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Florida Residency Guidelines
In order to receive in-state tuition, you must complete and submit the Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes Declaration Form with supporting documentation.
All students must submit the form, even if they are not Florida residents.
Review all of the information on this page to guide you as you complete the form and gather your required supporting documentation and then follow the directions for submitting.
What is residency?
Residency is the process of determining your status as a Florida resident for tuition purposes. Living in or attending school in Florida will not, in itself, establish legal residence.
The process can feel overwhelming, but we are here to help you interpret the law and find acceptable ways to demonstrate that you meet the requirements of the statute.
Failure to submit the Florida Residency Declaration Form may result in higher out-of-state tuition charges and paying more than four times the regular rate.
Who should submit residency?
- All students must submit the Florida Residency Declaration for Tuition Purposes form even if they are not Florida Residents. The form has a section for non-Florida residents to fill out.
- If a student is dependent (under age 24), the parent or guardian must provide proof of legal residence.
- In order to be billed the in-state tuition rate, you MUST submit your residency prior to the term's Fee Due Date. The final deadline to submit is the last day of add/drop for the term in which Florida residency is requested.
How do I prove my residency?
At least TWO of the documents listed in the Guidelines Accordion below must be submitted, with dates that evidence the 12-month qualifying period. At least one of the documents must be from Section A. (You may provide more than one document from Section A). As some evidence is more persuasive than others, more than two documents may be requested as we review your submission. No single piece of documentation will be considered conclusive. Additionally, there must be an absence of information that contradicts the applicant’s claim of residency.
- Florida Driver license (if known to be held in another state previously, must have relinquished) OR a State of Florida identification card (if evidence of no ties to another state)
- Florida voter registration
- Florida vehicle registration
- Proof of purchase of a permanent Florida home that is occupied as a primary residence of the claimant
- Transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple years if the Florida high school diploma or GED® was earned within last 12 months
- Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida (one or more jobs for at least 30 hours per week for the past 12 consecutive months)
- Declaration of domicile in Florida (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 bill and proof of past consecutive months of payments (Cell/mobile phones and car insurance bills cannot be used)
- Copy of lease agreement or notarized letter from leasing agent/landlord and proof of past 12 consecutive months of payments
- Any other document that supports the student's request for resident status, including, but not limited to an official state, federal, or court document evidencing legal ties in Florida
Independent Student: A student who meets any one of the following criteria shall be classified as an independent student for the determination of residency for tuition purposes: Evidence that the student meets one of these criteria must be provided.
- The student is 24 years of age or older by the first day of classes of the term for which residency status is sought
- The student is married
- The student has children who receive more than half of their support from the student
- The student has other dependents who live with and receive more than half of their support from the student
- The student is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces or is currently serving on active duty in the United States Armed Forces or National Guard of Reserves for purposes other than training
- Both of the student’s parents are deceased or the student is or was (until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court
- The student is determined an unaccompanied homeless youth by a school district homeless liaison, or by a staff member of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program
A student who does not meet one of the criteria outlined above may be classified as
an independent student only if he or she submits documentation that he or she provides
fifty (50) percent or more of the cost of attendance for independent, in-state students as defined by the financial aid office at the
institution (exclusive of federal, state, and institutional aid or scholarships).
Dependent Student: All other students who do not meet the above definition of an independent student shall be classified as dependent students for the determination of residency for tuition purposes.
The Collegewide Residency Committee will review all requests for changes in residency.
A student who is initially classified as out-of-state and wants to request reclassification to in-state status must submit a completed, signed Florida Residency Declaration for Tuition Purposes declaration form and a MINIMUM of THREE supporting documents to the Director, Admissions and Records in any campus Admissions and Records Office. The College may ask for additional documentation if necessary to establish clear and convincing evidence.
Eligible students must submit a waiver form a minimum of one week prior to the fee due date for each term to the appropriate EFSC office.
- Congressman C.W. Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Program (House Bill 7015). Contact Military & Veterans Service Center for eligibility assistance and to submit a waiver form. May 25, 2021 Update: Isakson and Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 - Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty, and VR&E beneficiaries are no
longer required to enroll at a public institution of higher learning within a three-year
period after leaving the service in order to benefit from in-state tuition and fees.
The VA website will feature a database with information on any public institution’s
requirements to receive in-state tuition. Effective Date: August 1, 2021.
- Out-of-state Fee Waiver for Select Florida High School Graduates (House Bill 851). Contact Admissions Office for eligibility assistance and to submit the waiver.
Residency is determined by the postsecondary institution. There is no appeal of the decision to a higher governmental agency. View a complete copy of the Guidelines on Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes (PDF).
How do I submit my residency information?
The completed residency form with supporting documentation may be submitted:
- In-person at any campus Admissions and Records Office. Visit the Admissions contact page for locations and hours.
- Online via the Student Documents Dropbox located within the myEFSC Portal. Select the "Admissions Department" in the Dropbox's "Send To" section.
HELPFUL HINT: When uploading documentation to prove your residency classification, please upload documents in PDF or JPG format. See more about using the Documents Dropbox.
Download and Complete the Florida Residency Declaration Form