Residency Status for Tuition Purposes

Residency determination for tuition purposes is governed by rules and regulations adopted by the College of Southern Idaho Board of Trustees and Idaho Code § 33-2110, § 33-2110A and § 33-2110B.

Based on information provided by the applicant, the Office of Admissions makes an initial determination concerning the student's residency status for tuition purposes (e.g. Idaho/out-of-state, in-district/out-of-district). The student's residency status remains unchanged unless the student submits a Residency Determination Form with the required documentation to the Office of the Registrar on or before the 10th calendar day of the semester. Re-determination is made based on the evidence supplied. Qualifications for residency must be met prior to the opening day of the semester for which reclassification is sought.

In general, a student enrolling into the College of Southern Idaho shall not be deemed a resident of the community college district, or of a county, or of the State of Idaho, unless the student established domicile primarily for purposes other than education within said district, county, or the State, for at least twelve (12) months continuously prior to the beginning of the term for which the student enrolls.

Students who are Idaho residents but who are NOT legal residents of Twin Falls, Jerome, Ada, Canyon, Bonneville, and Kootenai counties are considered out-of-district students. Out-of-district students are initially billed in-district tuition and fees plus the out-of-district portion of tuition ($50 per credit up to a maximum of 10 credits or $500 per semester; $3,000 lifetime limit). Out-of-district students MUST submit a Certificate of Residency form at least once every academic year , and in some cases, every academic term, depending on the county (see county clerk for specific instructions), The deadline to submit forms to the county clerk offices is December 1st for the Fall semester and May 1st for the Spring semester . When an approved certificate of county residency is received by CSI the fees will be credited back to the student's account. If an approved certificate of county residency is not received by CSI you will be responsible for paying the fees.

State of Idaho Residency and District Residency

Students who enroll at the College of Southern Idaho may qualify for Idaho and/or District Residency, respectively, for tuition purposes under one or more of the following criteria:

Dependent Student: Any student who has one or more parent(s)/legal guardian(s) ("parent/guardian") who is domiciled in Idaho and provides at least 50% of the student's financial support. The parent/guardian must have maintained a bona fide domicile in Idaho for at least 12 months prior to the term in which the student is applying for residency.
Independent Student: Any student receives less than 50% financial support from a parent/guardian; has continuously resided in, and maintained a bona fide domicile in Idaho for purposes other than education for at least 12 months prior to the term in which the student is applying for residency.
Graduate of an Idaho High School: Any student who is a graduate from an accredited Idaho high school, is domiciled in Idaho, and who enrolls in an Institution within six years immediately following secondary school graduation regardless of the domicile of the student's parent or guardian (except if a non-US citizen (see, definition of non-resident below)).
Completed 6 Years of Elementary and Secondary Education in Idaho: Any student who completed 6 years of elementary and secondary education in Idaho, is domiciled in Idaho, and matriculates at an Institution within 6 years following completion of secondary education.
Married to an Idaho Resident: Any student who is married to a person who is classified, or eligible for classification, as an Idaho resident for the purpose of attending an Institution, except that a student who was enrolled as a full-time student in any term during the 12 month period before the term in which the student proposes to enroll as a resident student must independently establish domicile.
Armed Forces: Any student, the spouse of the student, or the parent/guardian of a dependent student who meets one of the following criteria:
1. Member of the Armed Forces who entered service as an Idaho resident, has maintained
2. Idaho resident status, but is stationed outside of Idaho on military orders.
3. Member of the Armed Forces stationed in Idaho on military orders.
4. Officer or enlisted member of the Idaho National Guard.
5. Member who has been separated, under honorable conditions, from the Armed Forces after at least 2 years of service:
  - who at the time of separation designated Idaho as the intended domicile, and within 1 year of the date of separation enters an Institution; or
  - Who listed Idaho as the home of record in service, and within 1 year of the date of separation enters an Institution; or
  - Who moves to Idaho for the purpose of establishing domicile; provided however, to maintain status as a resident student, such person must actively establish domicile in Idaho within 1 year of registration at an Institution.
Member of the following Idaho Native American Indian Tribes: Members of the following Idaho Native American Indian Tribes "whose traditional and customary tribal boundaries included portions of the state of Idaho, or whose Indian tribe was granted reserved lands within the state of Idaho":
1. Coeur d'Alene;
2. Shoshone-Paiute;
3. Nez Perce;
4. Shoshone-Bannock;
5. Kootenai; or
6. Eastern Shoshone

Becoming an Idaho Resident

The establishment of domicile in Idaho by a person formerly domiciled outside of Idaho has occurred for residency purposes if the person is present in Idaho primarily for purposes other than educational.

If a student has been enrolled at an Institution full time during the prior 12 months, the student is presumed to be in Idaho primarily for educational purposes and is a non-resident. Such period of enrollment is not counted toward the establishment of a domicile in Idaho unless the student can provide proof of full-time employment in Idaho for the prior 12 month period and the filing of an Idaho state resident income tax return for the prior tax year.

