A. No. If you came to Maryland from another state, simply living in Maryland for 12 consecutive months or having mail delivered to you in the State does not entitle you to in-state status. A continuous physical presence in Maryland is certainly important, but it is only one of several requirements established by the Policy. Equally important, for example, are the circumstances that brought you to Maryland and the extent to which you have taken other actions that objectively demonstrate that you are not in Maryland just to attend college and that you intend to remain in Maryland following graduation. Generally, you must demonstrate such intent to be granted in-state status.

A. There are 7 criteria that must be fulfilled for at least 12 months. You must show that you:

1. Have continuously maintained primary living quarters in Maryland.

2. Have substantially all personal property, such as household effects, furniture, and pets, in Maryland.

3. Have paid Maryland income tax on all taxable income, including all taxable income earned outside Maryland, and have filed a Maryland Resident Tax Return. If you are a dependent for tax purposes, then the person who claims you as a dependent shall have paid Maryland income tax on all taxable income, including all taxable income earned outside Maryland, and filed a Maryland Resident Tax Return.

4. Have registered all owned or leased motor vehicles in Maryland for at least 12 consecutive months, if previously registered in another state. Students who have lived in Maryland for at least 12 consecutive months but who have had their motor vehicle(s) registered in Maryland for less than 12 months will be deemed to have satisfied this requirement if they can show evidence that their owned or leased motor vehicle(s) was (were) registered in Maryland within 60 days after moving to the State in accordance with Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration requirements.

5. Have possessed a valid Maryland driver’s license for at least 12 consecutive months, if previously licensed to drive in another state. Students who have lived in Maryland for at least 12 consecutive months but who have held a Maryland drivers’ license for less than 12 months will be deemed to have satisfied this requirement if they can show evidence that their driver’s license was issued in Maryland within 60 days after moving to the State in accordance with Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration requirements.

6. Receive no public assistance from a state other than the State of Maryland or from a city, county, or municipal agency other than one in Maryland.

7. Have the ability under Federal and Maryland law to live permanently and without interruption in Maryland.

In addition to the 7 listed criteria above, you must have either:

1. Not raised the presumption that you live out of state. (This presumption is raised if you are attending school or living outside of Maryland at the time you apply for admission or you are dependent on a person who is not a Maryland resident.)

or

2. Rebutted this presumption with documentation showing that for the relevant period, you have had the continuous intent to:

1) Make Maryland your permanent home;

2) Abandon your former home state;

3) Reside in Maryland indefinitely; and

4) Reside in Maryland primarily for a purpose other than to attend an educational institution in Maryland.

A. Yes. A reclassification decision is based on the facts as they exist at the time you seek reclassification. At the time you were admitted, you were assigned out-of-state status. There is a presumption in the Policy that if you were residing outside Maryland at the time of application, you are residing in Maryland primarily for the purpose of attending an educational institution.

A. You must demonstrate that you intend to make Maryland your permanent home and reside in Maryland indefinitely. The Policy's section on "Rebuttal Evidence to Support a Change in Tuition Status" provides some examples of objectively verifiable conduct upon which a university bases its decision regarding in-state status. You must provide clear, convincing, and objective evidence of your primary reason for living in Maryland (e.g., full-time employment or the presence of family). The evidence provided will be evaluated on how completely the criteria are addressed; the reliability, authenticity, credibility, and relevance of the evidence; and the totality of facts known to the university.

A. Not necessarily. Because you were residing in another state at the time of application, the out-of-state presumption in the Policy is triggered. Your status will depend on your ability to provide sufficient facts to rebut the conclusion that you are now residing in Maryland primarily for the purpose of attending a USM university. Such factors as family circumstances, personal relationships, and employment separate from the campus will be considered by the university when assessing your primary reason for residing in the state.

A. No. You cannot be classified in-state by default. The process for attaining in-state tuition status varies by state. Although classification policies across the country commonly employ the term "resident," they may define the term differently. Classification policies seldom rely on traditional notions of "residency," i.e., physical presence or domicile. They present a more rigorous set of objective tests, varying in emphasis depending on the purpose and philosophy of each state's system

A. Yes. Generally, there is no advantage for a person who relocates to Maryland because of a change in employment location.

