FAQ - Texas Residency
What are the requirements for applying as a Texas Resident ?
The Texas Appropriations Act limits the number of non-Texas residents that may be admitted to Texas public schools. Thus, when considering applicants for admission, Texas public schools are required to make a determination of residence status. TMDSAS makes this determination at the time of application in order to place the applicant in the appropriate applicant pool - resident vs. non-resident.
Tuition is based upon residence status at the time of registration. The residence determination for tuition purposes will be made by each school's Registrar's office.
Residency will be determined by applying the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Rules and Regulations for Determining Residence Status at the time of application. TMDSAS does not presume residency. Residency can change during the application period. All schools are notified at the time a change of residency occurs. It will be up to each school's discretion to determine which pool an applicant will be placed in if eligibility for reclassification occurs after the deadline for filing an application but before matriculation into medical, dental or vet school.
Under Texas state law, an applicant is classified either as a resident of Texas, a nonresident, or a foreign student. Residency for admission and tuition purposes at a public college or university in Texas is different from residency for voting or taxing purposes.
To qualify as a Texas resident, an individual must physically reside in Texas for a consecutive 12-month period AND establish a domicile in Texas for a consecutive 12-month period by the application deadline, October 1. A domicile can be established by: owning property in Texas, owning a business in Texas or being gainfully employed in the state. An applicant who is claimed as a dependent on a parent's most recent federal tax return will be classified based on the parent's qualifications for residency.
If Texas residency is questionable, TMDSAS may request that the applicant provide documentation to support answers to the Core Residency Questions and/or information provided in Section G of the questions. A list of appropriate documents can be found in CHART IV of the rules for determining residency.
Please refer to http://www.utexas.edu/student/admissions/residency for additional information, but keep in mind that TMDSAS applies these rules at the time of application and not at the time of enrollment to determine eligibility for the Texas applicant pool.
The complete Rules and Regulations for determining residency published by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may be found at http://www.collegefortexans.com/residency.