Idaho Residency for Tuition Purposes

Residency determination for tuition purposes is governed by rules and regulations adopted by the North Idaho College (NIC) Board of Trustees and Idaho Codes 33-3717B, § 33-2110, § 33-2110A, and § 33-2110B.

Based on the information provided by the applicant in the NIC Application for Admission, an initial determination is made concerning the student’s residency status for tuition purposes (e.g., in-state/out-of-state, in-district/out-of-district). If residency information is missing or incomplete the student status will default to non-resident, and the tuition will default to out-of-state.

The student’s residency status remains unchanged unless the student submits a Residency Determination Worksheet with the required documentation to Cardinal Central. A redetermination is made based on the documentation provided. Qualifications for residency must be met prior to the first day of the term for which redetermination is sought.

Requirements to Establish Idaho Residency

There are two components to establish Idaho residency for tuition purposes: Pathway and Domicile. In order to qualify as an Idaho resident for tuition purposes, applicants first must meet all conditions for the selected pathway and second must meet all domicile requirements (if specified by the selected pathway*):

• Pathways

  1. Dependent Student
     Student is a dependent of a parent/legal guardian who has been domiciled in Kootenai County, Idaho for at least 12 months prior to the term the student is applying for residency. The parent/guardian must demonstrate maintenance of a bona fide domicile* in Kootenai County, Idaho for at least 12 months and provide evidence of supporting the student over 50%.
  2. Independent Student
     Student is not a dependent of parent/legal guardian, has continuously resided in, and can demonstrate maintenance of a bona fide domicile* in Kootenai County, Idaho for purposes other than education for at least 12 months prior to the term applying for residency.
  3. Married to an Idaho Resident
  Student is married to a person who is classified, or eligible for classification, as an Idaho resident for the purposes of attending an Idaho public institution. Spouse must demonstrate maintenance of a bona fide domicile* in Kootenai County, Idaho for at least 12 months prior to the term applying for residency. 
  4. Armed Forces
     Any independent student, spouse, or parent/guardian of a dependent student who meets one of the following criteria. Armed Forces include US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the reserve forces of those groups; it does not include related civilian employees.
     

     1. Member of Armed Forces who entered service as an Idaho resident, has maintained Idaho resident status, but is stationed outside of Idaho on military orders.
     2. Member of Armed Forces stationed in Idaho on military orders.
     3. Officer or enlisted member of the Idaho National Guard.
     4. Member who has separated under honorable conditions after at least 2 years of service and enters an Idaho public institution within 3 years of separation date:
        • Who at the time of separation designated Idaho as intended domicile or
        • Who listed Idaho as home of record in service or
        • Who moves to Idaho for purpose of establishing domicile; provided, however, to maintain status as a resident student, must actively establish domicile* within 1 year of registration at an Idaho public institution.

  5. Member of Idaho Native American Indian Tribe
     Student who is a member of one of the following tribes: Coeur d’Alene, Colville Confederated, Eastern Shoshone, Flathead, Kalispel, Kootenai, Nez Perce, Northwestern Shoshone, Pend Oreille, Shoshone-Bannock, Shoshone-Paiute, Spokane, Umatilla or Yakama.

• Domicile

  Domicile is an individual's true, fixed, and permanent home and place of habitation. The establishment of domicile is supported by demonstrating the following criteria have been maintained for a minimum of 12 months prior to the start of the term.
  
  — Parent/guardian, spouse, or independent student must prove these minimum requirements:
  

  • Permanent full-time (30+ hours/week or 120+ hours/month) employment in Idaho
  • Holding Idaho driver's license or ID card
  • Filing of an Idaho state resident tax return for the prior year

  
  

  or holding Idaho driver's license or ID card and establishment of at least five of the following factors:
  

  • Ownership or leasing of residence in Idaho
  • Filing of an Idaho state resident tax return for the prior year
  • Registration and payment of Idaho taxes or fees (vehicle), other than income tax
  • Registration to vote in Idaho
  • Evidence of abandonment of previous domicile
  • Establishment of accounts with Idaho financial institutions
  • Other similar factors such as:
    1. enrollment of dependent children in Idaho primary or secondary schools
    2. acceptance of permanent employment in Idaho
    3. documentation of need to care for relative in Idaho
    4. utility statements
    5. employment documentation

Students are not eligible for Idaho residency for tuition purposes when:

• Attending an Idaho institution with financial assistance provided by another state or governmental entity thereof within the last 12 months. WUE is such financial assistance program and disqualifies a student from establishing residency as an independent.
• A non-Idaho resident claims student as a dependent.
• Not a US citizen or permanent resident, or not otherwise lawfully present in the US.

Applying for Idaho Residency

• To change your residency status to In-State/Non-District (Idaho state resident but not Ada, Bonneville, Canyon, Jerome, Kootenai or Twin Falls counties), submit a certificate of residency to your county clerk. Visit the Non-District webpage for additional information. 
• To change your residency status to District (residents of Ada, Bonneville, Canyon, Jerome, Kootenai and Twin Falls counties) you will need to submit a Residency Determination Worksheet and supporting documents.

Additional Resources:

• Idaho State Board of Education Resident Tuition fact sheet
• Idaho State Board of Education Residency Visual