Texas Residency

This option for establishing Texas residency is available to citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and to international students.

To establish residency through high school graduation, you must

1. Graduate from a Texas high school or receive a GED in Texas; and
2. Live in Texas for the 36 months immediately before high school graduation; and
3. Live in Texas for the 12 months immediately before the census date (usually the 12th class day) of the semester in which you enroll at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (or another college or university).

If you are an international student seeking residency through high school graduation, you must submit a Residency Affidavit stating that you will apply for permanent residency when you are eligible to do so.

This option for establishing Texas residency is available to

• Citizens or permanent residents of the US (Non-citizens and non-permanent residents may also use this option if they have an application for permanent residency on file with the US Citizenship and Immigration Service.)
• International students who hold an eligible visa.

If you are independent for tax purposes, you may gain resident status if you establish domicile in the state. If your parent(s) claim you as a dependent on their federal income tax return, they must establish domicile in the state for you to claim residency.

To establish domicile, you or your parent(s) must meet the following criteria:

1. Live in Texas for 12 consecutive months; and
2. Establish and maintain domicile for 12 consecutive months by doing one of the following:

• Be gainfully employed in Texas (Student jobs do not qualify as gainful employment.)
• Sole or joint marital ownership of residential real property in Texas by the person seeking to enroll or the dependent’s parent, having established and maintained a domicile at the residence
• Own and operate a business in Texas
• Be married for one year to a person who has established domicile in Texas

For specific questions regarding Texas residency, please contact our office at 361.825.7024 or email us at admiss@tamucc.edu. 

If you are a prospective student, you must submit your application for admission.  Students completing a U.S. application will complete the residency questions as part of the admission application.  Current students (non-resident and international) will need to submit the Core Residency Questionnaire to apply for residency reclassification.   

Where do I send my Core Residency Questionnaire?

Core Residency Questionnaire and supporting documentation should be emailed to admiss@tamucc.edu or forwarded to the Office of Recruitment and Admissions to the following mailing address: 

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Office of Recruitment and Admissions
6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5770
Corpus Christi, Texas 78412-5770 

You can fax the form to 361.825.5887. 

Documents can also be hand-delivered to the Student Services Center (Round Building) Customer Service Kiosk. 

A request for reclassification or review of residency must be made before the census date of     the semester (12^th class day for fall/spring or 4^th class day for summer sessions).

You should submit verification that you have established and maintained domicile in Texas. 

To verify that you have established domicile, you should submit documentation that confirms that you have lived in Texas for 12 consecutive months.  (Lease or deed are examples.)

To verify that you have maintained domicile for 12 consecutive months, you should submit documentation that supports one of the following:  

• One year of gainful employment (paycheck stubs or letter from Texas employer),
• Property ownership in Texas for one year (warranty deed),
• Business ownership in Texas for one year
• Proof that you have been married to a Texas resident for one year (marriage license and verification of spouse’s employment, property ownership or business ownership in Texas).

After review of your responses to the Core Residency Questionnaire, the residency officer may request additional items from you to help establish your residency status.

If you are claimed as a dependent by your parents, for federal income tax purposes, then your domicile is presumed to be the same as that of your parents. To establish residency, your parents must establish a domicile in Texas at least 12 months prior to census day and maintain that domicile for the 12 months immediately preceding census day.

No. Guardians are appointed by the courts. In order to base your claim to residency on your brother's residency status, he would have to be your court-appointed legal guardian.

Marriage to a Texas resident does not make you a Texas resident.  You must meet the residency requirements and be classified as a Texas resident on your own.  However, marriage to a person who has established and maintained domicile in Texas may lend support to your claim regarding your intent to establish and maintain a domicile in Texas.

A temporary absence by a student or by the parent of a student (upon whom the student bases of his or her residency) does not affect the student’s ability to claim residency if the temporary absence is the result of:  Service in the U.S. Armed Forces, the Public Health Service, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Department of State, an employment assignment or for educational purposes.

The person or the dependent’s parent must provide documentation of the reason for the temporary absence. To claim a temporary absence, a student or parent must first establish Texas residency. Non-resident classification may result if the temporary absence occurs before completion of at least one year of residency connected to establishment of a domicile.

If the internship is related to your academic curriculum and you will be returning to the college upon completing your internship, your residency is not in jeopardy.

An international student is not eligible for Texas residency unless their visa allows them to domicile in the State of Texas. Please see visa eligible list.

The Non-Resident Tuition Waiver Form for Active Military Personnel, Spouses, and Dependents can be completed by students who are currently in an active duty military assignment in Texas.  Military personnel present in the state for the purposes of unit training are not eligible for this non-resident tuition waiver under this provision.  Active duty personnel, their spouses and eligible dependents must be assigned to duty or residing in Texas at the time of enrollment.  For additional information, please contact the Veteran and Military Services Office at 361.825.2331.

The Non-Resident Tuition Waiver Form for Veterans, Spouses, and Dependents can be completed by students who have separated from the United States Armed Forces and are eligible for benefits under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 or any other federal law authorizing educational benefits for veterans.  This form is also appropriate for the spouse or dependent children (under the age of 25) of eligible veterans.  For additional information, please contact the Veteran and Military Services Office at 361.825.2331.

If you have questions for which you cannot find the answers, please contact the residency official at 361.825.7024 or email our office at admiss@tamucc.edu.

Census Date: The date in an academic term for which an institution is required to certify a person's enrollment in the institution for the purposes of determining formula funding for the institution (12th class day).

Clear and Convincing Evidence: That degree of proof that will produce a firm conviction or a firm belief as to the facts sought to be established. The evidence must justify the claim both clearly and convincingly.

Dependent: A person who: (A) is less than 18 years of age and has not been emancipated by marriage or court order; or (B) is eligible to be claimed as a dependent of a parent for purposes of determining the parent's income tax liability under the IRS Code of 1986.

Domicile: A person’s principal, permanent residence to which the person intends to return after any temporary absence.

Establishing Domicile in Texas: Physically residing in Texas with the intent to maintain domicile in Texas for at least the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the census date of the term of enrollment, allowing for documented temporary absences.

Gainful Employment: Employment intended to provide an income to a person or allow a person to avoid the expense of paying another person to perform the tasks (as in child care) that is sufficient to provide at least one-half of the individual’s tuition and living expenses or that represents an average of at least twenty hours of employment per week. A person who is self-employed, employed as a homemaker, or who is living off his/her earnings may be considered gainfully employed for tuition purposes, as may a person whose primary support is public assistance. Employment conditioned on student status, such as work study, the receipt of stipends, fellowships, or research or teaching assistantships does not constitute gainful employment.

Independent Student: A student 18 years of age or older or an emancipated minor who is not claimed by a parent or legal guardian as a dependent for federal income tax purposes during the tax year.

International Student: Individuals from other countries than the United States who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of this country.

Legal Guardian: A person who is appointed guardian under the Texas Probate Code, Chapter 693, or a temporary or successor guardian.

Maintain Domicile: To physically reside in Texas with the intent to always return to the state after a temporary absence. The maintenance of domicile is not interrupted by a temporary absence from the state.

Parent: A natural or adoptive parent, managing or possessor conservator, or court appointed legal guardian of a person. The term does not include a step-parent.

Property Ownership: Sole or joint marital ownership of residential real property in Texas by the person seeking to enroll or the dependent's parent, having established and maintained domicile at that residence. Owning a time-share, renting a residence or owning a cemetery plot does not constitute property ownership.

Residence: A person’s home or other dwelling place.

Temporary absence: Absence from the State of Texas with the intention to return, generally for a period of less than five years. For example, the temporary absence of a person or a dependent’s parent from the state for the purpose of service in the U.S. Armed Forces, U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of State, as a result of an employment assignment, or for educational purposes, shall not affect a person’s ability to continue to claim that Texas is his or her domicile.