2030 - Residency Policy

Policy Statement:

Students enrolling at Washtenaw Community College shall be classified in-district, out-district, out-state, or international at the time of enrollment.

Guidelines:

Classification of Residence

Applicants who are U.S. citizens or who have permanent resident alien, asylum, refugee, or valid DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status through the Immigration and Naturalization Service or have established Michigan residence by attending Michigan schools (see below) will be classified as In-District, Out-District, or Out-State students:

In-District Students are

  • Applicants who are legal residents in
  • Applicants who live with and whose spouse is a legal resident in
  • Applicants who live with and are dependent on a parent or a legal guardian who is a legal resident in the Washtenaw Community College District
  • Immediately prior to the first day of the semester if previous residency was within Michigan
  • 6 months immediately prior to the first day of the semester if previous residency was outside of Michigan

Out-District Students are

  • applicants who do not meet the requirements of an in-district student, but who are and have been legal residents of the State of Michigan for at least six months.

Out-State Students are

  • applicants who reside outside the state or who have not been legal residents of the state of Michigan for at least six months or applicants who do not sufficiently document their residence.

International Students are

  • applicants who are not U.S. citizens or do not have permanent resident alien, asylum, refugee, or valid DACA status through the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Aspects of Residency

  1. The residency of a student will be based on the address of the student's legal residence.
  2. The legal residency of a student will be established using methods recommended by the State of Michigan.
  3. The residency of minors (under 18) shall follow that of their parents or legal guardian. Students under 18 may qualify as in-district residents regardless of their parent's residence if they can provide sufficient evidence they are independently supporting themselves and are legal residents in the Washtenaw Community College District.
  4. A student who is not a U.S. citizen and does not have permanent resident alien, asylum, refugee or valid DACA status who attended an accredited Michigan high school for at least three years and thereafter (a) graduated from an accredited Michigan high school or (b) received a Michigan General Education Development High School Equivalency Certificate (GED) may be classified as In-District, Out-District, or Out-State student.
  5. The residency of any person, other than a parent or legal guardian, who may furnish funds for payment of college fees, shall in no way affect the residency of the student.
  6. Those students who are transferred to the State by the military or have been discharged from the military within the last six months must present appropriate documentation to waive the six month Michigan residency requirement. WCC values our military veterans and service members. The six month in state residency requirement may be waived for an honorably discharged veteran student and any student currently serving in the military. Appropriate documentation is required for the student and dependent(s).
  7. Any individual using educational assistance under either Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill® — Active Duty Program), Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®), of title 38, United States Code, and/or the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 S.C. § 3311(b)(9)) who lives in the State of Michigan while attending Washtenaw Community College (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) will be eligible for in-state tuition.
  8. The student may petition to officially change residency status by supplying proof of residence to the Student Records Office. Students petitioning to change their residency for a specified semester must do so by the published deadline for that semester. Residency changes made after the deadline will take effect the following semester.

Outcomes:

The residency status of Washtenaw Community College students will be accurately determined and maintained.

NOTE: The residency classification of a student at Washtenaw Community College does not necessarily apply to the residency requirements at other colleges and universities.

Adopted: October 27, 1987
Revised: December 10, 1996
Revised: October 26, 1999
Revised: March 22, 2005
Revised: October 13, 2009
Revised: July 23, 2013
Revised : April 28, 2015
Revised: April 28, 2020

(203)


GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offer d by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

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