Forms and Resources
Students seeking Missouri resident tuition rates must apply under the appropriate residency classification and provide supporting documentation. Residency determinations are made in accordance with guidelines established by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE).
Purpose of Rules
Missouri residency for tuition purposes is determined under state higher education regulations and applies only to eligibility for in-state tuition rates.
Residency for other purposes—such as voting, vehicle registration, taxation, unemployment benefits, or public assistance—does not automatically qualify a student for in-state tuition. The courts have held repeatedly that states may impose more stringent requirements for in-state college fees than for other benefits of residency.
Student Classifications
Students seeking to qualify for in-state fees are classified into one of three categories:
- Adult Students: Students who are 21 years of age or older.
- Emancipated Minor Students: Students under age 21 who are married or financially independent and no longer receive parental care or support.
- Unemancipated Minor Students: Student under age 21 who continue to receive parental care or support.
Residency Determination for Minors
Students who are claimed as dependents on a parent’s tax return or classified as dependent for federal financial aid purposes are generally considered unemancipated minors.
Unemancipated minor students are generally considered residents of the same state as their parents.
If parents are divorced and one parent resides in Missouri and is legally responsible for child support or educational support, the student may be eligible to use that parent’s Missouri residency status.
Common Eligibility Categories
Missouri High School Graduates
Students are presumed to be Missouri residents if:
- They graduated from a Missouri high school;
- Their parent(s), legal guardian, or custodian were Missouri residents when they graduated; and
- Their parent(s), legal guardian, or custodian remain Missouri residents when the student enrolls at Truman.
This residency status continues as long as the student remains continuously enrolled.
Full-Time Employment in Missouri
Individuals whose primary reason for moving to Missouri was to:
- Accept full-time employment; or
- Operate a full-time business or profession
may qualify immediately for Missouri resident tuition, along with their spouse and unemancipated minor children.
Truman State University Employees
Full-time Truman State University faculty and staff, as well as their spouses and unemancipated minor children, qualify for Missouri resident tuition.
Students currently classified as nonresidents must submit a residency application to request a status change.
Military Personnel
Active-duty U.S. military personnel stationed in Missouri for military service may qualify for resident tuition rates, along with their spouses and unemancipated minor children, without any waiting period.
Military personnel assigned to Missouri solely for educational purposes are not automatically eligible for Missouri residency based on that assignment. Students neither gain nor lose resident status solely as a consequence of military service, which relates to the determination of in-state fees for students immediately following their departure from military service.
This section does not apply to students who are in the Reserves and who request a transfer to a Reserve Unit in the State of Missouri.
Residency Cannot be Established through College Attendance Alone
Living in Missouri solely to attend college does not establish Missouri residency for tuition purposes.
State regulations consider enrollment at a Missouri college or university to be a temporary presence in the state. Students generally do not gain or lose residency status based solely on college attendance. Therefore, if a student’s primary purpose in coming to Missouri was to attend college, the student could not gain residency for instate fees under most circumstances.
Establishing Missouri Residency through Permanent Presence
Students whose circumstances do not fall into one of the categories above may establish residency by demonstrating:
- Continuous presence in Missouri for at least 12 consecutive months;
- Presence in Missouri while not enrolled at a Missouri institution of higher education; and
- Intent to make Missouri their permanent home.
Students must demonstrate “presence within the State of Missouri for a period of twelve (12) months and sufficient proof of an intent to make the State of Missouri a permanent home for an indefinite period.” For students who originally came to Missouri to attend college, but then left college for full-time employment, the length of time actually out-of-school and on-the-job will be more significant than their statement of intention about remaining in Missouri.
Additional Factors for Consideration
If the continuous presence for twelve months (while not enrolled in any Missouri institution of higher education) requirement is applicable and satisfied, the state rules call for the following factors to be given heavy weight in evaluating the student’s intent to make Missouri a permanent home:
- Continuous physical presence in Missouri during those periods not enrolled as a student;
- Marriage to a Missouri resident and maintenance of a shared residence;
- Significant financial support from Missouri sources;
- Previous Missouri residency and continued ties to the state; and
- Ownership of a home in Missouri.
The state rules call for the following factors to be given less weight in evaluating the student’s intent:
- Voting or registration for voting;
- Part-time employment;
- Leasing an apartment or residence;
- Statement of intent;
- Missouri driver’s license or vehicle registration; and
- Payment of income, personal and property taxes in Missouri.
Continuous Enrollment
Students who qualify for Missouri resident tuition retain that status as long as they remain continuously enrolled at Truman State University.
Continuous enrollment means registration for at least one credit hour during a fall or spring semester within an academic year (July 1–June 30).
Applying for Residency Reclassification
Students who believe they qualify for Missouri resident tuition should submit:
- Application for Classification as a Missouri Resident
- Supporting documentation demonstrating eligibility
Applications should be submitted to:
Registrar’s Office
Truman State University
104 McClain Hall
Kirksville, MO 63501
Appeals Process
Students may appeal residency decisions according to the following process:
- Submit a written appeal to the Vice President for Enrollment Management within two weeks of the Registrar’s decision.
- If necessary, submit a second appeal to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs within two weeks of receiving the first appeal decision.
The decision of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs is final.
Important Considerations
Burden of Proof
The student is responsible for providing documentation that demonstrates eligibility for Missouri resident tuition. If reasonable doubt exists, residency classification may be denied.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
A change in residency status may affect scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial aid. Students should consult the Financial Aid Office before requesting a residency change.
Special Circumstances
Additional rules apply to certain populations, including non-citizens. All residency applications are reviewed under the complete CBHE residency regulations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is residency initially determined?
Residency status is determined during admission based on information provided in the application, including parental address, citizenship status, and high school location.
What if I believe my residency status is incorrect?
Submit an Application for Classification as a Missouri Resident and supporting documentation for review.
My parents are divorced. One parent lives in Missouri and one lives out of state. Can I qualify for Missouri residency?
Possibly. If the Missouri-resident parent has legal custody or is legally responsible for educational support under a joint custody agreement, you may be eligible to qualify as a Missouri resident.