Quick Guide to Reclassification of Residency
Do you qualify for reclassification as an Arkansas resident for tuition and fee purposes? The following guide will help you determine if you meet the criteria.
Good Faith Acts
Good faith acts must be established six (6) months prior to the beginning of the term requested for reclassification. The following is a list of acceptable Arkansas state-issued documents for use as good faith acts:
- Arkansas driver's license
- Arkansas state-issued ID card
- Arkansas vehicle registration
- Arkansas voter's registration
- Arkansas state tax return
- Assessment of real property (e.g. real estate)
- Assessment of personal property (e.g. vehicle, boat, etc.)
- Establishment of bank account(s) (e.g. letter from bank stating the date the account was opened and current activity)
Unmarried Student under Age 24
Student must show financial independence and provide:
- A copy of the parents' federal tax return showing student was not claimed as a dependent on parents' return for previous year
- Three (3) good faith acts
- A copy of the student's federal tax return for the previous year
- Evidence of current financial support
and
Student must have evidence of physically residing in the state of Arkansas for at least six (6) consecutive months prior to the term requested for reclassification and provide either:
- A housing agreement (deed, lease, etc.),
- Evidence of continuous on-campus enrollment at the university, OR
- A letter from an employer verifying work in-state
Married Student
Student must provide:
- Marriage License/Certificate
- Three (3) good faith acts from student (or spouse if they have maintained residency for the past six [6] consecutive months, but student is new to the state)
and
Student or spouse must have evidence of physically residing in the state of Arkansas for at least six (6) consecutive months prior to the term requested for reclassification and provide either:
- A housing agreement (deed, lease, etc.),
- Evidence of continuous on-campus enrollment at the university, OR
- A letter from an employer verifying work in-state
Unmarried Student Age 24 and over
Student must provide:
- Three (3) good faith acts
and
Student must have evidence of physically residing in the state of Arkansas for at least six (6) consecutive months prior to the term requested for reclassification and provide either:
- A housing agreement (deed, lease, etc.),
- Evidence of continuous on-campus enrollment at the university, OR
- A letter from an employer verifying work in-state
A Note to Parents
- An unmarried student who has not reached 24 having one parent residing in Arkansas (for at least six consecutive months immediately prior to the beginning of the term) may be considered an "in-state" student for fee purposes, even if that student resided outside the state with the other parent before coming to Arkansas to attend the university. The student would submit a petition with proof of the parent’s residency and three (3) good faith acts of the parent to meet reclassification consideration.
- Also, if parents were relocated by their employer to Arkansas, the six-month period may be waived for persons, their spouses, and their unmarried children who have not reached 24. The student would submit a petition with proof of the parent’s residency, three (3) good faith acts, and letter of transfer from employer to parent to meet reclassification consideration.
Completion
An application for reclassification is considered complete when all categories have been addressed. All documentation submitted with the application must be in the form of photocopies clearly showing the date of each action.
Please make sure to thoroughly read the instructions when you download the petition for reclassification.