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Documentation Required for Classification as a Resident for Tuition Purposes

Listed below are the documents established by the state as items required for classification as a resident for tuition purposes. A student, or the dependent student’s parent or legal guardian, must present two of these documents, and one of the documents must be a Tier One document. All documents submitted must be dated, issued, or filed at least twelve (12) months prior to the first day of classes for the term of enrollment.

Tier One Documents

At least one of the two documents submitted must be a Tier One document.

  1. A Florida driver’s license;
  2. A State of Florida ID card;
  3. A Florida voter’s registration card;
  4. A Florida vehicle registration;
  5. Proof of a permanent home in Florida which is occupied as a primary residence by the applicant or by the applicant’s parent if the applicant is a dependent;
  6. Proof of homestead exemption in Florida;
  7. Transcripts from a Florida high school for two or more years provided the Florida high school diploma or GED diploma was earned within the last twelve 12 months; or
  8. Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least thirty hours per week for a consecutive 12-month period.

Tier Two Documents

Tier Two documents may be used in conjunction with one document from Tier One. If the student or the dependent student’s parent or legal guardian provides two Tier One documents, no Tier Two document is required.

  1. A Declaration of Domicile filed in Florida at least twelve months prior to the first day of classes for the term;
  2. A Florida professional or occupational license;
  3. Florida incorporation;
  4. A document evidencing family ties in Florida;
  5. Proof of membership in a Florida-based charitable or professional organization; or
  6. Any other document that supports the student’s request for resident status, including, but not limited to, utility bills (in the student’s name or the dependent student’s parent’s or legal guardian’s name) along with proof of twelve consecutive months of payments; a lease agreement (in the student’s name or the dependent student’s parent’s or legal guardian’s name) along with proof of twelve consecutive months of payments; or an official state, federal or court document evidencing legal ties to Florida.

Alabama Tuition Differential

The Florida Legislature allows state colleges to assess Alabama residents a tuition differential that results in an assessment of tuition that is less than the out-of-state tuition. Pensacola State College provides Alabama residents, meeting the criteria of physical residence and establishment of two legal ties to the State of Alabama, a fee that is equivalent to the Florida in-state tuition plus an additional $10.00 per credit hour or credit hour equivalent.

To be eligible for the Alabama Tuition Differential, the Alabama resident must have maintained legal residence in the State of Alabama for the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the first day of classes in the term for which the differential tuition assessment is requested.

The residence status of a dependent student is considered to be that of the parent or legal guardian of the student. A dependent student is any person who is eligible to be claimed by another person for Internal Revenue purposes. If the student requesting the Alabama Tuition Differential is under the age of twenty-four, Pensacola State College will assume that the student is a dependent, and the parent/legal guardian must request the Alabama Tuition Differential for the dependent.

Prospective students interested in the assessment of the Alabama Tuition Differential may submit the request for classification as an Alabama Resident in a registration office on any campus.

Listed below are the documents required for the Alabama Tuition Differential. An Alabama student, or the dependent student’s parent or legal guardian, must be able to present two of these documents, and one of the documents must be a Tier One document. All documents must be dated, issued, or filed at least twelve (12) months prior to the first day of classes for the term of enrollment.

Tier One Documents

At least one of the two documents submitted must be a Tier One document.

  1. An Alabama driver’s license;
  2. A State of Alabama ID card;
  3. An Alabama voter’s registration card with proof of voter registration date;
  4. An Alabama vehicle registration;
  5. Proof of a permanent home in Alabama which is occupied as a primary residence by the applicant or by the applicant’s parent if the applicant is a dependent;
  6. Proof of homestead exemption in Alabama;
  7. Transcripts from an Alabama high school for three or more years provided the Alabama high school diploma or GED diploma was earned within the last twelvemonths; or
  8. Proof of permanent full-time employment in Alabama for at least thirty hours per week for a consecutive twelve-month period.

Tier Two Documents

Tier Two documents may be used in conjunction with one document from Tier One. If the student or the dependent student’s parent or legal guardian provides two Tier One documents, no Tier Two document is required.

  1. A Declaration of Domicile filed in Alabama (at least twelve (12) months prior to the first day of classes for the term);
  2. An Alabama professional or occupational license;
  3. Alabama incorporation;
  4. A document evidencing family ties in Alabama;
  5. Proof of membership in an Alabama-based charitable or professional organization; or
  6. Any other document that supports the student’s request for resident status, including, but not limited to, utility bills (in the student’s name or the dependent student’s parent’s name) along with proof of twelve (12) consecutive months of payments; a lease agreement (in the student’s name or the dependent student’s parents name) along with proof of twelve (12) consecutive months of payments; or an official state, federal or court document evidencing legal ties to Alabama.

Reclassification of Residence

A student classified as non-resident for tuition purposes may request reclassification as a resident at such time as he or she has met the criteria for residence classification. Reclassification will be granted to the student who presents clear and convincing evidence that living in Florida is for the purpose of establishing a legal residence, maintaining Florida as the permanent home, and that attendance at the College is not the primary purpose for living in the State of Florida. The clear and convincing evidence must include three documents from the listing above, one of which must be a Tier One document.

A student who becomes eligible for residency classification during a term will be eligible for classification with the next term of enrollment. At no time will a student be permitted to be classified as a non-resident for one session within a term and a resident for another session within the same term.

A student who is married to an individual who meets Florida residency criteria and who has obtained a Tier One document may reclassify from non-Florida to Florida even if the 12-month residency requirement has not been met. The spouse must complete a Residency Statement, provide the Tier One and Tier Two documents, as well as a copy of the marriage license.

Residency Appeals

In cases where the applicant expresses a desire to appeal the residency classification determined by the College, the matter will be referred to the Residency Appeals Committee in accordance with the College’s official appeals process. The student must submit a request for review and include clear and convincing evidence that he or she is entitled to classification or reclassification as a Florida resident for tuition purposes. The Residency Appeals Committee will provide the final residency determination and the reasons for the determination in writing.

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