Residency Regulations for Tuition Purposes
1.-General Information
2.-Exemptions
3.-Special Programs
4.-Responsibilities
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DIVERSIFICATION EMPLOYEES
An individual eligible to establish a domicile in Texas, who has come from outside Texas and registered in an educational
institution before having resided in Texas for a 12 month period immediately preceding the date of registration and his
dependents are entitled to pay the tuition fee and other fees required of Texas residents if the individual has located in
Texas as an employee of a business or organization within 5 years of the date that such business or organization became
established in this state as part of the program of state economic development and diversification authorized by the
constitution and laws of this state and if the individual files with the Texas institution of higher education at which he
registers a letter of intent to establish residency in Texas. Eligible are identified by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board.
DISABLED PEACE OFFICERS
Any Texas residents who have resided in Texas for the 12 months immediately preceding registration who were permanently
disabled as a result of injury sustained in performance of duties as a Texas peace officer and who are unable to continue
duties as a peace officer are eligible to have tuition and fees (excluding class and laboratory fees) waived. This waiver
will not exceed 12 semesters in an undergraduate program. For more information, contact the Admissions Off ice.
CHILDREN OF DISABLED TEXAS FIREFIGHTERS AND PEACE OFFICERS
Children under 21 years of age of full paid or volunteer firefighters, full paid municipal, county, state peace officers,
custodians of the Department of Corrections, or game wardens who were disabled in the line of duty may apply for tuition
and required fee waivers. See the Admissions Office for more information.
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VALEDICTORIAN
Students who graduate from their an accredited Texas high school as the highest ranking graduate may have their tuition
exempted during their first two long semesters. For more information, contact the Admissions Office.
EARLY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Students who completed high school (a Texas accredited high school) in not more than 36 consecutive months is eligible for a
tuition waiver up to $1,000. The Admissions Off ice has more information.
AFDC STUDENTS
Students who during their last year of public high school in this state were dependent children receiving financial
assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, for not less than six months are eligible for tuition and fee waivers.
In addition, the student must be younger than 22 years of age on the date of enrollment and must successfully complete the
attendance requirements under Section 21.032. Furthermore, the student must enroll at the institution as an undergraduate
student not later than the first anniversary of the date of graduation from a public high school in the state. The last
requirement is that the student must meet the entrance examination requirements of the institution before the date of
enrollment. Please contact the Admissions Office for additional information.
EDUCATIONAL AIDES
Individuals certified as educational aides who are pursuing teacher certification, who are residents of Texas, and who meet
a number of additional requirements may qualify for tuition waivers and be exempted from fees excluding class and laboratory fees. For a listing of the additional requirements, please contact the
Admissions Office.
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MILITARY PERSONNEL, VETERANS, AND COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
Persons in military service and commissioned Public Health Service Officers are presumed to maintain during their entire
period of active service the same legal residence which was in effect at the time of entering the service. Persons
stationed in a state for military or Public Health Service are presumed not to establish a legal residence in the state
because their presence is not voluntary but under military or Public Health Service orders.
CHANGE OF PERMANENT ADDRESS WHILE IN THE SERVICE. It is possible for members of the military service or Public Health
Service to abandon the domicile of original entry into the service and to select another, but to show establishment of a
new domicile during the term of active service, there must be clear and unequivocal proof of such intent. An extended
period of service alone is not sufficient. The purchase of residential property is not conclusive evidence unless coupled
with other facts indicating an intent to put down roots in the community and to reside there after termination of service
in the military of Public Health Service. Evidence which will be considered in determining this requisite intent includes,
but is not limited to, a substantial investment in a residence and the claiming of a homestead exemption thereon,
registration to vote, and voting in local elections, registration of an automobile in Texas and payment of personal
property taxes thereon, obtaining a Texas driver's license, maintaining checking accounts, savings accounts, and safety
deposit boxed in Texas banks, existence of wills or other legal documents indicating residence in Texas, change of
permanent address with the military or Public Health Service and designation of Texas as the place of legal residence for
income tax purposes on military or Public Health Service personnel records, business transactions or activities not
normally engaged in by military or Public Health Service personnel, and membership in professional or other state
organizations. Purchase of property during terminal years of military or Public Health Service preceding retirement
generally is given greater weight than a similar purchase made prior to such terminal period. Additionally, a terminal
duty assignment in Texas in which an individual has engaged in personal, business and/or professional activities indicative
of their intent to remain in the state will be given more consideration than most other evidence presented.
