Academic Catalog

Residency Requirements

The State Board recognizes three student residency categories: in-state, out-of-state and non- citizen. A student’s legal residence shall determine the tuition rate paid by the student.

Students who are residents of the United States and otherwise qualify as Georgia residents shall pay tuition and fees prescribed by the State Board for in-state students.

Students who are residents of the United States but do not otherwise qualify as Georgia residents shall pay tuition at a rate of two (2) times that charged a Georgia resident in addition to fees prescribed by the State Board for out- of-state students.

Students who are non-citizens and are studying at a Technical College shall pay tuition at a rate four times (4) that charged a Georgia resident in addition to fees prescribed by the State Board for non-citizenstudents.

Tuition and fees vary depending on the legal residency status of the student. The determination of a student’s residency status must be based on documentation indicating that the student has established and will maintain legal residence or domicile in the state of Georgia. Individuals who are classified by Georgia Piedmont Technical College as non-resident but who later claim to qualify as legal residents must file a "Petition for Georgia Residence Classification" form with the Office of Admissions.

Residence status is not changed automatically, and the burden of proof rests with students to demonstrate that they qualify as a legal resident under the rules and regulations of both the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC). Petitions for change in residency must be submitted and approved prior to the first official day of the semester to be effective that semester. Petitions will not be accepted for past semesters. The following regulations have been adopted by Georgia Piedmont Technical College for the purpose of determining the residency status of students:

An independent student meets the Georgia Residency requirements if he or she has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the school semester for which the student is seeking in-state tuition.

If an independent student who was correctly determined to meet Georgia Residency requirements temporarily relocates outside the State of Georgia, but returns to the State of Georgia within 12 months, such student shall retain his or her status as a Georgia Resident, for purposes of In-State Tuition.

A dependent student meets the Georgia Residency requirements if his or her parent has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the school semester for which the student is seeking in-state tuition, and such student graduated from an eligible high school located in the State of Georgia; or the parent claimed the student as a dependent on the parent’s most recent federal income tax return.

A person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be classified as a non-citizen student.

A person who, in accordance with the Federal Title IV definition, is a United States permanent resident with a Permanent Resident Card (I-551);or a conditional permanent resident (I- 551C); or the holder of an Arrival- Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: Refugee, Asylum Granted, Parolee (I-94 confirms paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired); or Cuban- Haitian Entrant meets the Georgia Residency requirements if he or she has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the school term for which the student is seeking state tuition.

In the case where the a parent or a United States court-appointed legal guardian of a dependent student who was determined to meet Georgia Residency requirements establishes domicile outside the State of Georgia, the student shall continue to retain his or her status as a Georgia resident as long as such student remains continuously enrolled in a Technical College System of Georgia college.

A dependent student meets the Georgia residency requirements if he or she has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the school semester for which the student is seeking in-state tuition, provided that the appointment was not made to avoid payment of out- of-state tuition.

United States military personnel stationed in Georgia and on active duty and their dependents living in Georgia shall pay in-state tuition.

United States military personnel, spouses, and dependent children reassigned outside Georgia, who remain continuously enrolled and on active military status shall pay in-state tuition.

United States military personnel and their dependents that are domiciled in Georgia, but are stationed outside the State of Georgia shall pay in-state tuition.

Students who enter Georgia Piedmont Technical College as non-residents and subsequently qualify as a Georgia resident for fee purposes must file a Petition for Georgia Residency with the Office of Admissions. The student's residence status is not changed automatically. A request must be made for the change at the proper time, and the student must provide documentation that they qualify for the change of residence status.