Admissions Info

Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes

MDC mascot at the beach

Want to pay up to 3 times less in tuition?

Request Florida residency before registering for classes


Establishing Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes

Submit a Florida Residency Declaration Form and documentation to show proof of Florida residency. For students under the age of 24 years, your parent or guardian's residency documentation must be provided in addition to their signature on the Declaration Form.

The Florida Residency Declaration Form must be received no later than the 100% refund date for the session/term in which Florida residency is being requested. Otherwise, the Florida classification for tuition purposes will be effective the following term.

Two documents supporting a minimum of 12 months residency in Florida must be presented. The most common types of residency documentation are:

  • Florida driver's license or Florida identification card 
  • Florida vehicle registration/Florida voter's registration card (must show 12 months from issue date
  • Official transcript from a Florida high school (2 or more years) or GED earned within the last 12 months 
  • Florida Prepaid recipient card or letter
  • Proof of employment in Florida (at least 30 hours per week for a 12-month period
  • Florida occupational/professional license 
  • Utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments 

PDF scanned copy of documents and completed/signed Declaration Form may be uploaded or emailed to the Office of Admission and Registration at any campus.

The Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes policy is based upon state statute, rules of the two higher education governing boards in Florida, and statewide guidelines developed by college and university administrators in conjunction with the Statewide Residency Committee and the Florida Department of Education.

All students who are admitted to a public College or University in Florida must complete an affidavit and provide proof of residency for tuition purposes in accordance with state law in order to pay “in-state” tuition.

Section 1009.21, Florida Statutes, outlines the broad legal parameters for establishing residency for tuition purposes in Florida public higher education institutions. It is the highest level of authority regarding residency as established by the Florida Legislature. This statute also provides authority for the Department of Education to establish rules related to residency for tuition purposes.

The policy regarding residency for tuition purposes in Florida is composed of several layers, including state statute, rules of the two higher education governing boards in Florida, and statewide guidelines developed by college and university administrators in conjunction with the Statewide Residency Committee and the Florida Department of Education.

This Residency Guidelines document was adopted by the Articulation Coordinating Committee to assist college and university administrators in implementing Section 1009.21, Florida Statutes; Rules 6A-10.044 and 6A-20.003, Florida Administrative Code; and the Board of Governors (BOG) Residency Regulation. The guidelines, as maintained by the Statewide Residency Committee, are used to determine residency status for tuition purposes in public colleges and universities.

Section 1009.21, F.S., Determination of resident status for tuition purposes, was amended during the 2010 legislative session. View a copy of the amended section of law (see lines 248-457).

The Florida Residency Guidelines for Tuition Purposes were adopted by the Articulation Coordinating Committee September 6, 2006 and last updated October 27, 2010.

Tuition Classification - Required Documentation

Effective July 1, 2014

Students who are admitted to public-supported postsecondary educational institutions in Florida, including Miami Dade College (MDC), must complete a declaration and provide proof of “Florida residency for tuition classification purposes,” in accordance with state law. Applicable state laws on this subject are 1009.21, Florida Statutes (F.S.) and 6A-10.044, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.).

The following information serves as a summary of the Florida Residency requirements.

Information about Florida Residency for Tuition Classification

The tuition amount due for the classes in which you enroll is determined by your residency classification. Florida residents pay a much lower tuition rate than out-of-state residents.

All students who apply online will be admitted as non-Florida residents until each student provides the required declaration form and supporting documentation needed to prove Florida residency. You will be charged out-of-state tuition if you do not provide this information to an MDC campus Admissions and Registration Office before the first day of the term.

Florida Residency for Tuition Classification Purposes Documentation Requirements

Living in or attending school in Florida will not, in itself, establish legal residence for tuition classification purposes. Your residence in Florida must be based on establishing a permanent home unrelated to college enrollment. Students who depend on out-of-state parents for support are presumed to be legal residents of the same state as their parents. Additional determinations, such as immigration and dependent/independent status may affect Florida residency for tuition classification. The documents required to establish initial classification and reclassification are explained below.

Form: Florida Residency Declaration for Tuition Purposes

Immigration Status

Non-U.S. citizen students and/or their parent(s)/guardian must provide evidence of eligible legal immigration status in the U.S. before they may be considered for Florida resident fees. Please check with an MDC campus Admissions and Registration Office for more specific information on the non-U.S. citizen categories that are eligible to be considered for Florida resident fees.

Dependent/Independent Status

A Florida resident for tuition purposes is an independent person, or a dependent person’s parent, who has established and maintained legal residency in Florida for at least 12 consecutive months before the first day of the term. Listed below are the definitions of “independent” and “dependent” statuses, as applicable to Florida residency for tuition classification purposes.

