Ohio Residency for Tuition Overview

Video Transcript 

Slide 1 

Welcome to the Ohio State University Ohio residency for in-state tuition subsidy webinar provided by the University Registrar's Office.

Slide 2

In this webinar we will cover an overview of Ohio residency for tuition guidelines, talk about the specific residency guidelines, and the process of requesting reclassification.

Slide 3

Residency guidelines are set by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. Students who are classified as in-state will receive a tuition subsidy from the state of Ohio resulting in a lower cost of attendance.

Three major components of Ohio residency include a physical presence in Ohio, a contribution to the Ohio tax base through income tax, and eligibility to remain in the United States on a permanent basis. For a list of all eligible visa types please visit our website.

Slide 4

We will next discuss the most common guidelines available by category. To determine which category you may qualify for, please take the residency questionnaire available at go.osu.edu/checkmyresidency. For a complete list of guidelines please refer to our website.

Slide 5

If you graduated from an Ohio high school while residing in the state of Ohio with your parents or legal guardian, you may be eligible to be reclassified under the C 7 Forever Buckeye guideline.

Slide 6

The Ohio Values Veterans initiative provides many avenues for veterans, servicemembers, and their families to qualify for in-state residency. Please see our website for more information.  

Slide 7

For students who are financially dependent, the two applicable guidelines are the C 1 and the C 3. The C 1 is for students who are financially dependent upon an Ohio resident who is their parent, legal guardian, or spouse. To be eligible for the C 1, the Ohio resident the student is dependent upon must have lived in Ohio for a minimum of 12 consecutive months prior to the start of the term in which the student is applying for in-state status.

The C 3 is also students who are financially dependent upon their parent, legal guardian, or spouse. To be eligible for C 3, the Ohio resident the student is dependent upon is establishing residency in the state of Ohio, meaning that they have lived in Ohio for less than 12 consecutive months prior to the start of the term in which the student is applying for the in-state status. The Ohio resident the student is dependent upon must have established domicile in Ohio as of the first day of the term in which the student is applying for in-state status and have full-time employment. The C 3 is a conditional status and the student will need to continue to apply under this guideline until the Ohio resident they are dependent upon has been in Ohio for 12 consecutive months, at which point the student may qualify under the C 1 guideline.

Slide 8

For students who are financially independent and self-sustaining, the two applicable guidelines are the C 2 and the E 1. The C 2 is for financially independent students who have been in Ohio for 12 consecutive months prior to the start of the term in which they are applying for in-state status. The E 1 is for financially independent students who are enrolled less than full time (under 12 credit hours for undergraduates and under 8 hours for graduates) and are working full or part-time. The E 1 is a conditional status and the student will need to continue to apply under this guideline for each term of enrollment. In order to be eligible for these categories, the student needs to be independent and self-sustaining, being able to cover all living expenses including but not limited to rent. Tuition and fees can be covered by financial aid that is taken in the student’s name, however only the C 2 permits refunds from financial aid as eligible sources of income to assist in covering living expenses.

Slide 9

Let's talk more about the C 2 guideline. A student's review period under the C 2 are the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the start of the term in which the student is applying for the in-state status. The student must have been an Ohio resident during this time. If the student plans to use a 529 college advantage, mutual funds, or another savings vehicle, the money must have been in the student's name and control, or the student must be listed as the beneficiary of the account, and the money must have been in the account for twelve months prior to the start of the student’s review period, twenty four months prior to the term in which the student is applying for the in-state status.

Slide 10

During the student’s review period, student absence from Ohio should not exceed thirty days in total, with no more than fourteen days to be taken consecutively.

Slide 11

If educational opportunities present themselves to the student during the review period, internships or study abroad for example, the student may complete the Ohio leave pre-approval request form found on our website. The experience should be unique, not available in Ohio, and not in close proximity to the student's home. If approved, the time spent out-of-state will not count against the absence limits of 14 consecutive days or 30 days in total, though they will be required to maintain their Ohio residence while away and any income earned outside of Ohio will not be eligible for use during the review period, unless adequate documentation verifying the income has been subjected to appropriate Ohio taxation can be provided.

Slide 12

A student applying under the C 2 guideline will need to demonstrate their intent to become an Ohio resident. This includes but is not limited to: updating all state specific documentation, including driver's license or state ID card, voter registration if registered, and vehicle registration.

Slide 13

Now we will examine the process of requesting reclassification and specific information on the online residency reclassification form.

Slide 14

When a student is ready to apply, the residency reclassification form can be accessed through their My Buckeye Link page, under the Personal Information section.

Slide 15

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the online residency reclassification form is completed and that requested documentation is submitted by the deadline. Step-by-step instructions are available online at registrar.osu.edu/residency.

Slide 16

The application windows for each term can be found on our website. Applications received by the priority deadline will be reviewed prior to the fee payment deadline of each term. The final deadline for applying will always be the first Friday of the term in which you are applying for in-state status. The student is still responsible for the payment of all of their fees including non-resident charges even if a decision has not been rendered by the fee payment deadline.

Slide 17

After accessing the residency reclassification form and selecting the appropriate term, the student will select their dependency status. Based on your selection you will be provided a dynamic questionnaire which will help to determine how best you qualify and what documentation will be necessary.

Slide 18

For C 2 applicants, you will be asked to enter the dates in which you have left the state of Ohio during the 12 month review period along with the purpose of your absence, such as vacation or internship. You will also need to list your employment over the past 12 months.

Slide 19

C 2 applicants will also need to complete a worksheet detailing your income, assets, and expenses during your 12-month review period. If you are unsure of what amount we are requesting, you are able to click the “more info” button to expand the explanation. All boxes must be filled in with an amount. If you do not have any income or expense in a category then you would simply fill in a zero. Note, federal and state tax returns are not considered income as we use gross and not net income when calculating employment. For information on gift assistance eligibility, including holiday gifts, birthday gifts, and plane tickets, please refer to the frequently asked questions section on our website.

Slide 20

The student comment section of your application provides an opportunity to explain any information that may be unclear or need additional details in order to assist the residency counselor. This may include providing explanations for other income, other expenses, or time out of the state.

Slide 21

You will be provided a customized document requested list based on your responses. The documentation submitted will be used to verify that you qualify for in-state residency under the Ohio Department of Higher Education guidelines, as outlined in the Ohio Administrative Code and Ohio Revised Code.

Slide 22

You must submit your documentation through the secure uploader on this page. Your application will not be reviewed until all requested documentation has been received. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they are received. Please see the residency deadlines chart on our website for all applicable dates.

Slide 23

If you have questions not answered in this webinar, please contact us and we will aim to answer all questions that you may have. A residency counselor will be able to inform you if an in-person appointment would be beneficial. For a complete list of contact details please refer to our website at registrar.osu.edu/residency.