ELIGIBILITY FOR WAIVER OF NON RESIDENT TUITION. To be entitled to pay resident tuition, military and Public Health Service
personnel shall submit, prior to the time of each enrollment, a statement from their commanding officer or personnel
officer certifying that they are then assigned to duty in Texas and that same will be in effect at the time of such
enrollment in a public institution of higher education.
RESIDENCE CLASSIFICATION UPON SEPARATION FROM MILITARY OR PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE. Persons who enroll in an institution of
higher education following separation from military service must be classified as non resident students unless they were
legal residents of Texas at the time of entry into military service and have not relinquished that residence; they can
prove that during military service they have, in fact, established bona fide, legal residence in Texas at least 12 months
prior to enrollment; or they have resided in Texas other than as students for 12 months prior to enrollment and subsequent
to discharge from service. This provision also applies to commissioned Public Health Service officers and their
dependents. The non resident classification is a presumption, however, that can be overcome pursuant to the guidelines and
standards for establishing Texas residence (see Residence of a Dependent 18 years of Age or Older.
STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ROTC PROGRAMS. A non resident student who is a member of an ROTC unit will be required to pay
non resident tuition rates until such time as the student has signed a contract which cannot be terminated by the student
and %Which obligates the student to serve a period of active military duty.
NATO FORCES STATIONED IN TEXAS. Nonresident aliens stationed in Texas in accordance with the agreement between the parties
to the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) regarding the status of their forces (4 U.S.T. 1792) and the spouses and dependents or children are eligible
to pay the same rate as Texas residents.
OTHER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES. The privilege of paying resident tuition rates described in this section is restricted to persons
in the military service and commissioned officers of the Public Health Service and is not extended to other federal
employees or civilian employees of the military.
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TEACHERS, PROFESSORS, AND THEIR DEPENDENTS
Teachers and professors employed at least half time on a regular monthly salary basis (not as hourly employees) by any
Texas public institution of higher education, may pay the same tuition as a resident of Texas for themselves, their
spouses, and their dependent children, regardless of the length of residence in the state if the effective date of
employment is on or prior to the official census date of the relevant term(s). To be entitled to pay the resident tuition,
such employees must submit to the Admissions Office, prior to the time of each enrollment, a statement certifying
employment from the director of human resources of the institution of higher education by which he or she is employed. This
provision applies to eligible teachers and professors and their dependents no matter which Texas public institution of
higher education they may attend.
TEACHING OR RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
Teaching or research assistants employed at least half time for an academic year by any public institution of higher
education in a degree program related position, with an effective date of employment on or before the official census date
of the relevant term(s), may apply to pay the same tuition while attending the employing institution as a resident of Texas
for themselves, their spouses, and their dependent children, regardless of the length of residence in the state. The
institution which employs the students shall determine whether or not the students' jobs relate to their degree programs.
This provision applies to eligible teaching and research assistants and their dependents no matter which Texas public
institution of higher education they may attend. Eligible students must submit to the Admissions Office, prior to the time
of each enrollment, a verification form from the employing department certifying such employment.
SCHOLARSHIP/STIPEND RECIPIENTS
To qualify for exemption from paying non resident tuition, a student must be awarded a competitive scholarship/stipend in
the amount of $1,000 or more for the academic year, the summer session or both by an official UTEP scholarship committee.
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