A Florida "resident for tuition purposes" is a person who has, or a dependent person
whose parent or legal guardian has, established and maintained legal residency in
Florida for at least twelve (12) consecutive months preceding the first day of classes
of the term for which Florida residency is sought.
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Residence in Florida must be a bona fide domicile rather than for the purpose of
maintaining a residence incident to enrollment at an institution of higher education.
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To qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, you must be a U.S. citizen,
a foreign national in a nonimmigrant visa classification that grants you the legal
ability to establish a bona fide domicile in the United States, a permanent resident
alien, parolee, asylee, Cuban-Haitian entrant, legal alien granted indefinite stay
by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or other qualified alien as defined
under federal law. Other persons not meeting the twelve-month legal residence requirements
may be classified as Florida residents for tuition purposes only if they fall within
one of the limited special categories authorized by the Florida Legislature pursuant to section
1009.21,
Florida Statutes (see "Qualification by Exception" below). All other persons are ineligible
for classification as a Florida "resident for tuition purposes."
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Living in or attending school in Florida will not, in itself, establish legal residence.
Students who depend upon out-of-state parents for support are presumed to be legal
residents of the same state as their parents.
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Residency for tuition purposes requires the establishment of legal ties to the state
of Florida. Students must verify that they have broken ties to other states if the
student or, in the case for dependent students, his or her parent has moved from
another state.