Tuition Classification < Georgia Highlands College

Georgia Highlands College is required to determine the tuition classification for tuition payment purposes of all applicants or students of the College in accordance with BOR Policy 4.3.2 Student Residency. The responsibility for registering for classes under the correct classification is that of the student. If there is any question about the student's right to in-state classification, it is the student's obligation, prior to or at the time of matriculation, to clarify their classification with the tuition classification officer of the institution.

Lawful Presence

Each University System of Georgia institution shall verify the lawful presence in the United States of every successfully admitted person applying for resident tuition status. Only those students verified to be lawfully present in the United States and meet Georgia domicile requirements per BOR Policy 4.3.2 may be classified in-state. Methods for verifying lawful presence are listed below. Students may provide a copy of one of the following:

Certified U.S. Birth Certificate showing the student was born in the U.S. or a U.S. territory. A photocopy is not acceptable. The original document must be presented and a copy will be made in the GHC Office of Enrollment Management.
U.S. Certificate of Naturalization (USCIC form N-550 or N-570).
U.S. Certificate of Citizenship (USCIS form N‐560 or N‐561).
U.S. Certificate of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State (DS-1350) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS‐240).
Current U.S. Passport.
Current Driver’s License issued by the State of Georgia after January 1, 2008.
Current ID issued by the State of Georgia after January 1, 2008.
Current military ID (service member only, not dependent) Documented using the Confirmation of Review of Military ID Worksheet. A photocopy is not acceptable.
Current, valid Permanent Resident Card (USCIS form I‐151 or I‐551).

Residency

The following rules are adopted by the University System of Georgia for determining residency for tuition purposes and are subject to periodic change by Board action.

United States Citizens

Dependent Student

An individual under the age of 24 who receives financial support from a parent or United States court appointed legal guardian.

A dependent student shall be classified as in-state for tuition purposes if such dependent student's parent has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term and (a) the student has graduated from a Georgia high school; or (b) the parent claimed the student as a dependent on the parent's most recent federal or state income tax return.
A dependent student shall be classified as in-state for tuition purposes if such student's United States court appointed legal guardian has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term, provided that such appointment was not made to avoid payment of out-of-state tuition and the United States court appointed legal guardian can provide clear evidence of having established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for a period of at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term.

If the parent or United States court appointed legal guardian of a dependent student currently classified as in-state for tuition purposes established domicile outside the State of Georgia after having established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia, such student may retain his or her in-state tuition classification as long as such student remains continuously enrolled in a public postsecondary educational institution in this state, regardless of the domicile of the such student's parent or United States court appointed legal guardian.

Independent Student

An individual who is not claimed as a dependent on the federal or state income tax returns of a parent or United States court appointed legal guardian and whose parent or guardian has ceased to provide support and rights to that individual's care, custody, and earnings.

An independent student who has established and maintained a domicile in the State of Georgia for a period of at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term shall be classified as "in-state" for tuition purposes.
No student shall gain or acquire in-state classification while attending any postsecondary educational institution in this state without clear evidence of having established domicile in Georgia for purposes other than attending a postsecondary educational institution in this state.

Non-Citizens

A non-citizen student shall not be classified as in-state for tuition purposes unless the student is legally in this state and there is evidence to warrant consideration of in-state classification as determined by the Board of Regents. Lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, or other eligible non-citizens as defined by federal Title IV regulations may be extended the same consideration as citizens of the United States in determining whether they qualify for in-state classification. International students who reside in the United States under non-immigrant status conditioned at least in part upon intent not to abandon a foreign domicile shall not be eligible for in-state classification.

Change of Residency Status

A student is classified as a resident or a non-resident of Georgia for tuition purposes based on answers provided on the Georgia Highlands College admissions application.

Students who enter GHC as a non-resident of Georgia and feel this is in error may submit a a Petition for Georgia Residency form in order to request their residency status be reviewed. Highlighted documents on page two of the petition should be included with the completed petition. Residency petitions and documentation must be submitted prior to the last day of registration of the enrolled term.

Petitions and supporting documentation can be submitted at any campus location, faxed to (706) 295-6341, or sent as an attachment via email to residency@highlands.edu.

Tuition Waivers

Under certain conditions a non-resident of Georgia may be granted an out-of-state tuition differential waiver for in-state tuition. Qualifying students must be able to provide proof of lawful presence in the United States. Please visit our website at https://sites.highlands.edu/admissions/tuition-classification-and-waivers/ for all residency applications forms. Waivers are as follows:

Academic Common Market

Students selected to participate in a program offered through the Academic Common Market. Student must meet residency requirements as determined by the state of their home institution in order to participate.

Presidential Waiver

There are three categories of Presidential waivers: Academic, International and Athletic. Students who are eligible for more than one category must choose which category they are applying for and will remain in that category until their studies at GHC are complete or they become eligible to be classified as legal residents of the state. Applications for Presidential Waivers will not be reviewed for eligibility until the admissions process is complete.

Academic Eligibility Criteria

Beginning freshman students must have a 2.50 high school GPA; this GPA will be based on the courses the student used to satisfy the Required High School Curriculum (RHSC), overall GPA displayed on official high school transcripts, or US GPA conversion displayed on an approved credentialing evaluation report.
Transfer students must have a 2.50 GPA at the last College attended.
Currently enrolled students must have a 2.50 SAP GPA.

International Eligibility Criteria

Beginning freshman students who attended a High School in the United States must have a 2.50 high school GPA; this GPA will be based on the courses the student used to satisfy the Required High School Curriculum (RHSC), overall GPA displayed on official high school transcripts, or US GPA conversion displayed on an approved credentialing evaluation report.
Beginning freshman students who attended a High School outside the United States must complete one term at GHC before they may be considered for a Presidential Waiver. A 2.50 SAP GPA will be required to be eligible.
Transfer students who attended a College in the United States must have a 2.50 GPA at the last College attended.
Transfer students who attended a College outside the United States must complete one term at GHC before they may be considered for a Presidential Waiver. A 2.50 SAP GPA will be required to be eligible.
Currently enrolled students must have a 2.50 SAP GPA.

Athletic Eligibility Criteria

The Athletic Director will have 20 waivers per academic year that may be distributed amongst the varsity teams.
Athletes will be required to maintain SAP in order to be considered for a waiver renewal for the next academic year.

Academic and International waiver recipients must maintain a 2.5 SAP GPA and Athletic recipients must maintain SAP in order to be considered for a waiver renewal for the next academic year. Failure to maintain the specified level of academic performance at the conclusion of the respective academic year shall result in the student being placed in a two semester probationary period for waiver purposes. The student shall be eligible to maintain a waiver during this probationary period but shall be ineligible for the waiver if the student is not able to achieve the specified level of academic performance for the student’s specific Presidential Waiver sub-category. The student is eligible to re-gain the waiver, subject to the institution’s discretion and consistent with this Policy, should the student achieve the specified level of academic performance for the student’s specific Presidential Waiver sub-category.

University System Employees and Dependents

Full-time employees of the University System, their spouses, and their dependent children.

Full-Time School Employees

Full-time employees in the public schools of Georgia or Technical Colleges System of Georgia, their spouses, and their dependent children. Teachers employed full-time on military bases in Georgia shall also qualify for this waiver.

Military Personnel

Military personnel, their spouses, and their dependent children stationed in or assigned to Georgia and on active duty. The waiver can be retained by the military personnel, their spouses, and their dependent children if (a) the military sponsor is reassigned outside of Georgia, and the student(s) remain(s) continuously enrolled and the military sponsor remains on children active military status; (b) the military sponsor is reassigned out-of-state and the spouse and dependent children remain in Georgia and the sponsor remains on active military duty; or (c) the active military personnel and their spouse and dependent children who are stationed in a state contiguous to the Georgia border and who live in Georgia.

Georgia National Guard and U.S. Military Reservists

Active members of the Georgia National Guard, stationed or assigned to Georgia or active members of a unit of the U.S. Military Reserves based in Georgia, and their spouses and their dependent children.

Recently Separated Military Service Personnel

Members of a uniformed military service of the United States who, within 12 months of separation from such service, enroll in an academic program and demonstrate an intent to become domiciled in Georgia. This waiver may also be granted to their spouses and dependent children. This waiver may be granted for not more than one year.

Border State Residents

Residents of Alabama. Must be domiciled in the qualifying bordering state for 12 consecutive months prior to the start of classes.

Economic Advantage

As of the first day of classes for the term, an economic advantage waiver may be granted to an independent non-citizen possessing a valid employment-related visa status who can provide clear evidence of having relocated to the State of Georgia to accept full-time, self-sustaining employment. Relocation to the state must be for employment reasons and not for the purpose of enrolling in an institution of higher education. These individuals would be required to show clear evidence of having taken legally permissible steps toward establishing legal permanent residence in the United States and the establishment of legal domicile in the State of Georgia. Independent non-citizen students may continue to receive this waiver as long as they maintain a valid employment-related visa status and can demonstrate continued efforts to establish U.S. legal permanent residence and legal domicile in the State of Georgia. A dependent non-citizen student who can provide clear evidence that the student's parent, spouse, or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian possesses a valid employed-related visa status and can provide clear evidence of having relocated to the State of Georgia to accept full-time, self-sustaining employment is also eligible to receive this waiver. Relocation to the state must be for employment reasons and not for the purpose of enrolling in an institution of higher education. These individuals must be able to show clear evidence of having taken legally permissible steps toward establishing legal permanent residence in the United States and the establishment of legal domicile in the State of Georgia. Non-citizen students currently receiving a waiver who are dependents of a parent, spouse or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian possessing a valid employed-related visa status may continue to receive the waiver as long as they can demonstrate that their parent, spouse, or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian is maintaining full-time, self-sustaining employment in Georgia and is continuing efforts to pursue an adjustment of legal domicile in the State of Georgia.

Non-Resident Student

As of the first day of classes for the term, a non-resident student can be considered for the waiver under the following conditions.

Students under the age of 24

If the parent, or United States court-appointed legal guardian has maintained domicile in Georgia for at least twelve (12) consecutive months and the student can provide clear and legal evidence showing the relationship to the parent or United States court-appointed legal guardian has existed for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term. Under Georgia code, legal guardianship must be established prior to the student's 18th birthday.
If the student can provide clear and legal evidence showing a familial relationship to the spouse and the spouse has maintained domicile in Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term.

Students 24 years of age or older

If the student can provide clear and legal evidence showing a familial relationship to the spouse and the spouse has maintained domicile in Georgia for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term.

This waiver can remain in effect as long as the student remains continuously enrolled. If the parent, spouse, or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian of a continuously enrolled nonresident student establishes domicile in another state after having maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for the required period, the nonresident student may continue to receive this waiver as long as the student remains continuously enrolled in a public postsecondary educational institution in the state, regardless of the domicile of the parent, spouse or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian.

Senior Citizen

Legal residents of Georgia aged 62 or older.