Hi, my name is Myrick and welcome to Florida State University Office of Admissions. Today we're going to talk about the residency declaration. We'll cover determining whether you are an independent or dependent who qualifies as a Florida resident for tuition purposes and all the required documentation you can provide. And lastly, we will go over how to fill out the residency declaration. Let's get started.

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Once you've submitted your application to the university, you will be able to declare whether you are an in-state or out of state student or if you qualify for in-state tuition by exception. No matter which residency status you are claiming, it is important to provide the proper documentation to ensure that you are charged the correct tuition rate. All students are initially classified as out of state residents for tuition purposes until they complete the residency declaration and it is reviewed by our staff. If you are not eligible to receive instate tuition at this time, then no further action will be required from you. I will also like to know that your residency status won't affect your admissions decision. It is only used to determine your tuition rate. 

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One of the key parts of the residency declaration process is figuring out whether you're considered an independent or dependent student. That helps determine whose documents you'll need to submit and who needs to sign the form. If you are under the age of 24, you're likely a dependent student. This means your parent or legal guardian is the claimant and their documents will be used to support the residency claim. If you're 24 or older or can show your independent through these things like a marriage license, having dependence, or showing financial independence, you'll be considered an independent student. As the claimant, you'll be providing your own documents to support your residency claim.

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Next, we'll talk about who qualifies as a Florida resident for tuition purposes. A Florida resident for tuition purposes is a student or their parent or legal guardian who has established and maintained legal residence in Florida for at least 12 months prior to the start of the term they are applying for. Their residents in Florida must be established as a bonafide domicile, meaning they live in Florida, not just to attend a college or university. They must be a US citizen, permanent resident, or have a legal status that allows indefinite stay in the US as granted by the Department of Homeland Security. Others who meet the 12-month requirement may qualify only if they fall into special categories authorized by the Florida Legislature and the Florida Board of Education. For a full list of exceptions, please visit admissions.fsu.edu/residency. Some of the most common exceptions are students with Florida prepaid, active duty military members stationed in Florida, and full-time State of Florida employees.

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Once you've determined whether you are independent or dependent and you've established you qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, it is time to provide the appropriate documentation to our office. You need to submit two documents that demonstrate Florida residency for at least 12 months prior to the start of the term you apply for. At least one, if not both, of your two documents must be from the following list: a Florida voter's registration card, a Florida driver's license, a state of Florida identification card, a Florida vehicle registration, proof of permanent home in Florida which is occupied as a primary residence by the individual or by the individual's parent if the individual is a dependent child. Transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple years if the Florida high school diploma or equivalent diploma was earned within the last 12 months. Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least 30 hours per week for a consecutive 12-month period. Proof of homestead exemption in Florida, which is deemed a single conclusive piece of evidence proving residency. 

A quick note about the homestead exemption. If you submit proof of homestead exemption, that is the only document you need to submit. If you only have one document from the first list, you can submit one of the following documents to support your residency claim. A declaration of a domicile in Florida, a Florida professional or occupational license, Florida incorporation, a document evidence in family ties in Florida, proof of membership in a Florida based charitable or professional organization, any other documentation that supports the students request for residency status. This includes, but is not limited to, utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments, a lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments, or an official state, federal, or court document evidencing legal ties to Florida. Now that you've established your independent or dependent status, determined your status as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, and you have gathered the required documentation, now it's time to fill out the form. 

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We're going to show you how to access the form through your admissions portal, but you can also access it on our website, admissions.fsu.edu/residency. First, log in your admissions portal. Scroll down to the application checklist. Click on residency declaration. This opens the form titled Florida residency for tuition purposes. Read the statement at the top. Then select whether you do qualify or do not qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes. If you, the student, select that you do qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, then you will select whether you qualify as a dependent, independent, or if you qualify by exception. The next section we will determine who the claimant is. The claimant is the person who is claiming Florida residency for tuition purposes. If you are dependent, then your parent or guardian is the claimant and you will select that person's relationship to you, the student. If you are independent, then you will choose self. Then the claimant will provide their personal information. Next, you will enter the domicile date. This is the date you begin living in Florida with the intention of making it your permanent home. If you're not sure of the exact date, try to estimate based on when you got a Florida ID, signed a lease, or started a job in the state. 

Lastly, the claimant will then provide two approved official documents as discussed earlier in this video. Next, the claimant should type their legal name in place of their signature and click submit. If you need to come back and finish later, you can click save for later. After submitting the residency declaration, our staff will review it and your residency status will be updated on your admissions portal. And that's it. Great job completing the residency declaration. If you have any questions or would like to provide additional documentation, please contact our residency team at residency at fsu.edu or call us at (850) 644-6200. Good luck and go Noles.