A. These are two of the seven requirements in the Policy for in-state status.
If you maintain a driver's license or own a motor vehicle, it is very important that it is a Maryland license and registration. If you maintained a license or registration in another state before relocating to Maryland, it must be changed to Maryland if you wish to be granted in-state status. It needs to be changed within the time required under Maryland law. The law requires that you obtain a Maryland driver's license and register your motor vehicle within 60 days of moving to Maryland. The policy requires conditions to be met for 12 consecutive months, but with respect to the Maryland driver's license and registration, if you demonstrate that you have lived in Maryland for 12 months you can satisfy the requirement by showing that you have had a Maryland driver's license and registration for 10 months.

A. Yes, it can. If you are financially dependent on a person who is not a resident of Maryland, you are presumed to be residing in Maryland primarily for the purpose of attending an educational institution. You may present evidence to rebut this presumption but if you are not successful, you will be assigned out-of-state status. Please review the definition of financially dependent in Policy VIII -2.70 - VI. Definitions.

A. Citizens of another country wishing to enter the United States for the purpose of attending a university may legally do so only with a visa. There are many types of visas. International students almost uniformly hold either an "F" or a "J" visa. These visas do not permit a student to remain permanently in this country; they must leave when their enrollment ends, and they sign a statement that they will do so. Among the criteria that must be satisfied by a student desiring in-state status is the "legal ability under Federal and Maryland law to live permanently without interruption in Maryland." Students holding “F” or “J” visas do not have this legal ability. Virtually all international students are residing in the state of Maryland primarily to attend an educational institution.

The USM also enrolls individuals who live in Maryland but who are not citizens. Many have lived in the United States for a considerable period. They may be eligible for in-state status through the Maryland non-resident tuition differential exemption for eligible Maryland high school graduates. They must meet all the criteria in § 15-106.8 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.

USM institutions also enroll students who hold visas other than “F” or “J” visas. Some visas are as restrictive as the "F" and "J" visas, but others are not. Depending on the type of visa, a student from another country may be eligible for in-state status for tuition purposes. Students should consult with their university about whether their visa status allows them to establish in-state status.

A. A. Your residency classification is first established at the time of admission to your USM institution, based on information you provide as part of the application process. Because the burden of demonstrating entitlement to in-state status rests with you, if you have not provided this information or if it is incomplete, you will be assigned out-of-state status. If you think you have been misclassified, contact the residency office at your institution. Depending on circumstances, you may be asked by the institution to provide clarifying information. If there remains a question about your classification, your institution may require you to file a petition for change in classification.

A. The due date is based on the deadline set by the USM institution at which you seek to enroll (or are enrolled). If that institution has not set a deadline, the due date is the last published date to register for the forthcoming semester/term for which the change in classification is sought.

