Graduate students who are U. S. citizens but are not from North Carolina are expected to establish themselves as permanent residents of the state. Though assistantships include out-of-state tuition remission for the first year, they also stipulate that the graduate student be required to apply for residency.

You may become a resident of North Carolina after living here for thirty days. This does not however, automatically make you a resident for tuition purposes, which qualifies you for in-state tuition rates.

Two inquiries are made of students enrolled in North Carolina universities and colleges who desire to be classified as in-state students for tuition purposes.

1. Students must demonstrate that they have in fact lived in North Carolina for a minimum period of 12 months immediately prior to enrollment or re-enrollment.|
    
2. Students must be able to demonstrate that their presence in the state constituted legal residence.

Under North Carolina law, legal residence means more than simply living in the state. More specifically, it means maintaining a domicile (permanent home of indefinite duration) as opposed to a temporary residence incident to enrollment in a university, college or technical institute of the state.

The individual seeking to become a North Carolina resident must demonstrate that he/she is financially independent of parent(s) or guardian if the parent(s) or guardian are non-residents of North Carolina and must demonstrate a visible means of support substantiating the claim of financial independence. If the individual has not been entirely self-supporting during the last 24 months, a completed affidavit may be required from the parent(s) to indicate the amount of support provided.

Further and equally important, once the individual has clearly established the intent and financial independence, he/she must maintain North Carolina residence for 12 months immediately prior to the semester in which the in-state status can be made effective.

In order to be considered for a reclassification as a resident of NC for tuition purposes at the end of a minimum 12-month period, a person must do the following things:

1. Maintain and reside in a domicile or permanent home of indefinite duration for at least 12 months immediately prior to the semester in which the in-state status can be made effective;
    
2. Perform certain residentiary acts, such as get a driver's license, register a motor vehicle and register to vote at least 12 months immediately prior to the semester in which the in-state status can be made effective and file an NC income tax return at the appropriate time;
    
3. Clearly demonstrate a visible means of support substantiating a claim of financial independence as evidenced by cumulative year-to-date wage earning statements.

In order to determine whether a given student has established a legal residence in North Carolina, school officials must be able to conclude from information supplied by the student that the conduct of the student, taken as a whole, demonstrates his/her intent to make North Carolina a permanent dwelling place. It is the responsibility of the student to provide all information requested.