Procedure 

Residency Status at the Time of Application 

Residency status is initially assessed at the time of application to the College. Students are assigned the in-county, out-of county, or out-of-state residency status based on their domicile for three consecutive months prior to application and the home address provided on the application. Factors such as dependency status and/or citizenship status may also be considered in the assignment of tuition rate at the time of application. Activeduty military personnel, veterans, spouses, and dependents who reside, are stationed, or domiciled in Maryland must provide supporting documentation to Veteran & Military Services as listed in section 2 of this procedure, Proof of Residency, in order for their tuition rate to be updated. 

Proof of Residency 

In accordance with Maryland State and Federal Law, any of the following factors are proof of legal residency: 

1. Substantially uninterrupted presence, including the months when the student is not in attendance at the College, as evidenced by ownership or rental of living quarters in which the student resides. (12-month lease or deed of residence)
2. Payment of Maryland state and local income taxes. (MD 502 Tax Form)
3. Registration to vote in Frederick County and/or the state. (Voters Registration Card)
4. Registration of a motor vehicle in the state, with a local address specified, if the person owns such a vehicle. (Motor Vehicle Registration Card)
5. Possession of a valid Maryland driver's license, with a local address specified, if the person is licensed anywhere to drive a motor vehicle, or a Maryland state ID with a local address specified.
6. Active-duty military personnel, honorably discharged veterans, spouses and dependents who reside, are stationed, or domiciled in Maryland are exempt from the 3-month requirement and are considered in-county once proof is shown. (Military orders, letter from Education Officer, DD214 and any of the residency factors listed above). 

Reclassification of Residency for Tuition Purposes 

1. Students requesting a reduced tuition rate based on a change of address must submit a “Change of Address” form along with a “Tuition Rate Change” form and attach supporting documentation as listed in Section 2, Proof of Residency. Students requesting a lower tuition rate based on a change of citizenship status or now meeting the three-month residency requirement must submit proof of residency by completing the “Tuition Rate Change” form and attach supporting documentation as listed in Section 2, Proof of Residency. 
2. Requests for change in residency classification for tuition purposes must be submitted by the “last day to add” for the first session in which the student is enrolled in order for the tuition rate to be changed for the semester requested. Residency determination for tuition purposes is term specific and not retroactive. A student who moves to a different residence during a semester and provides proof of their new address after the “last day to add” will have their residency adjusted for the following semester.
3. If there has been a change of address that affects residency, tuition will be adjusted for the following semester as follows: 

1. 1. A student moving to a higher tuition rate based on their residency will have their residency determination for tuition purposes automatically changed to reflect their new residency status.
   2. A student moving to a lower tuition rate based on their residency will bear the burden of proof of the new residency status. 

 Appeals and Exceptions to Residency Classification for Tuition Purposes 

1. Students who intend to appeal to their residency classification may do so by appealing in writing to the Registrar or their designee. Appeals must be accompanied by appropriate evidence of the student’s actual residence. The appeal must be received before the end of the third week of classes in the fall and spring semesters, and the first week of the summer semester. If the appeal is submitted/received after the deadline,  any approved changes will be made effective for the following semester.
2. Students who are in unstable housing situations may be eligible for adjusted tuition based on residency classification for tuition purposes. Documentation can be submitted by providing a letter from a Safe House, Shelter, or Recovery Center. The letter must come from the site director and state the date the student began residing at the facility and their projected end day, if known. If approved, the tuition rate will only be updated for the applicable semester. These requests need to be made each semester the student is interested in utilizing the unstable housing residency request with the appropriate documentation.