State of Colorado Residency Qualifications
A student is classified as a resident or nonresident for tuition purposes at the time admission. The classification is based upon information furnished by the student. If the information furnished by the student classifies them as nonresident and they believe they should be resident, they are granted the option to complete the Tuition Classification form which is located in their applicant portal. Questions on this form can be answered by the Admissions Office at admissions@mines.edu.
A student who remains classified as nonresident, and who is able to fulfill residency requirements based on the Colorado state law on Tuition Classification, becomes eligible for resident tuition after enrolling at Mines and must complete a petition through the Registrar's Office. More information on residency requirements and what petition to complete can be found on the residency website.
Petitioning for In-State Tuition Classification
The specific requirements for establishing residency for tuition classification purposes are prescribed by state law (Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 23, Article 7). Because Colorado residency status is governed solely by Colorado law, the fact that a student might not qualify for in-state status in any other state does not guarantee in-state status in Colorado. The Tuition Classification statute places the burden of proof on the student to provide clear and convincing evidence of eligibility for residency. The final decision regarding tuition status rests with the Residency Appeals Committee of Colorado School of Mines. A student who willfully gives wrong information to evade payment of nonresident tuition shall be subject to serious disciplinary action.
There are three components to determining residency eligibility:
- Emancipation means a student's parents have entirely surrendered care, custody, and support of the student. The student is able to independently support themselves. Support of any kind from family and/or friends does not make a student emancipated. Emancipation must occur at least one year before a student can establish 12 months of domicile and intent.
- Domicile is a person’s true, permanent home and place of habitation and must be established at least 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of classes.
- Intent is the legal ties a person has established to make Colorado their permanent home and must be established concurrently while establishing domicile. This means a student must sever ties from their former state and establish these ties in Colorado. This would include: license, voter registration, vehicle registration, and filing state taxes like any other resident of the state.
To be able to establish domicile and intent, an undergraduate student must be a "qualified person" under one of the following categories: parent/legal guardian, adult (22 years old to begin domicile period, but must be 23 years of age before the term they petition for), or if the student is under 22 years old they must be legally emancipated.
More information on how to qualify and petition for resident status, as well as deadlines, can be found on the residency website.