Domicile may be proved by:

The filing of Idaho state income tax return covering a period of at least 12 months before the term in which the student proposes to enroll as a resident student and permanent full-time employment (30 hours per week, or 120 hours per month) or the hourly equivalent in Idaho for a period of at least 12 months before the term in which the student proposes to enroll as a resident student; or
If you weren't attending school full-time in the prior year, proving at least five of the following type of criteria for 12 months before the term for which residency is sought:
- Ownership or leasing of a residence in Idaho;
- Registration and payment of Idaho taxes or fees, other than sales or income tax;
- Registration to vote in Idaho;
- Holding an Idaho driver's license or ID card;
- Evidence of abandonment of a previous domicile;
- Establishment of accounts with Idaho financial institutions;
- Other similar factors such as:
  - Enrollment of dependent children in Idaho elementary or secondary schools
  - Acceptance of permanent employment in Idaho
  - Documentation of need to care for relative in Idaho
  - Utility statements
  - Employment documentation

Definitions:

Non-resident: A non-resident student is any student who:
- Does not qualify for residency under the above options; or
- Attends an Institution with financial assistance from another country or governmental unit or agency thereof, such non-residency continuing for 1 year after completion of the term for which such assistance is last provided; or
- Is not a citizen of the United States, unless the student can provide verification of lawful presence in the United States. "Lawful presence" is verified through the means set forth in Idaho Code, 67-7903. A non-citizen student who can provide verification of lawful presence in the United States must meet one of the seven pathways to establish residency set forth above.
Continuously resided: means has maintained a physical presence in Idaho for 12 consecutive months. An independent student must have continuously resided in Idaho for the 12 months prior to the term for which residency is sought. Evidence of physical presence in Idaho might include: utility statements; rental agreement; bank statements; documentation from Idaho employer, etc.
Primarily Educational Purposes:enrollment in 12 or more credit hours in any term during the past 12 months.
Armed Forces:means the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the reserve forces of those groups and does not include the National Guard or any other reserve force.

The College reserves the right to audit students at any time with regard to eligibility for Idaho/district resident status and to reclassify students who are registered under an improper classification. Idaho/district residency classification or reclassification based upon materially erroneous, false or misleading statements or omissions by or in support of the applicant shall be set aside retroactively upon the discovery of the erroneous nature of such statements. Any student having paid less than required to the College because of an erroneous classification or reclassification which is subsequently set aside, will repay any and all amounts not properly paid because of the erroneous classification or reclassification. If a student concealed information or furnished false or misleading information and was classified incorrectly as a result, he or she will also be subject to appropriate disciplinary and/or legal action.

It shall be the responsibility of the student to notify the Office of the Registrar of possible changes in residency and to furnish all requested documentation in a timely fashion. The burden of proof in requesting a change in resident status rests with the student. Within thirty (30) days following the receipt of the student's written request to appeal the decision, the Office of the Registrar shall issue a determination and notify the student in writing. Students are responsible for paying the tuition and fees owed on their accounts by the established due date. Resident tuition rates shall be effective for the semester in which a student is reclassified to resident status. If residency (Idaho and/or district) is granted after payment was received, the difference will be refunded within a reasonable time to the student (a Request for Refund form must be filled out and submitted to the Business Office).

If the student is not satisfied with the determination of the Office of the Registrar staff, he/she can appeal directly to the Registrar. If the student continues to have concerns he/she can appeal to the Associate Vice-President of Student Services. All appeals must be submitted (or postmarked), in writing and accompanied by all required documentation, within ten (10) calendar days after the date of notification of residency decision that is being appealed. Failure to comply shall constitute a waiver of all claims to reclassification for the applicable term.

Tuition and Fee Waivers/Reimbursements

Out-of-state, out-of-district, or in-district tuition and fees MAY be waived in part or in full or special rates may apply under various circumstances:

Full-time regular CSI employees, their spouses and children may register for credit classes at CSI without paying tuition and fees, however, they are still responsible for any special fees, zero credit course fees, and book/supply costs.
Senior citizens, individuals who are sixty (60) years or older, can apply for a CSI Gold card through the Office on Aging and with that card they may register for credit classes as a non-degree seeking student at CSI without having to pay tuition and fees, however, they are still responsible for any special fees, zero credit course fees, and book/supply costs.
Student who graduated from an accredited Idaho secondary school and enrolls at CSI the term immediately following graduation (does not include summer term) is considered an Idaho resident for tuition purposes.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) – CSI participates in WUE, a program of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Residents of WICHE states may be eligible enroll in participating two- and four‑year college programs outside their home states at a reduced tuition rate. WICHE states include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. If you have questions about WUE, contact the Financial Aid Office.
Student who, regardless of current domicile, is a member of one the following Idaho American Indian tribes whose traditional and customary tribal boundaries included portions of the state of Idaho, or whose Indian tribe was granted reserved lands within the state of Idaho: (i) Coeur d’Alene tribe, (ii) Shoshone-Bannock tribes, (iii) Shoshone-Paiute tribes, (iv) Nez Perce tribe, and (v) Kootenai tribe shall be considered Idaho resident for purposes of tuition.
Immigrant alien with “refugee,” “asylee,” or “conditional entrant” status (or dependent children of such refugee, asylee, or conditional entrant) who comes directly to Idaho/district from a refugee facility or port of debarkation and has not established domicile in another state/district is considered Idaho/district resident for tuition purposes.
Summer term - special rates apply as approved by the CSI Board of Trustees.
Dual credit/high school students - special rates apply as approved by the CSI Board of Trustees.

Tuition waiver requests that do not fall under one of the above categories must be submitted to the College President for consideration.

In addition to tuition waivers granted by the College, some students may have some or all of their tuition and fees, room and board, and other expenses paid for or reimbursed through scholarships, grants, stipends, and a variety of state or federal programs (e.g. student participating in intercollegiate athletics, cheer leaders, dance team members, student senators, ambassadors, Program Board members, Diversity Council members, eligible veterans and disabled veterans’ spouses and children (when eligible), WIA program participants, IREX students, etc.).