1
2 years ago
Admissions Advice

Ho do I apply?
Answered

I am a US citizen by birth in the state of Colorado. I'm currently residing in and am a citizen of Ghana with my parents, neither of which are US citizens/permanent residents, and have been for my entire life. I have family members and family friends who are. I am studying the Cambridge curriculum and I'm currently in A-level

I am not quite sure how to apply to any colleges as it doesn't seem like I could be labelled as an international student and I can't apply for in state tuition since I'm not a resident. I need some advice as I'm applying for Fall 2023 semester.

Please and Thank you

DualCitizen
Fall2023
Ghana
A-levels
1
1
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Accepted Answer
2 years ago[edited]

Hi @Ais05

Thanks for asking your question.

Since you are an American Citizen by birthright, you certainly can apply to all US Colleges as an American Citizen. Just check the US Citizen or US National on the drop-down box on the common app under the nationality section of the demographics.

Then click "International" under the residency section drop-down box. It may ask you how long you have lived in the US which you can choose, less than 1 year, 1,2,3,4,5,......years.

Then under Race & Ethnicity, you will select that you are not a person of Hispanic origin and click the box Black or African American since both parents live in Ghana.

If you do apply and get accepted by an American College, they will ask you for some proof you are a US Citizen. That can be satisfied by any of the following documents:

- A birth certificate showing birth in the United States;

- Form N-550, Certificate of Naturalization;

- Form N-560, Certificate of Citizenship;

- Form FS-240, Report of Birth Abroad of United States Citizen; or. (Not Applicable in your case)

- Valid unexpired U.S. passport.

If you can't prove through documentation that you are a US Citizen, then you will have to apply as an International student given you have Ghana residency and citizenship there.

If you can prove you are a US Citizen, then you will not apply as an International student, nor as a Resident of the State of Colorado. You would have to establish residency for a minimum of 366 days in the State of Colorado prior to matriculating into college to qualify as a Colorado State resident taking advantage of in-state tuition rates. The same is true for most other states.

Since you are not applying for another year or longer, I would highly recommend that you get your US Citizenship papers in order if they are not already in your hands ready to go.

Since you have been living outside of the US for quite some time, some colleges may also require you to submit some evidence of your English speaking, reading, and writing proficiency in the form of a TOEFL, IELTS, or DuoLingo test score. So keep that in mind as well.

Good luck.

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Unweighted GPA: 3.7
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SAT: 720 math
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