-1, or H-1B, cannot accrue residency in any way. Mere physical presence doesn’t accrue residency or resident status because the visa type makes it incapable of establishing permanent residency. Therefore, international students cannot apply for a reclassification of in-state residency for tuition purposes.

Military Personnel, Veterans, and Dependents

Regardless of residence, Arkansas Tech University shall classify a student as in-state or resident for the purpose of tuition and fees applicable for all programs of study, including distance learning programs, if the student is a:

Veteran who was discharged or released from a period of not less than ninety (90) days of active duty in the military, naval, or air service within three (3) years before the date of enrollment in a program of study;
Dependent of a veteran under subdivision (1) above;
Member of the armed forces;
Spouse of a member of the armed forces;
Veteran using educational assistance under either Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill®) - Active Duty Program) or Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®), of Title 38 of the United States Code, who lives in the State of Arkansas while attending a school located in the State of Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more;
Spouse or child using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits (33 U.S.C. §3319) who lives in the State of Arkansas while attending a school located in the State of Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor's discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more;
Spouse or child using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S. §§3311(b)(9)) who lives in the State of Arkansas while attending a school located in the State of Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the Service member's death in the line of duty following a period of active duty service of 90 days or more;
Person who initially met the requirements set out in sections 5, 6, or 7 will maintain "covered individual" status as long as he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly schedules breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school even if he or she is outside the 3-year window or enrolls in multiple programs. For purposes of a student who is eligible for in-state tuition solely under sections 5, 6, or 7 above, that person must have enrolled in the school prior to the expiration of the three year period following discharge or death described above in sections 5, 6 or 7 and must be using educational benefits under either Chapter 30 or Chapter 33 of Title 38 of the United States Code; or
Member of the armed forces or "covered individual" as identified in Section 702 of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014.

For more information regarding this policy please contact the Office of Veteran Services.

Requirements for Reclassification

For Students Under the Age of 21

The parent or legal guardian is a bona fide domiciliary of Arkansas and has resided in this state in that status for at least six consecutive months prior to the beginning of the term or semester for which the fees are to be paid; OR
The parent or legal guardian is a bona fide legal resident of a contiguous state to Arkansas (specifically, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas); OR
The student is married to a legal resident of the state of Arkansas; OR
The parent or guardian is a member of the US Military stationed in the state of Arkansas pursuant to military orders as stated on the Leave Earning Statement (LES).

For Students Over the Age of 21

The student is a bona fide legal resident of a contiguous state to Arkansas (specifically, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas); OR
The student is married to a legal resident of the state of Arkansas; OR
The student or spouse is a member of the US Military stationed in the state of Arkansas or a contiguous state to Arkansas (specifically, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas) pursuant to military orders as stated in the Leave Earning Statement (LES); OR
The student, by good faith acts, has lived in the state of Arkansas for at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the beginning of the term or semester in which fees are to be paid, and has demonstrated intent to make Arkansas their permanent home and can provide evidence of four good faith acts. Mere physical presence in Arkansas is not sufficient to establish residency or demonstrate intent.

Application for In-State Residency

Please keep these guidelines in mind when considering petitioning for reclassification as an Arkansas resident:

The application and supporting documentation must be received by the Office of the Registrar no later than the 11th class day for the term in which you are requesting reclassification. For the summer terms, the deadline is the 5th class day. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered for the following term.
Please allow a minimum of 2 weeks for your application to be evaluated. The results (approval, denial, or request for additional documentation) will be sent to your @atu.edu email address. If you receive a request for additional documentation, it must be submitted within 10 business days of receipt of the notification email, or your application will be voided and you will need to reapply for a future term providing all supporting documentation.

More Information

For more information, please refer to the Out-Of-State Residence Status for Tuition and Fee Purposes section of the Academic Catalog.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

I am a resident of Oklahoma (or a state bordering Arkansas) and I heard I am eligible for "in-state" tuition. Is that correct?

Yes. An out-of-state waiver is awarded for students from neighboring states (specifically, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas).

What are good faith act?

Good faith acts are actions taken towards becoming a permanent Arkansas resident. Proof of these acts are required to demonstrate residency for re-classification. For reclassification the documentation must be valid at least 6 months. Here is the list of acceptable state issued documents that are used for good faith acts:

Arkansas Driver’s License or Arkansas State Issued ID Card (bearing the address where you reside, post office boxes are not acceptable)
Arkansas Vehicle Registration
Arkansas Voter’s Registration
Federal Tax Return with Arkansas listed as state of residence
Assessment of real property from previous year (e.g. real estate)
Assessment of personal property from previous year (e.g. vehicle, boat, etc)
Statement from employer indicating date for which you began employment, length of service, and address where you reside
Lease, which includes student’s name, date span of six month minimum, and address where you reside
Utility bills, dates to cover the six months immediately prior to the start of the semester indicating the student’s permanent address

I am single, under the age of 21, and my parents live out of state. Am I eligible for reclassication?

No, unless they are a resident of a state bordering Arkansas (see first question). If a student is under 21 years of age and unmarried, that student cannot be considered a resident of Arkansas for tuition and fee purposes unless one of the parents is a legal resident of the state.

I have lived here for six months. Am I eligible for reclassification?

The single fact of living in Arkansas for six months or attending the University does not automatically make you eligible for reclassification. You will need to provide evidence that your (or your parents if you are under the age of 21) residence in Arkansas is of a permanent nature for reclassification consideration.

I am a foreign national and am here on a temporary visa. Am I eligible for reclassification?

No. The student on a temporary or nonimmigrant visa, such as F-1, J-1, TN, L-1, or H-1B will be classified as an international student and will pay out-of-state tuition and fees.

If my application is approved, when will tuition change?

The application and supporting documentation must be received by the Office of the Registrar no later than the 11th class day for the term in which you are requesting reclassification. For the summer terms, the deadline is the 5th class day. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered for the following term.