1. A financially independent student who has had a domicile in the State of Washington for the period of one year immediately prior to the time of commencement of the first day of the quarter for which he/she has registered and has in fact established a bona fide domicile in this state primarily for purposes other than educational, or
   
2. A financially dependent student, if one or both of his or her parents or legal guardians have maintained a bona fide domicile in the State of Washington for at least one year immediately prior to commencement of the quarter for which the student has registered.
   
3. A student who is on active military duty and stationed in Washington or the spouse or a dependent of a person who is on active military duty stationed in the state. Such a student is classified as a resident for tuition purposes only and is not eligible for other benefits provided to residents.
   
4. A student who is a member of one of 33 Native American tribes in Idaho, Montana, Oregon or Washington. Such a student is classified as a resident for tuition purposes only and is not eligible for other benefits provided to residents.
   
5. A student who is an undocumented non-citizen who has resided in the state at least three years prior to high school graduation, who has continued to reside in the state, and who signs an affidavit (available here in PDF format, which requires Acrobat Reader®) promising to apply for permanent resident status as soon as legally able to do so.

A non-resident student is defined as an individual who:

• Is independent and has not established a domicile in Washington primarily for purposes other than education at least 12 months prior to application; or
• Is a dependent whose parent or legal guardian has not been a legal resident of Washington for at least a year prior to application.

In determining independence, factors considered include the preceding year's income tax returns of the student and/or his or her parents or legal guardian. An applicant must prove independence and self-support by demonstrating sufficient income in the year prior to quarter of application in order to be classified as a resident. Not being claimed by parents for tax purposes, by itself, does not demonstrate independence and self-support*. The length of time the student has lived independently from parents also is an important factor.

A non-resident student enrolled for more than six hours per quarter is considered as having come to the state primarily for education purposes unless s/he can prove establishment of domicile in this state for purposes other than educational.
The term "domicile" is a person's true, fixed, and permanent home and place of habitation. It is the place where one intends to remain. The burden of proof that a student, parent, or guardian has established a domicile in Washington primarily for purposes other than educational rests with the student.

Factors considered in determining residency:
Becoming a legal resident of Washington requires more than simply residing in the state for 12 months. First, one must be a U.S. citizen or have permanent resident (resident-alien) status. Second, a student with non-resident parents must prove independence from his or her parents. Third, one must declare an intention to become a legal resident of the state by obtaining a document such as a Washington driver's license or vehicle registration. The "12-month clock" begins to tick on the date that such documents are obtained, and the principal factor in establishing residency is physical presence in the State for a full year. Fourth, one must prove that he or she did not come to the state primarily for education purposes (enrolling in more than six credits).

Factors regarded in determining residency are:

• Physical presence in the state for the 12-month period preceding quarter of application.
• Obtaining a Washington driver's license, vehicle registration, and voter registration at least one year prior to application. Note: Registering to vote, by itself, cannot be regarded as a declaration of one's intent to become a resident if other documents, such as driver's license and vehicle registration are not also obtained at the same time. If you drive a vehicle, you must obtain a Washington driver's license and Washington vehicle registration one year prior to application for residency status. If you do not drive and do not have a driver's license, you should obtain a Washington Identification Card one year prior to application.
• Employment on a permanent, full-time basis in Washington at least one year.
• In the case of a person applying as an independent student, demonstration of sufficient income to prove a claim of independence.*
• Registration with the Selective Service in Washington a full year prior to application.
• Purchase of a residence in Washington a full year prior to application.
• Note: Enrolling in more than six credits may disqualify you.

Exceptions:

• Active-duty military stationed in Washington or the spouse or dependent on active-duty military stationed in Washington State can be classified as a resident (for tuition purposes only) by submitting each quarter proof of military assignment in the state.
• Native American students of certain tribal affiliations who are residents of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington can be classified as residents (for tuition purposes only) by submitting qualifying documents.
• Participants in the International Student Exchange Program and National Student Exchange Program who attend Western Washington University will not be charged non-resident tuition.

