Residency for Tuition and Enrollment Purposes
Thomas Edison State University will determine residency pursuant to New Jersey Administrative Code 9A:5-1.1-1.2. The code requires that students be domiciled in the state of New Jersey for a period of 12 months prior to enrollment in a public institution of higher education in order to be eligible for in-state tuition. United States military personnel and their dependents, who are attending public institutions of higher education in New Jersey, shall be regarded as residents of the state of New Jersey for the purpose of determining tuition (N.J.S.A. 18A:62-4.1).
The Office of the Registrar is the University’s principal authority on residency determination for tuition purposes. Following the registrar’s guidance, initial residency assessment will be determined by the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Services. The permanent address of the student in effect at the time the student applies for admission will be used to determine residency for tuition purposes. The initial determination will be communicated to the student and used for all tuition and fee assessments until a subsequent change of residency has been approved in accordance with prescribed procedures.
All requests for a change in residency status will be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar. Students who are classified as nonresidents may petition for in-state residency to the Office of the Registrar. The application for state residency status for tuition purposes determination may be obtained on the University website under student forms at www.tesu.edu/studentforms. Please return completed application and documentation to the Office of the Registrar, 111 W. State St., Trenton, NJ 08608.
Students submitting change of address forms (or taking other administrative actions) that indicates their state of residency has changed will be contacted by the University and asked to verify their continued eligibility for in-state tuition. Such verification may require them submit a completed petition/questionnaire and the submission of supporting documentation.
To determine whether a person is a New Jersey domiciliary, the primary evidence is a New Jersey Resident Income Tax Return or, in the case of a dependent student, a copy of their parent(s), legal guardian’s/spouse’s New Jersey Resident Income Tax Return. Supplementary evidence may include current voter registration card, New Jersey driver’s license, and New Jersey motor vehicle registration.