In this section
These pages cover how the Ĺ reviews applications, self-reported transcripts, departmental deadlines, residency, and legal data.
Residency Overview
The UO carefully reviews the residency status of all students to determine who qualifies to pay in-state vs. out-of-state tuition. Though Oregon residents typically qualify to pay in-state tuition, only authorized residency officers may interpret and apply the rules and procedures under the Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) to determine if a student may pay tuition at an in-state rate.
No indication or determination of residency by any other institutional office, department, program, or staff represents the official institutional determination of residency for the Ĺ. Oregon residence is not automatic.
Here are the key considerations in determining whether a student qualifies as an Oregon resident for tuition purposes:
- Student has lived in a residence in Oregon for at least 12 months prior to the beginning of the term in which student plans to start school or to make a residency case.
- Student is financially dependent on an Oregon resident or has financial independence.
- Student’s primary purpose for being in Oregon is something other than to obtain an education.
- The nature and sources of student’s financial resources are clear.
- Student can show various indicators of residency (e.g., ownership of a primary residence, permanent employment, or payment of income taxes—all in Oregon).
Schedule a Call or Zoom Meeting
If you have additional questions, you can schedule a phone call or Zoom meeting with Ĺ Assistant Director for Residency Richard Cleare.
Schedule a Call Email Richard CleareSubmit Residency Documents
If you would like to submit a or mail them to:
Office of Admissions
1217 Ĺ
Eugene, OR 97403-1217
ATTN: Residency
The Residence Information Affidavit does not need to be notarized. We have waived that requirement, but we have yet to remove those instructions from the affidavit form.
Residency Rules
The Ĺ reviews each application for admission to determine if the applicant will qualify at an in-state tuition rate or a non-resident tuition rate. These rules for residency classification have been adopted and agreed upon by the following schools in the state of Oregon: Eastern Oregon University, Oregon State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Portland State University, Southern Oregon University, Western Oregon University, and the Ĺ.
Read Appendix 1 for a listing of the residency rules, and the guide for a summary of how these rules are considered. If you wish to make a case that you qualify as a resident, complete the Residence Information Affidavit. The questions answered on this form will help the Residency Classification Officer determine if you meet the residency requirements as a financially dependent or a financially independent person.
If an applicant has parents living in two separate states, we may request they fill out a specialized residence affidavit, which is a Parent, Custodian, or Benefactor Affidavit.
Find residency classification rules for specific populations in .
Residence Classification for Members of Oregon Tribes
Students who are enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe of Oregon or a Native American tribe that had traditional and customary tribal boundaries in parts of the state of Oregon or that ceded or reserved lands within the state of Oregon, shall be considered a resident for tuition purposes regardless of your state of residence. A student seeking to qualify for resident (in-state) tuition under the provisions of this rule must submit a copy of tribal enrollment document(s) showing tribal membership to the Office of Admissions.
Please visit the Oregon secretary of state website for more information including a list of federally recognized tribes this rule applies to: .
Members of the following tribes are eligible for in-state tuition and the ) provides that undocumented students who meet certain criteria are exempt from nonresident tuition and fees—in other words, they would pay the same rates as Oregon residents.
Tuition Equity Questions and Answers
Eligible students who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States
Eligible students who are financially dependent upon a person who is not a citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States
To be eligible, students must:
have studied in the United States for the five years prior to graduating from high school (or receiving equivalent certification);
have attended an Oregon high school for at least three years immediately preceding graduation or equivalent;
have graduated from an Oregon high school (or received an equivalent certification); and
show an intention to become a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident.
If you think you might meet the requirements above, submit the , find the admissions counselor for your area, or call us at 800-BE-A-DUCK or 541-346-3201.
To speak to someone in Spanish, call:
Luis Renteria, 541-346-1176
Jennifer Corona, 541-346-1630
Residency FAQs
When you apply for admission, you must answer a series of questions to help us determine if you qualify as a resident for tuition purposes. Please be sure that your answers are as clear and complete as possible, so that we can classify your residency status correctly.
When you submit your admissions application, you will receive a letter confirming that it has arrived in the Office of Admissions. This letter will specify your residency classification. Direct any questions you might have about the classification to Richard Cleare.
