Financially Independent Students
To be considered an Ohio resident for state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes, you must show that you meet the requirements as defined in the Ohio Administrative Code, Chapter 3333-1-10 and Ohio Revised Code, Chapter 3333.31. You must also be eligible to remain in the United States on a permanent basis. Learn about Eligible Visa and Immigration Statuses. These guidelines are intended, above all, to exclude those persons who are present in the state of Ohio primarily for the purpose of education from treatment as residents.
Residency classification letter and number designations correlate to the specific guidelines of the Ohio Administrative and/or Revised Codes.
Financially Independent Classifications
Residency Classification C-2
To qualify for the C-2 classification you must satisfy the requirements and be able to provide documentation to validate ALL the following statements are true:
- have been living in Ohio for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the term for which they are applying (this is known as the 12-month review period)
- have not left the state of Ohio for more than thirty days total, with no more than two weeks at a time throughout the 12-month review period
- are 100% financially self-sustaining throughout their 12-month review period (please review the Frequently Asked Questions below for more information regarding eligible income)
- have changed all of their state specific documents to Ohio, including but not limited to: driver’s license or state ID, voter registration, and vehicle registration.
NOTE: Residency Classification C-2 does NOT apply to students who are financially dependent, or who are receiving financial assistance from someone else; this includes (but is not limited to) tuition and education expenses, housing and/or vehicle expenses, and gift assistance.
The C-2 Classification is applied through the completion of one degree program, provided you maintain continuous full-time enrollment and do not leave the state for more than a year or take a leave of absence for more than a year. In those cases, a student would no longer be considered an Ohio resident for tuition purposes and they would need to reapply for Ohio residency at that time.
Residency Classification E-1
The Residency Classification E-1 is temporary and applies for only one term. A student who is requesting reclassification under the Residency Classification E-1 is required to complete a reclassification application (the Online Residency Form) each term. After the student has lived in Ohio for 12 consecutive months, they may be eligible to apply under the Residency Classification C-2.
To qualify for the E-1 classification you must satisfy the requirements and be able to provide documentation to validate ALL the following statements are true:
- are employed in Ohio on a self-sustaining basis (if the student has dependents, then the self-sustaining amount will increase)
- have employment minimally covering all living expenses (rent, food, utilities, transportation, insurance, cell phone, etc.)
- have tuition that can be covered by employment and/or financial aid packages solely in student’s name
- are enrolled less than full-time (undergraduate-less than 12 credit hours; graduate-less than eight credit hours)
NOTE: Residency Classification E-1 does NOT apply to students who are enrolled full-time, nor those who cannot support themselves on employment income alone.
Documentation for Financially Independent Students
All reclassification applications require supporting evidentiary documentation. If you submit incomplete or incorrect documentation, your reclassification application will not be approved.
Keep in mind, documentation is not limited to the Documents Requested for Ohio Residency for Tuition Purposes list and your individual document list may not include all items listed here. It is important that any uncommon situations be supported with documentation as well. The onus will be on the student to ensure that all income and expenses are clearly supported with documentation.