Residency

What are the residency classifications?

Your residency status is one of the following:

1. In County: You are a Texas resident who lives in Tarrant County.
2. Out of County: You are a Texas resident who lived outside of Tarrant County
3. Out of State: You are not a Texas resident and are not eligible for in-state tuition.
4. Foreign Student: You are a non-US citizen and are not a Texas resident.
5. Pending—Status to be Determined: We do not have the information we need to make a residency determination. Contact your campus Admissions and Registrar Office to update your residency status. You will not be able to register for class until a residency determination has been made.

Find your residency classification:

1. Log in to Hello!TCC
2. Use the filter to search for Student Summary

The student is responsible for registering under the proper residency classification.

Are there changes to your residency, or is your status incorrect? Immediately notify the Admissions and Registrar Office of any updates.

What are TCC's current tuition rates?

Visit our tuition and fees page to find current tuition rates.

What is the census date and why is it important?

The census date is the official day of record. TCC uses the census date to determine your residency status for a semester:

• Changes to your residency status before a semester's census date apply to the current semester
• Changes made on or after the census date will apply to the following semester

Find census dates (official day of record) for upcoming semesters in the 2025–2026 Academic Calendar

What is a "domicile"?

“Domicile” is your home or primary residence. Your domicile is used when determining your residency for tuition purposes.

Texas Education Code defines domicile as “a person's principal, permanent residence to which the person intends to return after any temporary absence (generally less than one year).” 

Who can be classified as a Texas resident?

You may be considered a Texas resident if you are a US citizens or a lawfully present non-US citizen. You may make a claim for Texas residency if you are one of the following:

1. An independent student who has established and maintained a home in Texas for 12 months prior to the census date of the term in which you enroll.
   
   • Example: If the census date for your fall class is August 30, you must have established and maintained a home in Texas as of August 30 the year before.
2. A dependent student whose parent/legal guardian has established and maintained a home in Texas for 12 months prior to the census date of the term in which you want to enroll.
   
   • Example: If the census date for your fall class is August 30, your parent/legal guardian must have established and maintained a home in Texas as of August 30 the year before.
3. A student whose spouse has established and maintained a home in Texas for 12 months prior to the census date of the term in which you want to enroll.
   • Example: If the census date for your fall class is August 30, your spouse must have established and maintained a home in Texas as of August 30 the year before.
4. A student who has lived in Texas for 12 months prior to the census date of the term in which you want to enroll and meets one of the following requirements:
   
   • Graduated from a public or accredited private high school in Texas and continuously lived in Texas 36 months prior to your graduation
   • Received the equivalent of a high school diploma or GED in Texas and continuously lived in Texas 36 months prior to your graduation
   • Example: If the census date for your fall class is August 30, you must have lived in Texas as of August 30 the year before and have lived in Texas for at least 36 months before receiving your high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.

Note: Students who are not US citizens but are lawfully present in the US will also be asked to submit the Residency Affidavit.

All residency determinations are subject to review. You may be asked to submit appropriate documentation. 

Find census dates (official day of record) for upcoming semesters in the 2025–2026 Academic Calendar

What is a "lawful presence"?

Lawful presence means having a legally recognized status in the United States under federal law.

Can I be eligible for in-state tuition if I'm not a US citizen?

Yes. If you are a non-US citizen who is lawfully present in the US, you may be considered for Texas residency. For more information, learn about who can be classified as a Texas resident.

Am I required to submit documentation for my residency status?

If you're a new student or a returning TCC student who's been inactive at TCC for one year or longer, you're generally not required to submit documentation if you made a claim to Texas residency or in-state tuition at the time you applied (new students) or were reactivated (returning students).

We may ask for supporting documentation if you provided inconsistent responses on your admissions application/residency questionnaire or if there were areas which require clarification or additional support.

If you're a current TCC student and want to update your residency status, you will be required to submit documentation to support a claim of Texas residency or in-state tuition eligibility.

How do I submit my residency status documentation?

You must use your myTCC email address to submit any required documents. Your supporting documents must include your name, effective dates, and show a Texas address.

To meet the 12-month domicile requirement, you may submit quarterly documentation. For example, if your semester census date is in August, you would only need to supply the quarterly documentation from August of the previous year forward. This would mean providing documents from August and December of the previous year, and April and August of the current year.

If you're required to submit a Residency Questionnaire (PDF)Listen, send it and your supporting documents to your campus Admissions and Registrar Office. Allow 1–2 business days for review and processing.

For additional guidance on documentation required to establish Texas residency, review the Establishment of Domicile & Maintenance of Residence Checklist (PDF)Listen.

Do I need to show proof of citizenship or immigration status?

In most cases, you won't need to show proof of citizenship status.

If you are required to show proof of citizenship status to determine your residency, you'll need to supply the following documents to the Admissions and Registrar Office. Pages from your passport may be requested.

What if I'm a military veteran or military-connected student?

Residency status also determines tuition rates for Texans and Non-Texans in the military. Learn more about your residency status if you're a Texan or Non-Texan in the military.

Absence from the state of Texas for the purpose of service in the US Armed Forces, US Public Health Service, US Department of Defense, US Department of State, as a result of an employment assignment, or for educational purposes, will not affect your ability to continue to claim Texas as your domicile.

What if I want to update my residency status?

If you are eligible for reclassification and want your residency status updated for the current semester, you should submit documentation before the current semester's census date. Otherwise, your residency status (and updated tuition cost) will be effective the following semester.

Change from Out-of-State to In-State

To update your residency status from out-of-state to in-state, you'll need to complete the Residency Questionnaire (PDF)Listen and provide supporting documentation.

Change from Out-of-County to In-County

To update your residency status from out-of-county to in-county, contact the Admissions and Registrar Office to request reclassification. You (or your parent/legal guardian) must show you've established residence in Tarrant County and provide supporting documentation dated within the past 30 days that shows a Tarrant County address. A P.O. box address is not accepted.

For more information, read the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's My TX Future webpage on residency.