The first step in making a case for residency is to apply for admission. The Office of Admissions will make an initial residency assessment. If you disagree with this assessment, you may complete a requirements. To document this, you must complete a .
According to the definition in the for clarification.
Establishment of a domicile and predominant physical presence in Oregon for a period of 12 months or more prior to the beginning of the term for which you are seeking residency
Financial dependence on an Oregon resident or financial independence
Primary purpose for being in Oregon other than to obtain an education
Nature and source of financial resources
Various other indicators of residency (e.g., ownership of Oregon living quarters, permanent Oregon employment, payment of Oregon income taxes)
A domicile is your true, fixed, and permanent home and place of habitation. It is the place where you intend to remain and expect to return when you leave without intending to establish a domicile elsewhere.
If you are financially dependent on the Oregon parent, and the Oregon parent has established residency, then you would be considered a resident. You are considered to be dependent if you have been claimed as an exemption on a parent’s state and federal tax forms. Students in these circumstances are often required to complete additional documentation verifying the financial support that each parent has provided.
No, the Ĺ does not participate in any such agreements.
No, if you live out of state, you would be considered a nonresident.
If you own property but do not maintain a predominant physical presence in Oregon, you will be considered a nonresident.
Marriage to an Oregon resident does not grant you immediate residency. Individuals in this situation would usually be considered independent and need to meet residency qualifications pertaining to an independent person.
Active members of the armed forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Military Reservists, and the Oregon National Guard) and their spouses and dependent children shall be considered residents if particular conditions are met. OAR 580-010-0035 governs this criteria. Also, see Section E: Residence Classification of Armed Forces Personnel in , Section B, members of the armed services and their spouses and dependent children who reside in this state while assigned to duty at any base, station, shore establishment, or other facility in this state, or while serving as members of the crew of a ship that has an Oregon port of shore establishment as its home port or permanent station, shall be considered residents for purposes of the instruction fee if the members:
Reside in this state while assigned to duty at any base, station, shore establishment, or other facility in this state;
Reside in this state while serving as a member of the crew of a ship that has an Oregon port of shore establishment as its home port or permanent station; or
Reside in another state or a foreign country and file Oregon income taxes no later than 12 months before leaving active duty.
An Oregon resident entering the armed services retains Oregon residence classification until it is voluntarily relinquished.
An Oregon resident entering the armed services and assigned on duty outside of Oregon must return to Oregon within 60 days after completing service to retain classification as an Oregon resident.
A person who continues to reside in Oregon after separation from the armed services may count the time spent in the state while in the armed services to support a claim for classification as an Oregon resident.
The dependent child and spouse of a person who is a resident under Section (2) of this rule shall be considered an Oregon resident. “Dependent child” includes any child of a member of the armed forces who:
Is under 18 years of age and not married, otherwise emancipated, or self-supporting or
Is under 24 years of age, unmarried, enrolled in a full-time course of study in an institution of higher learning, and dependent on the member for more than one-half of his/her support.
If you are not a citizen of the United States, you may be considered an Oregon resident if you meet the basic rules for residency and are one of the following:
A lawful permanent resident. The date of approval of lawful permanent residency shall be the earliest date upon which the 12-month residency requirements under OAR 580-010-0030 may begin to accrue.
An immigrant granted refugee or political asylum in the United States. The date of approval of political asylum or refugee status shall be the earliest date upon which the 12-month residency requirements under OAR 580-010-0030 may begin to accrue. See Section G: Residence Classification of Non-Citizens in .
You will be classified as an Oregon resident only if you meet the Ĺ’s requirements for residency. Previous residency classifications by community colleges or other institutions will not be carried forward to your UO record.
No. If you take more than eight credits per term in those first 12 months, the state will presume that your primary reason for living in the state is for educational purposes, and you will continue to be classified as a nonresident.
Individuals who are financially independent may take up to eight credits per term without jeopardizing their pursuit of residency classification. To qualify as an Oregon resident (for tuition purposes), one must live in Oregon for 12 consecutive months while taking eight credits or fewer per term while demonstrating that they are in the state for a primary purpose other than education (such as working, volunteering, or other purposes). The UO Non-Degree Seeking program limits non-admitted individuals who wish to attend UO courses the opportunity to take up to eight credits per term during the academic year at a reduced tuition rate. Explore the