Louisiana Residency Requirements

LOUISIANA RESIDENCY CRITERIA FOR ESTABLISHING RESIDENT STATUS AND ELIGIBILITY FOR NONRESIDENT FEE EXEMPTIONS

Introduction 

As a public institution of the state of Louisiana, Southern University provides educational services to both resident and nonresident students. Students who meet certain criteria during the application and/or admission process, may be eligible for designation as a resident of the state of Louisiana or for the exemption of all or a portion of the nonresident fees that are assessed students enrolling at the University. Following are the guidelines and criteria for determining the eligibility of persons seeking such designation.

Guidelines for Establishing Resident Status

For purposes of assigning tuition and fees at institutions in the Southern University System, a resident student shall be defined as an individual who has abandoned all prior domiciles, establisheda domicile of his/her own in the state of Louisiana and who has been domiciled in the state of Louisiana continuously for a period (herein called the "domiciliary period") of at least one full calendar year immediately preceding the first day of classes for which resident classification is sought. The individual's physical presence within this state solely for education purposes will not be sufficient for resident classification, regardless of the length of time he/she has been present in the state.

Definition of a Louisiana Resident

A person herein termed as a bona fide Louisiana resident is an individual who qualified as a resident in accordance with the regulations prescribed in this section. An individual who is certified under one of the mandated criteria as a resident student by anyone of the Southern University System's institutions shall be so recognized by every institution within the system, provided the individual's certifying category does not change. An applicant for certification at any campus in the Southern University System as a resident student must provide the documentation that meets the criteria of at least one. of the following categories:

• Spouse of a Louisiana resident

• Louisiana resident by virtue of full-time employment
• Military personnel stationed in Louisiana, their spouses and dependents 

The following criteria will determine the eligibility of an applicant for resident status. Persons applying for certification of resident status under this part must submit the documents for the applicable eligibility category to the office of the designated certifying officer for the campus, on or before the deadline for receipt of the certification application for the semester that he/she intends to enroll. 

Certification as a resident student that is established following the beginning of the semester and/or after the payment of fees shall be applicable for the next semester. 

In addition to other documentation indicated herein, the following facts or circumstances, while not necessarily conclusive, may support the eligibility claim of an applicant seeking certification under these provisions: 

• The applicant's or spouse's possession of a valid Louisiana voter registration card and record of voting in Louisiana for at least one year 
• The applicant's or spouse's school and employment records which designates Louisiana as his or her permanent address 
• The applicant's or spouse's possession of a valid Louisiana driver's license (if applicable) for at least one year 
• Continuous presence in Louisiana during periods when not enrolled as a student 
• Commitments indicating intent to stay in Louisiana permanently 
• Establishing an abode where one's permanent belongings are kept in Louisiana Licensing for professional practice (if applicable) in Louisiana 
• The absence of these indicia in other states during any period for which domicile in Louisiana is asserted 

Criteria for Establishing Resident Status 

An individual applying for "resident" designation must provide to the Graduate School, all of the documentation required for establishing his/her eligibility for certification in at least one of the following categories on or before the published deadline date for the semester in which he/she intends to enroll. 

Spouse of Louisiana Resident

The spouse of a natural Louisiana resident must submit the 
following to the office of the campus' certifying officer on or 
before the deadline indicated herein: 

• Copy of marriage certificate 
• Copy of spouse's Louisiana birth certificate 
• Copy of spouse's Louisiana high school diploma
  
  
• Copy of spouse's Louisiana tax forms for past year(s)
  
  
• Copy of spouse's 1040 Federal tax forms for past year(s)
  
  
• Copy of spouse's W-2 form 

• Certified copy of employment verification form for spouse. Sufficient documentation to reflect that at the time of submission of the request for certification, the applicant's spouse has continuously resided in the state for the calendar- year period (at least 12 months) immediately preceding the date of application.

If the applicant is a resident alien and legally married to a natural Louisiana resident, he or she must also present his/her permanent resident alien (green) card from the United States Immigration Service to the Di rector of Graduate Admission or his/her designee, along with the certification application and the documentation required in Section A of this part.

If the applicant is a Resident Alien who is legally married to an individual who is a domiciliary of the state of Louisiana and is seeking resident student status by virtue of his or her spouse's employment, he or she must also submit the documentation required in Section A of this part and present his or her permanent resident alien (green) card from the United States Immigration Service to the office of the campus' certifying officer. 

Louisiana Resident by Virtue of Employment within the State 

A person is a minor who is less than 24 years of age and dependent upon his/her parent(s) and whose parent(s) has/have been residing in Louisiana and working full-time for the continuous 12-month period (the calendar year) or longer immediately preceding the date of application. He or she must submit the following to the office of the certifying officer on or before the deadline indicated herein: 

• Copy of Louisiana tax form of parent(s) 
  
  
• Copy of 1040 federal tax form of parent(s)
  
  
• Copy of W-2 form of parent(s) 
• Copy of applicant's birth certificate or copy of court papers verifying adoption 
• Certified copy of employment verification form for parent(s) 
• Any other documentation requested by the campus' certifying officer or his/her designee 

A person who has been residing in Louisiana and working fulltime (40-hours a week) for a full calendar year (a continuous 12-month period) prior to the submission of his/her application, and who enrolled in a maximum of six credit hours at any post-secondary institution during the 12-month period immediately preceding the application deadline for the semester for which he/she is requesting resident designation is eligible to apply for resident status. An applicant for resident status must submit the following to the office of the Director of Graduate Admissions on or before the deadline indicated herein: 

• Copy of Louisiana tax form for the applicant/applicant's spouse 
• Copy of 1040 federal tax form for the applicant/ applicant's spouse 
• Copy of W-2 form(s) for the applicant/applicant's spouse; certified copy of employment-verification form for applicant

•  

   

  Any other documentation requested by the campus' certifying officer or his designee

Military personnel stationed in Louisiana and their dependents 

In accordance with Louisiana Revised Statute 17.2137, an active duty or honorably discharged member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces, who was permanently stationed in Louisiana, their spouse or dependents shall qualify for resident status, if they can meet one of the following criteria: 

A member of the armed forces of the United States who is permanently stationed in Louisiana on active duty or his/her child or spouse shall be entitled to resident classification for tuition purposes at Southern University without regard to length of time of residency in the state. 

A child or spouse of a member of the armed forces of the United States who has been assigned to duty elsewhere immediately following permanent service on active duty while stationed in Louisiana, shall be entitled to resident classification for tuition purposes at Southern University for as long as the child or spouse continuously resides in Louisiana after the duty assignment in the state of the military parent or spouse ends 

Any member of the military, as well as his/her spouse and dependents, who are permanently stationed in Louisiana as a member of any branch of the United States Armed 

Forces, and who enrolls as a student at Southern University, shall be classified as a resident for tuition purposes and shall qualify for resident tuition fees at Southern University, provided that the individual(s) has/have been continuously residing in Louisiana after being honorably discharged 

An applicant seeking classification under any provision in this part shall submit the following to the campus' certifying office on or before the deadline indicated for the period he/ she will enroll: 

• Copy of the dependent child's birth certificate or court approved adoption papers 
• Copy of marriage certificate 
• Copy of military personnel's orders reflecting his/her permanent assignment to duty in Louisiana 
• Copy of official orders reassigning the military parent or spouse from permanent duty in Louisiana to another duty station 
• Any other documentation requested by the campus certifying officer or his/her designee 

Consider a student a resident if the deceased parent qualified as a resident of Louisiana at the time of his/her death. An applicant who is 24 years of age, or who has resided and has been employed full time in another state for two years or longer, cannot qualify as a resident under this provision.

The spouse or unmarried dependent of a full-time University employee is eligible for a waiver of the nonresident fees for the first year and will be granted resident status thereafter.

The burden of providing entitlement to the benefits in this section shall be the sole responsibility of the student. Such proof must be received on or before the deadline indicated herein or as set by the certifying office on a case-by-case basis.

 Certification Guidelines for Non-Resident Fee Exemptions 

A non-resident student, for tuition purposes, is a student who is not eligible for classification as a resident student under these regulations.

To be eligible for an exemption from payment of any portion of the non-resident fee, an applicant must meet the criteria for at least one of the following categories:

Criteria for Determining Eligibility for Non-Resident Fee Exemption 

The following criteria will determine the eligibility for non-resident fee exemptions. Persons applying for an exemption under this part must submit the documents for the applicable eligibility category to the campus' certifying officer prior to the beginning of the semester in which he/she intends to enroll. Eligibility for exemptions established following the beginning of the semester shall be applicable for the next semester. 

Non-Resident Athletic Scholarship Recipient Exemption

A student in the Southern University System who is granted an athletic scholarship, and who is not a resident of this state, shall pay the same tuition or fees as a student who is a resident of the state of Louisiana. (See Louisiana Revised Statutes, R.R. 17:1791). 

Non-Resident Participant in the National Student Exchange Program

At Southern University institutions that participate in the National Student Exchange (NSE) program the following provision shall be applicable. An exchange student from a participating out-of- state university who enrolls at a Southern University System NSE institution and who pays in-state tuition at his/her home campus and opts to pay his/her fees at Southern University's NSE institution will be exempt from the payment of nonresident fees for a maximum of two consecutive semesters. Exemption from payment of the nonresident fee for a longer period requires the approval of all appropriate parties to the NSE program agreement and Southern University.

Graduate Students 

Graduate Assistant Exemption 

A nonresident graduate student who is selected to serve as a graduate assistant at Southern University or receive a tuition scholarship from the University may be eligible for a full or partial exemption of his/her nonresident fees. The dean of the Graduate School or his designee must certify eligibility for exemption. 

The following must be submitted by the student: 

A letter from the individual's department or college to the dean of the Graduate School, verifying that the student has been awarded a graduate assistantship or tuition scholarship and the source of funds for such assistantship. Any other documentation requested by the dean of the Graduate School or the campus' certifying officer or their designees.

Appeal of Denial of Resident or Exemption Certification