Colorado Residency for In-State Tuition

To qualify for in-state tuition at Colorado Mesa University, you must establish legal domicile in Colorado for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of class of the semester you have applied/petitioned for. Tuition classification is based on the parent's residency information until the student is 23 years old, unless the student can prove financial emancipation or qualifies under one of the Special Residency Categories listed below.

If you are a graduate student, contact [email protected] for questions about tuition classification.

General Requirements

CMU follows Colorado State law (CO Revised Statutes §23-7-101 to 113) and cannot make exceptions or apply status retroactively. Learn more on the Colorado Department of Education tuition classification regulation site.

Because Colorado law governs Colorado residency status, the fact that a student might not qualify for in-state status in any other state does not guarantee in-state status in Colorado. Although individuals may be considered state residents for voting and other legal purposes after being in the state for a short period of time, the tuition law specifies additional requirements for classification as "in-state" for tuition purposes.

Domicile: describes the place where an individual has demonstrated intent to make a permanent home and legal residence
Both physical presence and intent to make Colorado one's permanent state of residence is required
All ties to other states must be severed

How to Establish Domicile

Tuition classification is based on the parent's residency information until the student is 23 years old, unless the student can prove financial emancipation or qualifies under one of the Special Residency Categories listed below.

To begin the one-year (12 consecutive months) domicile period, you must have both of the following:

Part 1

Physical Presence

This is shown through:

Lease or rental agreement
Home ownership
Rent receipts or landlord statement

Part 2

Evidence of Intent

One or two connections aren't enough — multiple ties are needed to establish residency.

Demonstrated established legal ties in Colorado:

Colorado driver’s license or ID
Colorado vehicle registration
Voter registration
Full-time employment
Colorado state income taxes

What Might Disqualify You From Being Eligible For In-state Tuition

Examples include:

Filing taxes as a non-resident or in another state
State ID or license issued in another state
Vehicle registered in another state
Owning a home in another state
Long absences from Colorado within the 12 months immediately preceding the semester you are seeking in-state tuition

Financial Emancipation or Marriage (Under the Age of 23)

If you're under 23 years old you may be eligible to use your own residency information if you are not financially supported by your parents or you are married. If you are claiming to be financially emancipated, you must prove complete financial emancipation by completing CMU’s Petition for In-State Tuition notarized with:

Documentation of financial independence
Evidence of Colorado ties (as listed above)

Petitions must be submitted to [email protected] before the start of the semester you are applying for.

Incoming Student: Residency Update Form

If you are an incoming student and you believe you have been classified incorrectly, please check your email for the Residency Update Form.

Current Student: Residency Petition

If you are a current student looking to change your tuition classification, please read below to see if you have met the Colorado residency requirements before filling out the Residency Petition.

Note: WUE/M&P Classification

Time spent on a CMU reduced tuition program (WUE or M&P) does not count towards the twelve month domiciliary period. Students classified on WUE/M&P must be reclassified as out-of-state for a full year before they are eligible to petition for in-state.

WUE/M&P Terms and Conditions

Special Residency Categories

You may also qualify for in-state tuition if you meet one of the following criteria:

Residents without lawful immigration status may qualify for in-state tuition under the ASSET program. Please review ASSET qualifications.

ASSET / Colorado High School Attendance Rule

A student (other than a non-immigrant alien) qualifies for in-state tuition if they attended a Colorado high school for at least one year immediately preceding graduation or earning a Colorado GED, graduated from a Colorado high school or earned a GED in Colorado, and have been physically present in Colorado for the 12 months immediately preceding enrollment at a Colorado public college or university.

(Authorized under C.R.S. §23-7-110 – Colorado ASSET Eligibility for In-State Tuition)

Family Moves During Student’s Senior Year of High School

A student qualifies for in-state tuition if their parent or legal guardian moved to Colorado for employment purposes during the student’s senior year of high school, and the student attended and graduated from a Colorado public high school.

Verification of the parent's move for employment is required.

(Authorized under C.R.S. §23-7-111(1))

Four-Year Domicile Rule (Parents lived in Colorado for at least four years then moved)

A student remains eligible for in-state tuition if their parents maintained Colorado domicile for at least four years immediately before moving out of state, and either the parents left after the student’s junior year of high school with the student enrolling in a Colorado public college within 42 months (three and a half years), or the student maintained continuous Colorado domicile after the parents’ move by keeping strong Colorado ties such as living in the state, voter registration or tax filing.

(Authorized under C.R.S. §23-7-103(2)(m)(II))

This exception applies to employees who relocate to Colorado with an employer participating in a state economic incentive program. Eligible employees must provide documentation from the Colorado Office of Economic Development; dependent children may qualify, but spouses do not. Documentation is required.

This exception allows in-state tuition for students who moved to Colorado within the past year because their parent or legal guardian accepted a paid faculty position at a Colorado state-supported college or university. The faculty member and their spouse are not eligible. Employment verification is required.

Military documentation is required.

Active Duty U.S. Military Member
Dependent of Active Duty U.S. Military Member
U.S. Military Veteran or Dependent
Colorado National Guard Member or Dependent
Canadian Armed Forces Active Duty Member or Dependent
Chapter 31 VA Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) Participant

Military Exception Details

Members of tribes with historic ties to Colorado may qualify under the American Indian Tribes In-State Tuition Act. Tribal registration card is required.

Eligible tribe list

Under the Colorado Tuition Classification for Peace Corps Volunteers Act (effective Fall 2023), students who have served satisfactorily as Peace Corps Volunteers, as certified by the Peace Corps director, may qualify for in-state tuition even if they don't meet standard residency requirements. Certifications are available through the Peace Corps RPCV Portal.

Certification of service is required.

Refugees or special immigrants who settle in Colorado for reasons other than education may qualify immediately under Senate Bill 18-087.

Documentation is required and may include:

Form I-589 or other immigration status proof
Parent’s Colorado residency proof (if under 23)
I-485 receipt for permanent residency application

Citizenship documentation is required from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or the Republic of Palau. Eligibility is for in-state tuition without College Opportunity Fund (COF).

Colorado law HB17-1081, effective August 9, 2017, allows in-state tuition for elite athletes who reside in Colorado and train in a program approved by the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and the governing body of an Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American, or Parapan American sport.

Documentation is required.

Questions?

Contact [email protected] for guidance on the residency petition process.