Residency and Reciprocity Frequently Asked Questions

Fee payment deadlines cannot be extended while a student’s residency application is being reviewed. Students may opt to pay by using the university’s tuition payment plan. Information on payment plans can be found on the Bursar's webpage.

No. A student cannot qualify for "immediate residency" through other relatives, fiancée, in–laws etc. A student may only be reviewed for "immediate residency" through their dependency upon a parent or spouse who is living and working full–time in Ohio.

The state residency guidelines have two "grandfather clauses" to address this.

• If your parents are Ohio residents and move out of the state while you are an enrolled resident, dependent student at UC, you will continue to be classified as a resident through the completion of one degree program, provided that you maintain continuous enrollment (summer term enrollment is not required) and make normal progress toward your degree. If you apply for a second degree program (i.e. you graduate from the first program), your residency will be reviewed, and you will have to meet the residency criteria on your own.
• Similarly, if you are a dependent student who applied for admission to UC and your Ohio–resident parents subsequently move out of the state, you will be considered a resident as long as you enroll within 12 months of the date your parents moved out of Ohio.

No. Any student who has been classified as a nonresident must apply for reclassification as a resident. Even if you are a conditional resident, you must apply if you want to be reviewed for regular residency once you have been in Ohio for 12 months.

Yes. Loans and/or gifts in excess of nominal amounts from parents or other individuals—regardless of the terms—are considered financial assistance and as such will be a disqualifying factor.

Employment income earned as cash is only eligible for residency if it is subject to Ohio taxation. The burden of proof is on the student to provide proof that the income has been subject to Ohio taxation. Otherwise it is not eligible income.

Yes. Students are responsible for reporting and being financially capable of paying for the upkeep, gas, and car insurance of a car they own or have use during their residency review period.

Any state’s 529 plan is only applicable to a student’s financial independence only if it can be documented that all funds associated with the plan were transferred legally into the student’s sole possession and sole control more than 24 months prior to the student using the funds. In addition, there should be no evidence of large deposits into the account within the past 24 months. In other words, the student should have sole control of the fund and should not be receiving any financial assistance from an out-of-state family member within the past two years. Students will need to provide documentation indicating date of establishment and transaction activities showing funds used toward paying for their tuition.

If a dependent student has one parent who has been an Ohio resident for at least the 12 months immediately preceding enrollment, they will be considered a resident for tuition purposes whether or not the student actually resides in Ohio. Documentation is required.

The expectation is that students who are in the process of establishing their residency are physically living in the State of Ohio for the 12 consecutive months prior to the semester for which they are requesting reclassification. Leaving the state for the summer—or for any length of time longer than a three–week period—can jeopardize your claim to Ohio residency.

Students who leave Ohio for co-op or study abroad during their residency–review period for any period longer than three weeks must continue to maintain their residence in Ohio while out of the state. Proof that their residence in Ohio was maintained will be required which will include—but is not limited to—copies of canceled checks for the rent payment, copies of leases, or documents proving the purchase of a home in Ohio.

If documentation cannot be provided, the absence from Ohio will disqualify you from residency reclassification.

No. To be eligible for Immediate Residency, a student must be dependent upon a spouse or parent who is employed full–time in Ohio. That employment cannot be tied to their status as a UC student. Therefore, a fellowship or assistantship is not considered full–time employment.

A dependent is defined as a student who has been claimed by a parent or legal guardian on their Federal Income Tax Return for the most recent tax year.

Please note: These requirements may be different than those for Financial Aid.

The Indiana reciprocity tuition rate is the product of a contractual agreement between the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE).  The CHE determines the Indiana counties and programs it wishes to include in the contract. The contract is reviewed every two years.  

The Kentucky reciprocity tuition rate is the product of a contractual agreement between the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE).  The CPE determines the Kentucky counties and programs it wishes to include in the contract. The contract is reviewed every two years.