A. You may still qualify for in-state status if you are a member of a group eligible for temporary in-state status under Section IV of the Policy:
1. Full-time or part-time (50% time or more) regular employees of the USM institution.
2. The spouse or financially dependent child of the above employees.
3. Active-duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States, United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard, (including the reserve components thereof), their spouses, and financially dependent children who are stationed in Maryland, reside in Maryland, or are domiciled in Maryland.
4. Veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States who provide documentation that they were honorably discharged members and currently reside or are domiciled in Maryland.
5. Veterans who live in Maryland and were discharged from a period of at least 90 days of service in the active military, naval, space, or air service and are pursuing a course of education with educational assistance under the Montgomery G.I. Bill.
6. Anyone who lives in Maryland and is using transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits and enrolls after the transferor's discharge or release from a period of at least 90 days of service in the activity military, naval or air service; or is using transferred Post-9/11 G. I. Bill benefits and the transferor is a member of the uniformed services who is serving on active duty; is using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship; is using benefits through the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program or is entitled to rehabilitation under 38 U.S.C. § 3102 (a). An individual as described in this Section IV.F will continue to retain in-state status if the individual is using educational benefits under chapter 30, 31, 33, or 35 of title 38, United States Code, and remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school.
7. A member of the Maryland National Guard, as defined in the Public Safety Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, who joined or subsequently serves in the Maryland National Guard: (i) provide a critical military occupational skill; or (ii) be a member of the AirForce Critical Specialty Code as determined by the National Guard. (Maryland National Guard members may also qualify if they meet the criteria in section IV.C. above.)
8. For UMGC only: a full-time active member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, or their spouse.
9. A graduate assistant during the term of their appointment at a USM institution.
10. A full-time public-school teacher in the first year of employment by a Maryland local education agency, who resides in Maryland and meets the criteria for a residency waiver in § 15-106.2 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland
11. The child of a Maryland public safety employee who is eligible for the Edward T. Conroy and Joan B. Cryor Scholarship under § 18-601(d)(3)(ii) of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.
12. A person who has completed all service hours in an AmeriCorps Program in Maryland or who has completed a service program under the Maryland Corps Program, pursuant to Title 9, subtitle 28 of the State Government Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, as provided in § 15-106.9 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.
13. A person who has been certified by the Director of the Peace Corps as having served satisfactorily as a Peace Corps volunteer and who is domiciled in Maryland, as provided in § 15- 106.11 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.
14. Individuals, including undocumented immigrants, who do not meet the definition of nonimmigrant alien within the meaning of 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15) and who meet all the criteria in § 15-106.8 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.
15. Members of the U.S. Foreign Service who are on active duty for a period of more than 30 days and whose domicile or permanent duty station is in Maryland, and their spouses and dependents. Members and their spouses and dependents who qualify for in-state status will continue to hold in-state status while continuously enrolled at the institution, notwithstanding a subsequent change in the permanent duty station of the member to a location outside Maryland.
16. Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau, as provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, Pub. L. No. 118-42, Div. G, Title II, § 209(b)(1)(E).

A. Members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force, and Marines, including the reserve components thereof, are eligible for in-state tuition. If you are an active, full-time member of the Armed Forces, are stationed in the state of Maryland, and have the appropriate documentation, you can be eligible for in-state tuition charges. Please refer to the Policy for specifics.

A. Should a change in your status be made, the tuition during the semester of the petition will be adjusted on your student account.

A. The expense table should outline the student's expenses, income, and sources of financial support during the entire 12-month period prior to the last day to register for the semester in which the student seeks reclassification. A source of financial support is how the student covered their expenses, such as income from employment, student loans, scholarships/grants, money from another person, an investment plan, etc.

For each instance of financial support, students should provide appropriate documentation that explains and documents the source of support, as indicated in the table. Documentation types include, but are not limited to, paystubs, W-2s, bank or investment statements, loan promissory notes, affidavits, or financial aid disbursement letters. Affidavits submitted for documentation purposes must be notarized and clearly state who is writing the affidavit, their relationship to the student, and the type of support provided.

Note: If a student is financially dependent for tax purposes (i.e., claimed on someone's taxes, per section 2, part 2 of the petition), completion of this table is not required. Students may indicate "N/A" or "see information for the person upon whom I am financially dependent" in the table. If a student is financially dependent upon another person but is not claimed as a dependent on their tax return, the expense table must be completed.

A. Residency offices need all the documentation listed on the form to verify the statements you have made in your petition.

A. A financially dependent student is one who has been claimed as a dependent on another person's prior year tax returns or is a ward of the State of Maryland. A student will be considered financially independent if the student provides 50% or more of his or her own living and educational expenses and has not been claimed as a dependent on another person's most recent tax returns.

A. Not necessarily. You may qualify for in-state tuition status in this situation if you have satisfied the other criteria as outlined in Section II of the Policy. There are also ways you may qualify temporarily; see Section IV. Criteria for Temporary Qualification of Non-residents for In-State Status of the Classification Policy for further information.

A. Yes. See Section III. C. of the Policy: Rebuttal Evidence to Support a Change in Tuition Status. Other evidence may be provided; however, that too will be evaluated on its reliability, authenticity, credibility, and relevance.

A. Joining a campus organization and participating in activities typical of its members is not evidence of intent to live in Maryland primarily for non-educational purposes. However, if the student then becomes involved in specific activities that show an extraordinary commitment of time and effort to the student's community or the State, those activities can be evidence that a student is not primarily in Maryland to attend an educational institution.

A. If you are interested in learning about a specific institution's classification information, you may contact that institution directly at the number and the email address listed below: