Establishing FL residency for in-state tuition

[Praying Colonel]

Hi all,

I searched back a few pages but couldn't find anything on this subject. DD19 will be applying for the CP. Her goal is to do CP, then remain in FL either doing something with Disney or working for a company or agency that has tuition reimbursement, then completing her degree in Florida.

Has anyone established in-state residency for tuition purposes, and do you have any tips on what the colleges looked at to make that determination? I reviewed this information and it provides some tips, but I was hoping for some personal experiences from folks here who have done this. Thanks!

 

[i3reakMeAgain]

It's a pain, but they're super strict. When I went to apply to change my residency status for tuition purposes I had a FL license and a FL registration for my vehicle, and had to provide a copy of my most recent tax return and my parents tax return as well showing that I was not claimed as a dependent.

I was given crap because I changed my license over maybe two weeks after I started my program but I bought a car in FL about 8 months after I got there, so while I had my license for 12 months, I only had my car for about 4. Luckily I had registered to vote at the same time I got my license (they give you the option to do so while you're doing the paperwork at DMV) and that was acceptable.

From my experience, they are VERY nit-picky about the process. However, I ended up coming back home anyway a couple months after my program ended =(

 

[i3reakMeAgain]

OH! And I don't know if they count CP housing as "permanent housing" I think it may be considered more like a dorm..? I don't know. Either way, I have quite a bit of family in FL, so when I first got there I told them what I was planning to do, and they were more than happy to let me use their address as my new permanent address.

 

[Traveliz]

Hi all,

I searched back a few pages but couldn't find anything on this subject. DD19 will be applying for the CP. Her goal is to do CP, then remain in FL either doing something with Disney or working for a company or agency that has tuition reimbursement, then completing her degree in Florida.

Has anyone established in-state residency for tuition purposes, and do you have any tips on what the colleges looked at to make that determination? I reviewed this information and it provides some tips, but I was hoping for some personal experiences from folks here who have done this. Thanks!

Ok I can help you with this - my daughter did the CP for both a fall and spring semester and then came home for the summer and applied to UCF to the College of Hospitality. I did alot of research on this.

I ended up speaking directly with the Registrar at the Orientation at UCF. For that school in particular (and I believe these guidelines might apply for all the state schools) there are 14 points that have to be met to establish residency.

The number one was to have a license and car registration for one year...they were clear to do that first because the one year mark for that had to pass before you could register for classes as a resident. But looking further the requirements were such that it would be impossible (for us) even though my daughter continued to work at Disney and plans to stay in FL. Some of the requirements include being in FL primarily for work, not living in campus housing period, showing that you do support yourself through your tax forms and your parents...seriously I don't think we could even send her a birthday card...well maybe not seriously but it was so stringent that it didn't make sense. She would lose time establishing residency and even then it would not be guaranteed so she is at UCF as an out of state student.

When we figured in the cost of not being on dad's insurance and all that it just didn't make it worth it. If you want to talk further about it to me - please feel free to PM.

In your daughter's case it might work - if she is staying in FL after the CP, working full time and not going to school or depending on you she might be able to after a few years.

Liz

 

[i3reakMeAgain]

Liz - I had forgotten about a lot of those little things. By the time I was in FL though, I had already been 'on my own' for two years. All my expenses (car, insurance, cell phone, everything) were in my own name for a couple years, I had already had my own apartment, and my parents haven't claimed me as a dependent on their taxes since I was 18. The only thing they 'provide' is my health insurance, which I'm still eligible for because I'm a full time student.

Now, I don't want this to come across as my parents not caring or anything - I've just always been a very independent person and I get this amazing satisfaction for paying all my own bills and having money left over every month. I hate nothing more than asking them for money if it gets tight because I know that's an error on my part.

And my in-state tuition here is the same the my out-of-state tuition would have been in FL so that may be something to look into as well. Maybe she could do a semester at Valencia Community College while "obtaining her residency" as to not fall too far behind/knock out those pesky general education credits. Valencia-West is about 2 mi. from Universal and therefore maybe 20 minutes on a bad day from 535.

 

[Traveliz]

Liz - I had forgotten about a lot of those little things. By the time I was in FL though, I had already been 'on my own' for two years. All my expenses (car, insurance, cell phone, everything) were in my own name for a couple years, I had already had my own apartment, and my parents haven't claimed me as a dependent on their taxes since I was 18. The only thing they 'provide' is my health insurance, which I'm still eligible for because I'm a full time student.

Now, I don't want this to come across as my parents not caring or anything - I've just always been a very independent person and I get this amazing satisfaction for paying all my own bills and having money left over every month. I hate nothing more than asking them for money if it gets tight because I know that's an error on my part.

And my in-state tuition here is the same the my out-of-state tuition would have been in FL so that may be something to look into as well. Maybe she could do a semester at Valencia Community College while "obtaining her residency" as to not fall too far behind/knock out those pesky general education credits. Valencia-West is about 2 mi. from Universal and therefore maybe 20 minutes on a bad day from 535.

No I get it - I just wanted to paint a thorough picture of what we have just recently gone through.

And we also found that in state tuition where we are now is just a bit less than what the out of state tuition in FL would be so again that factored into the decision not to wait.

For those in FL I really do think the in state tuition is a pretty good deal.

Liz

 

[AndyCP]

I also am having a HARD time with the process. I stupidly waited a few months to get my drivers license changed and that killed me. (I changed it the first week of Sept after moving down in Jan) and since classes start at the end of August for the fall this year they said no it has to be a year despite the fact I filed Florida taxes, held a full time job in Florida for 1.5 years, had an apartment lease in my name since Jan 2008, etc.

It is a big silly process since I'm paying taxes and all yet I can't get in-state tuition in my old state nor in Florida so I feel like I'm being screwed over. Maybe I just haven't been talking to the right people but its frustrating. I like to joke school wise they consider me a nomad.

 

[Traveliz]

I also am having a HARD time with the process. I stupidly waited a few months to get my drivers license changed and that killed me. (I changed it the first week of Sept after moving down in Jan) and since classes start at the end of August for the fall this year they said no it has to be a year despite the fact I filed Florida taxes, held a full time job in Florida for 1.5 years, had an apartment lease in my name since Jan 2008, etc.

It is a big silly process since I'm paying taxes and all yet I can't get in-state tuition in my old state nor in Florida so I feel like I'm being screwed over. Maybe I just haven't been talking to the right people but its frustrating. I like to joke school wise they consider me a nomad.

Good luck - I know in all the paperwork I waded through they really pushed the you had to have the ID for one year prior to the start of classes. Sounds like you have the other ducks in a row though.

Liz