Understanding student state of legal residence for college

I'm filling out college applications and I've come across this term: 'student state of legal residence'. Can someone explain what this means? I just want to make sure I'm entering the right information. How does my state of residence impact my application or tuition rates? Thanks for the help!

Your state of legal residence refers to the state where you have a permanent home, and where you plan to return after being away. Typically, this is where you live most of the year and it's usually the same state as your parent's or guardian's residence if you're a dependent student. For independent students, or those who have lived on their own for a while, it’s typically the state where you've lived for at least the last 12 months.

Note that each state may have specific criteria in determining legal residency, so it's good to familiarize yourself with the criteria of the state you believe to be your legal residence. This might include things like if you pay state taxes, have a state driver's license, or are registered to vote there.

As for how this impacts your college application, your state of residence can affect tuition rates, particularly if you're applying to public, state schools. These universities often have different tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state students. They do this because residents of the state subsidies these schools through taxes, and therefore often get a lower tuition rate.

This means if you're a resident of the state where a public university is located, you might be eligible for these lower in-state tuition fees. On the other hand, if you're considered an out-of-state student, you might have to pay higher tuition rates.

So clearly, your state of legal residence can have a significant impact on the cost of your college education. Be sure to accurately state your residency on your college applications and financial aid documents. If you're unsure about your status, you should reach out to the admissions office of the colleges you're interested in for guidance. They can help you understand the policies and procedures for establishing residency and qualifying for in-state tuition.