A student cannot qualify for resident status if s/he (or parent, in the case of a dependent student):

• Possesses a current out-of-state driver's license, or vehicle registration, or other document that gives evidence of being domiciled in another state;
• Has received, during the past year, financial assistance from another state government; including reciprocity award.
• Has been attending, during the past year, a Washington college or university as a participant in the National Student Exchange program from another state.
• Has attended, as a resident, at a state-supported college in another state within the past year.
• Has received financial assistance from another state government in the past year. This includes Alaska Permanent Fund and reciprocity awards.

Exemptions:
Some nonresident students may qualify, on a quarterly basis, for an exemption from all or a portion of nonresident fees. Those who may be eligible include:

• Students who have a graduate service appointment involving not less than 20 hours per week.
• Students employed by an academic department in support of instructional or research programs involving not less than 20 hours per week.
• An immigrant having refugee status with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, if such refugee (a) is on parole status, or (b) has received an immigrant visa, or (c ) has applied for US citizenship.

Exemptions may be applied for by submitting proof of status, as indicated above, to the Registrar's Office.

Further information regarding residency classification and statutory exemptions from the requirement to pay nonresident fees may be obtained from the Registrar's Office. To apply for a change in your residency classification, obtain a "Residence Questionnaire" from the Registrar's Office, OM230, (360) 650-3430. Submit the completed questionnaire with the required documentation to the Office of the Registrar. The questionnaire must be submitted by the first week of the quarter for which a residency reclassification is requested. In the absence of a completed questionnaire and supporting documentation, an individual's residency classification will remain unchanged.

Washington residency law is codified in RCW 28.15 and further explained in WAC 250.18.

*Trust funds, savings accounts and investment portfolios that are set up for education purposes must be in the sole control of the student for one year prior to application if the student uses such funds as a demonstration of all or a significant portion of support.

Residency FAQ
Following are some frequently asked questions regarding residency in Washington.

If I move to Washington in August and start school in September, will I qualify for residency a year later?
No. If you move to Washington for education purposes and you continue in school, you cannot even later be reclassified as a resident.

Yes, but how about if I move to Washington with my parents?  How soon would I qualify?
If you are a dependent student (your parents claim you for tax purposes) and they moved here in August a year ago (presumably for non-education purposes), then you should be eligible for residency for the coming Fall Quarter.

If I moved here for education purposes but now have decided to become a permanent resident of Washington, how can I possibly gain residency?
The only way that can be done is to stop out of school for a full year. During that year, assuming you have been a dependent of non-resident parents, you must become independent and self-supporting (presumably by becoming gainfully employed), declare your intention to become a Washington resident by severing ties with the former state and obtaining Washington documents (driver's license, vehicle registration, etc.), and in other ways prove that even though you came initially for education, your purposes have changed. (During that year, you may take up to six credits a term without jeopardizing your chances of qualifying for residency).

How long does it take to become a resident for tuition purposes in Washington?
That depends on your status at the time you move to Washington. If you come to Washington primarily for the purpose of education and you are in the process of becoming independent from non-resident parents, you may never be eligible for residency. On the other hand, if you are a dependent student and you move here with your family for work purposes, you should be eligible a year after your arrival. If you are independent and self-supporting when you move to the state for non-education reasons, and you do not start school for a longer period of time after arrival, you may be eligible for residency one year after arrival.

What is required to become domiciled in Washington?
Ordinarily, you become domiciled in Washington by severing ties with your previous state and obtaining documents (driver's license, vehicle registration, voter registration, etc.) that attach you to Washington. A year after you have done that, you might be eligible for residency, assuming you also can prove that you came to the state for reasons other than education, that you have not been enrolled in school for more than six credits (per term) during the period, and that you are independent and self supporting.

How do I prove that I'm independent?
You can prove independence by demonstrating that during the past year you were not claimed as a dependent for taxes by your parents or guardians or any other person and that you had sufficient income on your own to provide for your support.

Can I attend school part-time while gaining the domicile in Washington?
As long as you can prove that you came to Washington for non-education purposes, you can take as many as six credits per quarter during the year you are becoming a resident. 

What are some non-education purposes?
People move to Washington for a variety of reasons: employment, retirement, improved living situations, etc.  If you move to Washington September 15 and start school here on September 20, there is a presumption that you came for education purposes. 

