Residency

Texas law classifies each person who applies for admission to a Texas public college or university as:

• A resident of Texas;
• A nonresident; or
• A foreign (international) student.

How you are classified is important because it determines whether you pay non-resident tuition or in-state rates, which are lower. Being a resident of Texas also qualifies you to apply for financial aid awarded by the state.

When you apply for admission, the university uses the information you provide on the ApplyTexas application to determine residency.

Students may qualify for different Residency Tuition Adjustments. Please review the following categories: Establishing Texas Residency, 100 Mile Waiver, New Mexico Waiver, Military Waiver, Undergraduate RA/TA Waiver, Residency Questionnaire, and Residency Affidavit.

Establishing Texas Residency

To be classified as a Texas resident, you must be a Citizen, Permanent Resident, or International Student with an eligible visa. Additional documentation to prove your Texas residency status will be required. If you are a dependent of your parents or spouse, then the documentation needs to demonstrate that your parents/spouse are Texas residents. Therefore, we would need evidence of domicile AND gainful employment in Texas. Below is the list of acceptable documentation:

Proof of domicile in Texas

• Mortgage or property deed, rental or lease agreement for 12 consecutive months prior to the month of submission*, or
• Utility Bills (Gas, Water, Electricity) for 12 consecutive months prior to the month of submission*, or
• Voter registration card showing residence and when the card was issued
  • Note: Living in the University Residence Halls would not be considered as establishing domicile in Texas.

              AND

Proof of Employment

• Employment verification letter from employer on company letterhead. Must include start date, number of hours per week, and if still currently employed, or
• Pay stubs for 12 consecutive months prior to the month of submission*
  • Note: Having a job that is based on you being a student at the University will not be considered for employment, Including but not limited to Student Worker Positions and Internships

 * Example if you submit in August 2023, documents would be from August 2022 to August 2023

Note: If you are a dependent of your parents, we would require the previous year’s Taxes to prove dependency to your parents. If you are dependent on a spouse, we would require Marriage Certificate.

Military Students or Dependents

• Active Duty would require 12 consecutive months prior to the month of submission of Leave and Earning Statements (LES) showing Texas as the State Taxes.
• Veterans would require DD214 showing Texas as Home of Record.

The University of Texas at El Paso uses the Texas Administrative Code as the guide to determine Texas Residency for students. The information listed above is only some of the documents we can receive to establish Texas Residency, but each student will have a unique situation in which other documents may be accepted as stated in the Texas Administrative Code. 

100 Mile Waiver

To apply for the 100 Mile Waiver, the student must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and live within the 100 miles crossing the Mexican border.

• United States Birth Certificate or Permanent Residency Card, and
  • Permanent Residency Card will require a Mexican Birth Certificate
• Current Utility Bill (Gas, Water, Electricity), and
  • Utility Bills must be from the month or month before the start of the term you are applying for.
    • Fall Semester: July or August
    • Spring Semester: December or January
    • Summer Semester: May or June
  • Utility Bill needs to be under the parents’ name.
  • If the Utility Bill is under another family member, additional documentation may be needed.
• Permanent Address with UTEP must match with Utility Bill.

Documents are only accepted before the start of the term when the student is attempting to apply for 100 Mile Waiver.

• Fall Semester – Documents Accepted in July
• Spring Semester – Documents Accepted in December
• Summer Semester – Documents Accepted in May

100 Mile Waiver must be renewed each year to receive the waiver.  

THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTS IS CENSUS DAY EACH SEMESTER.

New Mexico Waiver

To apply for the New Mexico Waiver, the student must be a Resident of New Mexico in the following counties: Dona Ana, Otero, Curry, Quay, Eddy, Roosevelt, Lea, and Union.

• New Mexico Waiver Form, and
• New Mexico ID, and
• Permanent Address with UTEP must match with New Mexico ID

Documents are only accepted before the start of the term when the student is attempting to apply New Mexico Waiver

• Fall Semester – Documents Accepted in July
• Spring Semester – Documents Accepted in December
• Summer Semester – Documents Accepted in May

New Mexico Waiver must be renewed each year to receive the waiver. 

THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTS IS CENSUS DAY EACH SEMESTER.

Military Waiver

To apply for the Military Waiver, students should contact the Military Student Success Center at mssc@utep.edu.

Undergraduate RA/TA Waiver

To apply for the undergraduate RA/TA Waiver, the hiring department must submit the waiver on behalf of the student.

• Undergraduate RA/TA Waiver, and
• Screenshot of PeopleSoft Approved Appointment

Residency Questionnaire

The Residency Questionnaire is only used for students who have made a mistake on their application, such as selecting the wrong state with a Texas address and zip code or skipping required residency questions on the application. A student who puts an address outside of Texas would not be considered a mistake and must provide documentation to change their status to Texas Resident.

Residency Affidavit

If you are NOT a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, you may qualify for residency based on Texas high school graduation and would require to submit a Residency Affidavit. It must be completed, signed, notarized, and submitted in person to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment before your residency status can be updated.

• A Residency Affidavit requires a Notary Public, offered free in our Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS must submit documents to residency@utep.edu or hand deliver them to our Office of Admissions and Recruitment at the Mike Loya Academic Service Building, Room 102. You can also schedule a virtual or in-person appointment to go over Residency by scheduling a Booking using the following link: https://bit.ly/3zbNXHU.

GRADUATE STUDENTS must submit documents to gradschoolresidence@utep.edu or hand deliver them to our Graduate School Office at Mike Loya Academic Service Building, Room 223.