Georgia Residency

Dependent Students

A dependent student meets the Georgia residency requirements if his or her parent has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the school term for which the student is seeking in-state tuition, and
Such student graduated from an eligible high school located in the State of Georgia; or
The parent claimed the student as a dependent on the parent’s most recent federal income tax return.
A dependent student meets the Georgia residency requirements if a United States court-appointed legal guardian has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the school term for which the student is seeking in-state tuition, provided that the appointment was not made to avoid payment of out-of-state tuition.

Independent Students

An independent student meets the Georgia residency requirements if he or she has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the school term for which the student is seeking in-state tuition.

It is presumed that no independent student shall have gained or acquired Georgia residency while attending a TCSG college without clear evidence of having established a domicile in the State of Georgia for purposes other than attending a TCSG college.

Retaining Georgia Residency

Dependent Students: If the Parent or United States court-appointed Legal Guardian of a dependent student who was correctly determined to meet Georgia residency requirements for the purposes of this procedure and the related policies, establishes domicile outside the State of Georgia, such student shall continue to retain his or her status as a Georgia resident as long as such student remains continuously enrolled in a TCSG college.
Independent Students: If an independent student who was correctly determined to meet Georgia residency requirements temporarily relocates outside the State of Georgia, but returns to the State of Georgia within 12 months, such student shall retain his or her status as a Georgia resident, for purposes of in-state tuition.

Eligibility for Out of State Tuition Exemptions:

Students in the following classifications are eligible for Out of State Tuition Exemption. These exemptions do not affect the student’s eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship or Grant, except for exemptions for military personnel and their dependents as provided for in the Georgia Student Finance Commission regulations:

Employees, their spouses, and their children who move to Georgia for employment with a new or expanding industry define in OCGA 20-4-40:
Full-time employees, of the Technical College System of Georgia, their spouses, and dependent children;
Full-time teachers in a Georgia public school, a military base, or a public postsecondary college, their spouses, and dependent children;
United States military personnel stationed in Georgia and on active duty and their dependents living in Georgia;
United States military personnel, spouses and dependent children reassigned outside Georgia, who remain continuously enrolled and on active military status;
United States military personnel and their dependents that are Domiciled in Georgia, but are stationed outside the State;
Students who are Domiciled in Beaufort or Jasper South Carolina counties and are enrolled at Savannah Technical College;
Career consular officers and their dependents that are citizens of the foreign nation which their respective governments represent. This exemption shall apply only to those consular offices whose nations operate on the principle of educational reciprocity with the United States.
Members of a uniformed military service of the United States of who, within thirty-six (36) months of separation from such service, enroll in an academic program and demonstrate intent to become domiciled in Georgia. This exemption may also be granted to their spouses and dependent children. This exemption also applies to recipients of transferred VA Education Benefits who within thirty-six (36) months of the transferor’s separation form the uniformed military service of the United States enroll in an academic program and demonstrate an intent to become domiciled in Georgia. An individual or former service member so described retains the exemption if enrolled at the expiration of the thirty-six-month window and remains continuously enrolled (other than regularly scheduled breaks) and using educational benefits, even if the student enrolls in multiple programs.
Students using transferred VA Education Benefits with the transferor is on active duty who demonstrate and intent to become domiciled in Georgia and students using the Marine Gunnery John David Fry Scholarship who demonstrate an intent to become domiciled in Georgia.
Students who are participating in a Dual Enrollment program.

Notwithstanding any provision in this procedure, no person who is unlawfully present in the United States shall be eligible for any exemption of the tuition differential.