  • Dependent Status
    Students under the age of 24 are considered “dependent” automatically, unless proven otherwise. Dependent students must provide their parent’s or guardian’s documentation for residency.  A “parent”, as defined by s. 1009.21, Florida Statutes, means either or both parents of a student, any guardian of a student, or any person in a parental relationship to the student.  Documentation in the form of IRS tax return transcripts showing that the student was claimed as a dependent in the previous income tax year may be required. 
  • Independent Status
    Students age 24 and over are considered “independent” automatically, unless proven otherwise. Students who claim to be “independent” and are under the age of 24 must meet one of the following criteria and must provide the indicated documents:
    • Prove 50% or more of their own support, as indicated by the previous year IRS tax return transcripts showing a minimum income of $7,899. Independent students cannot be claimed as a dependent by another person on their taxes; or
    • Proof of marriage, as indicated by a marriage license; or
    • Be a veteran of the United States military service, as indicated on form DD214; or
    • Be a ward of the court, as indicated on court documents.

All documents supporting the establishment of Florida residency for tuition classification purposes must:

  • Be original and unaltered, as well as dated, issued, or filed twelve (12) months before the first day of the term in which the Florida residency-for-tuition-purposes classification is requested.
  • Be received no later than the 100% refund date for the term in which Florida residency is being requested; otherwise, the Florida classification for tuition purposes will be effective the following term.
  • Show that all names listed on each of the documents match.

Unacceptable documents–the documents below cannot be used to support Florida residency classification for tuition purposes

  • Hunting/fishing licenses
  • Library cards
  • Birth Certificate
  • Passport
  • Social security card
  • Shopping club/rental cards 

Note that more than two documents may be requested, no single document shall be conclusive, and all documentation is subject to verification.  evidence of ties to another state invalidates the eligibility of Florida residency classification for tuition purposes.

Requirements for Initial Classification of Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes

Students who claim Florida residency for tuition purposes must provide the following:

  1. A minimum of two documents from the first group listed below, or
  2. A minimum of one document from the first group and one document from the second group listed below.
  • First group - at least one of the two documents submitted must be from the first group
    • Florida driver’s license (licenses from any other state must be relinquished)
    • Florida identification card (if no evidence of ties to another state exists)
    • Florida voter’s registration card
    • Florida vehicle registration
    • Proof of a permanent home in Florida which is occupied as a primary residence by the individual or by the individual’s parent if the individual is a dependent child. (e.g., warranty deed)
    • Transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple years [if Florida high school diploma or GED was earned within the last twelve (12) months]
    • Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least 30 hours per week for a twelve (12)-month period. This may include paycheck stubs from the previous twelve (12) consecutive months of work in Florida and/or a letter on official company letterhead from the employer verifying the previous twelve (12) consecutive months of employment in Florida
    • Proof of Homestead exemption in Florida
  • Second group - if you provide a document from the second group, you must also provide a document from the first group (or you may provide two documents from the first group)
    • Declaration of domicile in Florida [twelve (12) months from the date the document was sworn and subscribed as noted by the Clerk of Circuit Court]
    • A Florida professional or occupational license
    • Florida incorporation
    • Documents evidencing family ties in Florida
    • Proof of membership in Florida-based charitable or professional organizations
    • Utility bills and proof of twelve (12) consecutive months of payments
    • Lease agreement and proof of twelve (12) consecutive months of payments
    • Official Federal, State or court documents evidencing legal ties to Florida
Requirements for Reclassification of Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes

Except as otherwise stated, a student who is classified as a nonresident for tuition purposes may become eligible for reclassification as a Florida resident for tuition purposes by presenting a minimum of three (3) documents, one of which must be from the first group of documents, and the other two documents may be from either of the two groups identified earlier in this document that convincingly demonstrate the establishment of permanent legal residence in Florida other than for the sole purpose of pursuing a postsecondary education. In addition, documentation must demonstrate that students—or, for dependent students, their parent—maintained legal residence in Florida for at least twelve (12) consecutive months prior to their request for reclassification; examples of such documentation are proof of full-time permanent employment for the prior twelve (12) consecutive months or proof of purchase of a home in Florida and proof of having lived there for the prior twelve (12) consecutive months while not enrolled in an institution of higher education.

Out-of-State Fee Waiver

An Out-of-State Fee Waiver for select Florida high school graduates became effective on July 1, 2014 for eligible students who do not qualify as Florida residents for tuition purposes. See the Out-of-State Fee Waiver requirements if you believe you may be eligible for this waiver.

