Financially Dependent Students
You are considered financially dependent if you are 24 years of age or younger, unmarried, can be claimed or have been claimed as a dependent on your parent, step-parent or legal guardian’s current and previous federal income tax return (and state income tax form if applicable) and are dependent on a parent, step-parent or court appointed guardian for financial support.
Students who are financially dependent upon parents, step-parents or legal guardians must provide documentation to prove their parent, step-parent or legal guardian is a Washington State resident and meets the residency requirements for tuition paying purposes by demonstrating they have established a domicile through ties to the state. This information and the Residence Questionnaire should be submitted to your campus Residency Reclassification Officer.
You may be eligible for resident tuition if one of your parents or legal guardian lives in Washington and you demonstrate financial dependence. One way to do that is to show you were claimed as a dependent on the most recent federal income tax return submitted by one of your parents, step-parents or legal guardian.
In addition, at least one parent or your legal guardian will need to demonstrate they have established a domicile in Washington and that they meet the 12 month continuous presence requirement. The parent who has established a domicile will be the parent or legal guardian completing and signing the second page of the Residence Questionnaire.
You may be eligible for resident tuition if you spent 75% of both your junior and senior years in a Washington high school and you enrolled in college within six (6) months of your high school graduation.
In addition, your parents or legal guardian must demonstrate they had a domicile in Washington for at least one (1) full year during the five (5) year period before you graduated from high school. You and your parent should complete and submit a Residence Questionnaire, and supporting documentation with regard to their Washington domicile prior to their move, to your Residency Reclassification Officer.
You will retain your residency eligibility as long as you remain continuously enrolled in college for three quarters in any calendar year.
Some examples of qualifying documents are:
- Washington State driver license
- Vehicle registration
- Voter registration
- Lease or rental agreement (first page and signature page)
- Home purchase agreement listing the physical address of the home and date of closing (first page and signature page)
- Evidence of employment in Washington (W2 Wage and Tax Statement Form and/or first page and signature page of your current Federal Income Tax Form.
- For other living arrangements or circumstances, please contact your campus Residency Classification Officer.
Questions? Your campus Residency Classification Officer can help.