Now that I'm in Washington and attending college, can I ever be reclassified as a resident?
Assuming you are independent or in the process of becoming independent, the only way you could gain residency in this situation is to interrupt your enrollment and remain out of school a full year.  At the beginning of that year you must declare your intention to become a resident by obtaining Washington documents (driver's license, vehicle registration, etc.).  At the end of the year, you should be able to prove that you made the declaration of intent a year before and that you have been independent and self-supporting.

I moved to Washington last September, but every summer I work for the Forest Service in Montana. Will that hinder my chances of gaining residency?
It may. Considering the fact that the first principle of gaining residency is 12 consecutive months of physical presence in Washington, you risk the chance of fulfilling that minimum requirement if you leave for the summer. That is particularly true if you are going back to you home state, and even more true if you are living with your parents in your home state for the summer.

My husband is in the Navy and has been stationed in Washington. Can I be classified as a resident?
Military persons who are permanently stationed in Washington and their dependents can be classified as residents (for tuition purposes only) by submitting a letter from the commanding officer verifying the Washington station. Members of the Washington National Guard also are eligible for resident status. This resident status is not permanent and will be revoked when the military person is reassigned out of state.

I have lived in Alaska with my mother but my father is a Washington resident.  Can I be classified as a Washington resident?
If you are a dependent student and you have a parent who is a Washington resident (i.e., has lived in Washington at least one full year), you can be classified as a resident.  You need not be claimed for tax purposes by the resident parent. It will be necessary to submit the Residence Questionnaire with documentation.

Can I live in a university residence hall while I'm becoming domiciled in Washington?
If you live in a residence hall on campus, there is a presumption that you have come to the state for education purposes. To gain residency, you must prove that you have come to the state for other reasons. Therefore, it is not likely that you can become a resident while living on campus.

Do I have to get a driver's license to gain residency?
If you do not drive, you can't be required to get a driver's license. Assuming you have other evidence of having declared your intention to become a resident (such as voter registration), you should at least have a Washington ID card, however. Since it is possible to obtain the ID card without surrendering a driver's license from another state, you must provide evidence that you do not have a license from another state.

I was a long-time resident of Washington but then I left to take a job in another state. Now I want to return home. Can I be classified as a resident?
That depends on a number of factors. Assuming you are an independent student, if you moved to another state and became gainfully employed and changed your documents, then you most likely will have to go through the domiciling process described above. If you started a job in another state but changed your mind after a couple weeks there and then returned to Washington, you should be able to prove that you never established the domicile in the other state. 

I went to college out of state. Now that I have returned to Washington, am I still a resident?
Assuming you left the state only for education purposes, and you did not change your documents while there, you most likely can still be classified as a resident here. Furthermore, if you are dependent on your Washington parents, you certainly are still eligible for residency.

I moved from Washington to Japan with my parents ten years ago. Can I attend college in Washington as a resident?
Assuming you are still a dependent of your parents and they have maintained their ties with Washington (they may still have a Washington driver's license, voter registration, etc.), then you probably will be eligible for residency.

If I marry a Washington resident do I get classified as a resident immediately?
No. You must go through the 12-month process of gaining residency. A year after moving here and changing your documents, you should be eligible, assuming you can thus prove that you came to Washington for reasons other than education.

I moved to the United States and to Washington from another country a year ago.  I just applied for permanent resident status (green card). Am I eligible for residency?
No, you won't be eligible for reclassification until you have been granted permanent resident status. Once you have been approved for permanent resident status, the effective term of residency is one year after the date of application for permanent resident status (green card).

Where can I get other residency questions answered?
Contact the Registrar's Office, Old Main 230, 360-650-3430 or email Registrar.Office@wwu.edu.

Residence Questionnaire
If you have read the instructions above and believe you qualify for residency, please complete the Residence Questionnaire (available here in PDF format, which requires Acrobat Reader®). Provide all necessary documentation and signatures, and submit to the Registrar's Office. You may mail it (Registrar's Office, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225-9008), fax it (360.650.7327), or deliver it in person to Old Main 230.  Deadline is the first week of the quarter of application.