Out-of-State Tuition Waiver for Veterans

Effective July 1, 2014, and applicable Fall Term 2014 and thereafter, House Bill 7015 [amended section (s.) 1009.26, Florida Statutes (F.S.), fee waivers] created the Congressman C.W. Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Program, which authorized an out-of-state fee waiver for honorably discharged veterans of the United States (U.S.) Armed Forces, U.S. Reserve Forces or the National Guard who physically reside in Florida. See the Out-of-State Tuition Waiver for Veterans requirements if you believe you may be eligible for this waiver.

The above information serves as a summary of Florida law and related policies/procedures applied by Miami Dade College in determining eligibility of Florida residency for tuition purposes.

Effective June 15, 2012 - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

Effective June 15, 2012, certain individuals who meet specific guidelines may request consideration of deferred action from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Individuals who receive deferred action will not be placed into removal proceedings or removed from the United States for a specified period of time unless terminated. If you receive deferred action, you may be eligible for employment authorization.

Note that deferred action does not provide an individual with lawful status and is irrelevant to proving Florida residency for tuition purposes. All newly admitted and re-admitted students must complete the required affidavit and provide valid proof of Florida residency to qualify for in-state fees.

All information is subject to change without notice.
Revised July 1, 2014

Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes (FAQs)

Key Terms:
  • Tuition: Basic fee charged to a student for instruction provided by the institution.
  • Out of state fee: The additional fee for instruction provided by the institution; which fee is charged to a student who does not qualify for the in-state tuition rate.
  • Dependent Status: Students under the age of 24 are considered "dependent" automatically unless proven otherwise. Dependent students must provide parent/legal guardian's documentation.
  • Independent Status: Students age 24 and over are considered independent automatically unless proven otherwise. Students claiming to be independent and under the age of 24 must provide one of the following proofs of financial independence:
    • Proof of a sufficient income
    • Proof of marriage
    • Be a veteran of the United States military service
    • Be a ward of the court 
Do I qualify for in-state tuition rate?
  • You are a Florida resident for tuition purposes if you or your parent/legal guardian have established and maintained legal residency in the state for at least twelve consecutive months before the first day of classes of the term for which Florida residency is requested.
  • To qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, you (and your parent/legal guardian for dependent students) must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident alien, or have any other immigration status accepted by the state for this purpose.
  • Other persons not meeting the twelve-month legal residence requirement may be classified as Florida residents for tuition purposes only if they fall within one of the special categories
  • All students will be classified as out of state until proven otherwise.
What do I need to do to be classified as in state?
  • You must submit a Florida Residency Declaration Form  and documentation to show proof of Florida residency. For students under the age of 24 years, your parent or guardian's residency documentation must be provided in addition to their signature on the Declaration Form.
What documents are required to be classified as in state?
  • US immigration documents from the student and person claiming residency if they are not US citizens are required
  • Two documents supporting a minimum of 12 months' residency in Florida must be presented. At least one of the documents must be from the first group
  • The most common types of residency documentation are:
    • Florida driver's license or Florida identification card
    • Florida vehicle registration / Florida voter's registration card
    • Florida Prepaid recipient card or letter
    • Official transcript from a Florida high school (2 or more years) or GED earned within the last 12 months
    • Proof of employment in Florida (at least 30 hours per week for a 12-month period)
    • Florida occupational/professional license
    • Utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments
Where do I send or take all the documents?

View additional information concerning Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes

 

Appeal Guidelines

  1. The student shall exhaust all appeals at the campus level prior to submitting a request to the college-wide appeal committee. The student must appeal to the Registrar’s Office area supervisor and Campus Registrar or designee prior to requesting an appeal from the college-wide committee.
  2. The student must complete the College-wide Appeal for Florida Residency Classification for Tuition Purposes Form and state the reason(s) for appealing the campus’ decision. The explanation should address any information that was not previously submitted or considered by the campus.
  3. A copy of all new and previously submitted documents supporting the Florida residency claim must be attached to the form.
  4. The form must be signed by the student and submitted with required documents to the Campus Registrar’s Office where the process began.
  5. The Campus Registrar or designee will review the request to ensure that the student already appealed to the appropriate campus registrar personnel. If the student did not complete the campus appeal process, the Campus Registrar or designee must initiate such process, sign the appeal form and forward it to the college-wide committee with all attached documents and any necessary comments within five business days of receipt of the completed appeal form.
  6. At its regularly scheduled meetings, the college-wide committee will review the appeals submitted for that month. The committee may request additional information from the student or the campus in order to make its decision.
  7. Upon review, the college-wide committee will inform the student of its decision in writing. The college-wide committee’s decision is final and may not be appealed.

Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes Appeal Form