Nov 04, 2024  
2024-2025 College Catalog 
    
2024-2025 College Catalog

Residency Requirements



Florida Resident Information and Requirements

All applicants for admission to College of Central Florida, degree seeking or non-degree seeking, full-time or part-time, are required to execute a Residency Declaration form if they claim in-state residence. If the applicant is under 24 years of age and unmarried, the declaration form must be completed by a parent or legal guardian. These guidelines implement s. 1009.21, F. S., and Rule 6A-10.044, Florida Administrative Code, for the purpose of determining residency status for tuition purposes in public state colleges and universities.

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 residence in Florida for at least 12 months immediately prior to the first day of classes for the semester in which residency status is sought. Anyone not establishing residency by this date must apply for reclassification in a following semester. Residence in Florida must be for the purpose of establishing a bona fide domicile and not merely incidental to enrollment at an institution of higher education. Other persons not meeting the 12-month legal residence requirement 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. All other persons are ineligible for classification as a Florida resident for tuition purposes. To qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, it is necessary to be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident alien or a legal alien granted indefinite stay by the Department of Homeland Security. Living in or attending school in Florida will not, in itself, establish legal residence. Students who depend on out-of-state parents for support are presumed to be legal residents of the same state as their parents. Documents supporting the establishment of legal residence must be dated, issued or filed 12 months immediately prior to the first day of classes of the semester for which a Florida resident classification is sought.

A copy of the most recent tax return or other documentation may be requested to establish dependence/independence. A dependent child is defined as a person, whether or not living with his or her parent, who is eligible to be claimed by  his or her parent as a dependent under the federal income tax code. An independent person is defined as someone 24 years of age or older or who provides more than 50 percent of his or her own support as defined by the Internal  Revenue Service.