Residency Requirements for Fee Purposes

Policy, Guide, and Questionnaire

The Montana University System classifies all applicants for admission and students as either in-state or out-of-state. This classification affects tuition and fee determinations and eligibility for admission to programs with limited capacity. The fundamental guidelines for residency classification are outlined in the Board of Regents’ residency policy and related guidance. It is important to review the full residency policy, as each residency determination is based on the unique set of facts in an individual’s case.

If you have questions regarding your residency status, contact the unit to which you are applying or where you are currently enrolled. For undergraduate students, incoming freshmen and transfer students should contact the Admissions Office, while current and returning undergraduate students should contact the Registrar’s Office. For graduate students, both incoming and current students should contact the Graduate School for assistance.

Guide to Montana Residency Policy (PDF)
Residency Questionnaire (PDF)

How and When a Student’s Residency Status Is Determined

A student’s initial residency classification is made during the admissions process based on information provided in the admission application. If you are a new applicant and have questions about your initial residency determination, please contact the admitting office at the campus where you applied.

If you are classified as a non-resident and believe you qualify as a resident for tuition purposes, you must seek reclassification through your campus. The campus will determine your residency status based on a questionnaire and supporting documentation. You must meet the residency requirements on or before the fifteenth instructional day of the term for which reclassification is sought. It is your responsibility to meet any filing deadlines imposed by your campus.

The burden of proof rests with the student to provide clear and convincing evidence of meeting Montana residency requirements. Submitting a questionnaire does not guarantee classification as a resident for tuition purposes. Residency reclassification determinations are not made verbally, and the outcome of your request will be communicated directly to you, not to a parent.

A student may appeal either an initial residency classification decision or a reclassification decision. Appeals must follow campus procedures and may proceed to the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Board of Regents as provided in Board of Regents Policy 940.1.

Requirements to Establish Montana Residency

With certain exceptions, a person must be domiciled in Montana to be eligible for in-state status. Domicile generally requires both physical presence in Montana and evidence of intent to remain for at least 12 consecutive months unless qualifying under an exception.

Evidence of intent to remain includes registering a vehicle in Montana, obtaining a Montana driver’s license or identification card, and registering to vote in Montana.

Students are presumed unable to meet the domicile test for Montana residency for tuition purposes if they:

  • Attend a non-Montana-based school as a resident of the state where the school is located.
  • Pay taxes in another state as a resident of that state.
  • Maintain an out-of-state driver’s license or identification card.
  • Maintain a vehicle registration from another state for a vehicle owned or operated in Montana.
  • Maintain voter registration in another state.
  • Hold a visa or other classification that does not allow permanent residence in the United States.

Applicants should determine which pathway to residency applies to them—either a pathway based on domicile or a pathway based on an exception to the domicile test. If you are granted in-state status under a pathway based on an exception, you will generally lose in-state status if you no longer meet the requirements for that exception. Consequently, if you also qualify under a domicile-based pathway, it is to your advantage to be classified under that pathway rather than an exception.

Pathways to Montana Residency

(*denotes a pathway based on domicile)

  • *Dependent student
  • *Independent student
  • *Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP) applicant
  • *Professional Program student
  • Graduate of a Montana High School
  • Montana University System Employee
  • Full-time Employee in Montana
  • Service Member
  • Incarcerated Student

Please review the Guide to Montana Residency Policy to determine if you qualify under one of these pathways.

If no pathway applies to you and exceptional circumstances exist, you may file an Affidavit of Intent to Establish Residency. Exceptional circumstances may include, for example:

  • Seeking refuge from domestic violence
  • Remaining in Montana as a minor when a parent moves out of state to establish residency elsewhere

Filing an affidavit of intent does not guarantee classification as a Montana resident for tuition purposes.

Applicable Presumptions

All students must provide evidence to demonstrate eligibility for in-state residency for tuition and fee purposes. When evaluating residency classification, several presumptions apply:

  • A student not classified as in-state is considered a non-resident for tuition and fee purposes
  • The domicile of a minor is that of the student’s parent or legal guardian
  • An individual is presumed unable to establish residency or domicile if they are absent from Montana for more than 30 days during the required 12-month period
  • An individual is presumed unable to establish residency or domicile if they receive a loan, financial assistance, scholarship, or any benefit requiring residency in another state
  • An individual abandons in-state status if they are absent from Montana for 12 or more months
  • An individual is presumed unable to establish residency or domicile while in Montana primarily for educational purposes unless the presumption is overcome by clear and convincing evidence
  • An individual is presumed unable to establish residency for tuition purposes while enrolled in more than half of a full-time credit load

If a presumption applies to you, you must overcome it with clear and convincing evidence. In general, overcoming a presumption is difficult, and the required evidence will vary depending on individual circumstances.

If you plan to take a full-time credit load or be outside of Montana for more than 30 days during the applicable residency period, consult the appropriate office to understand how your decision may affect your residency status.