In general, Arizona domicile occurs when a financially-independent person has been physically present in Arizona for at least 1 year with the clear and convincing intention of making Arizona their permanent home BEYOND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF BEING A STUDENT.
- Each student is responsible for obtaining tuition classification prior to registration and fee payment. The student must complete the Statement of Residency Classification (SORC) found in their Next Steps.
- If you feel you are misclassified by the SORC, you can complete a paper Domicile Affidavit form and submit it to the Residency Classification Office for further review. You will be notified of the decision by email to your official UA email account.
- A student who believes that they were incorrectly classified as a non-resident by a Residency Classification Officer based on the Domicile Affidavit and supporting documents may request an appeal with the Residency Review Committee no later than 35 days from the last day of regular registration. The review form must be in our office no later than 5 p.m. on the deadline date. The review form must be completed and submitted with a signed statement explaining reasons why the individual is challenging the classification determination and setting forth all the facts in support of the individual's claim that the classification determination is erroneous. Failure to file a request for review within the time prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to request a review.
- A continuing student desiring a consideration of a change in residency classification must complete the Petition to Change Residency form, including all requested supporting documentation necessary to provide a basis for resident classification prior to the posted deadline for each semester listed on the Residency Forms page.
- Reviewing a Decision: A student who believes that they were incorrectly classified based on a petition to change residency may request a review with the Residency Review Committee no later than 35 days from the last day of regular registration. The review form must be in our office no later than 5 p.m. on the deadline date. The review form must be completed and submitted with a signed statement explaining reasons why the individual is challenging the classification determination and setting forth all the facts in support of the individual's claim that the classification determination is erroneous. Failure to file a request for review within the time prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to request a review. Upon review, the Residency Review Committee is responsible for rendering a decision in accordance with Arizona State Statutes and Board of Regents Policies. The student may be represented at the hearing by an advisor at the student's expense.
- Written notice of the final decision of the Residency Review Committee shall be sent to the student at their current address filed with the university. If the student is found to have been incorrectly classified as a non-resident, the university will refund the tuition collected as a non-resident. If the Residency Review Committee determines that the student remain as a non-resident, the notice will advise the student that no further university procedures are available and the time to take any legal action may be short.
Please note that the Arizona Board of Regents Policy states:
- That the domicile of a minor is that of the minor’s mother, father, or legal guardian provided there is no evidence indicating that the guardianship was created primarily for the purpose of conferring the classification of resident on the individual.
- That all evidence presented in support of in-state residency be weighted under the presumption that a non-resident student’s presence in Arizona is primarily for the purpose of education and not to establish domicile. Decisions regarding residency are to presume that no emancipated person has established a domicile in this state while attending any educational institution in Arizona as a full-time student in the absence of objective evidence to the contrary.
For more detailed information, please refer to the Arizona Board of Regents Policy Manual - Residency Classification.