Residency for New Students

Residency Determination

Residency is an important topic for many students and their families because it determines whether you pay resident (in state) or non-resident (out of state) tuition and fees. The UNT Dallas College of Law will determine your residency based on the answers you provide on your application for admission and, as necessary, your answers to the Core Residency Questions. It is very important that you answer these questions precisely so that an accurate determination can be made.

Establishing Residency

Texas law governs whether a person qualifies as a resident for purposes of higher education in Texas.

A student may qualify for residency if he or she:

1. graduated from a Texas public or accredited private high school,
2. resided in Texas the 36 months immediately preceding the date of graduation or receipt of the diploma equivalent, and
3. resided in Texas the 12 consecutive months preceding the census date of the academic semester in which the person enrolls in the educational institution. 

Or, a student may qualify for residency if he or she is an independent individual who moves into the state and is gainfully employed within the State of Texas for a period of 12 consecutive months prior to enrolling in an institution of higher education.

The student may be required to complete a set of Core Residency Questions and provide supporting documentation.

Senate Bill 1528

SB 1528 grants residency for tuition purposes to students that are neither US citizens nor permanent residents for admissions and financial aid purposes if they (1) graduated from a Texas high school or received GED in the state of Texas, (2) resided in state of Texas for the 36 months immediately preceding graduation from high school, and (3) have resided or will reside in Texas for the 12 months prior to enrollment at UNT Dallas College of Law.

If you believe you are eligible for SB 1528, you must submit a signed and notarized affidavit and an official high school transcript/GED certificate with date and scores to the Office of the Registrar, UNT Dallas College of Law.