Residency Requirements: Reclassification : Enrollment & Student Success : UMass Lowell

GUIDELINES FOR COMPLETING RESIDENCY RECLASSIFICATION FORMS

Residency Status is Normally Determined When You Enter or Re-Enter the University. The residency reclassification officer, responsible for determining initial Massachusetts residency appeals for tuition and fee purposes, offers the following information which may assist you in determining if you qualify for in-state tuition.

A. Establish Domicile

1. If you are independent of financial support by parents or legal guardian, then decisions on Massachusetts residency for tuition purposes will be based on your individual circumstances. A copy of your parent's tax return without you listed as a dependent is a useful document.

2. If you are a foreign national, you must have applied for and/or possess a Resident Alien Registration Card or permanent resident card (commonly called a "Green Card") to be considered for in-state tuition. Even with the permanent residency card, you will still have to satisfy the criteria established for Massachusetts residency for tuition purposes.

3. As an independent person, your residence in Massachusetts for 12 consecutive months prior to entering the University is the stated requirement. Students claiming to have acquired residence for any other time period must demonstrate residency independent of attending the University.

4. The applicant's employment should be in a permanent position not normally filled by a student. On-campus employment, e.g. work study or a graduate Teacher Assistant (TA) does not establish residency, even though such income is taxed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, because it is exclusively student employment. In any case, the applicant must demonstrate dependence on Massachusetts sources of income.

5. MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENCY FOR TUITION PURPOSES IS NOT ACQUIRED BY MERE PHYSICAL PRESENCE IN MASSACHUSETTS WHILE A PERSON IS CARRYING ON A COURSE OF STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY. RESIDENCY IN THIS CONTEXT IS DETERMINED SOLELY BY THE MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION REGULATIONS.

B. Documentation Requirements

1. Certified Tax Returns specifically refers to copies of the tax returns on file at the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) and/or the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR). These can be obtained by calling these offices and asking that they send you the form to request Certified Copies. The forms must be returned to the IRS/DOR with payment. Certified copies will be sent to the requested address and must be brought in and added to the application. In lieu of certified copies, the applicant may submit copies of federal and state income tax returns certified by a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

2. Reliance on Massachusetts sources of income should be supported by the tax returns. However, bank accounts and financial aid must be documented separately. Employment outside of Massachusetts must show that Massachusetts taxes were taken out to satisfy this requirement.

3. Leases and/or Property Ownership are essential documentation. Students who are living with relatives while going to school are guests and do not establish domicile by such accommodations. Residence Halls likewise do not help establish domicile unless a permanent Massachusetts residency can be documented.

4. Additional documentation such as voter registration verification, driver's license and auto registration are important and helpful. PLEASE REFER TO THE DETAILED RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS WHICH FOLLOW TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION.

5. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BE COMPLETE IN ANSWERING ALL QUESTIONS AND SUBMITTING DOCUMENTATION -- EVEN IF SUCH INFORMATION DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY SUPPORT YOUR CLAIM TO BE A MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENT FOR TUITION PURPOSES.

C. Procedures

The Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions Offices make the initial determination. If you applied for in-state but were classified as a non-Massachusetts resident for tuition purposes, you must complete the attached Residency Reclassification Form and submit as noted below.

D. Deadlines

1. Applications for reclassification must be filed in the Office of Enrollment & Student Success (Dugan Hall) or mailed to the address below.

2. In order to apply to a specific semester, the residency reclassification application, and all supporting information, must be notarized and filed before the end of the add/drop period of the given semester. There is no retroactive review of residency. If delivered after the add/drop period, the residency reclassification decision(s) will apply to subsequent semesters. The application for reclassification must be delivered or mailed to:

Héctor E. Malavé

Coordinator of Admissions Special Services

UMass Lowell

Dugan Hall, Suite 110

883 Broadway Street

Lowell, MA 01854

The above information is only a part of the Residency Policy. Provide as much documentation as possible to support your claim, and be certain to notarize the form and submit it by the add/drop period of the semester applicable to your appeal.

You may forward any additional questions to residency@uml.edu.

Applicants should retain copies of all records submitted as well as the policies and guidelines outlined on this site.

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Reclassification Guidelines