Residency

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Residency status is determined by the SCCC Registrar according to the following guidelines:

Resident Status (In-State)

Procedures consistent with the State of Kansas statutes will be utilized; in order to be classified as a resident student (In-State) for tuition purposes, a person enrolling at SCCC must have had six (6) months continuous legal residency in the State of Kansas immediately prior to the first day of classes in a semester. The six (6) month residency requirement may be waived if the student (or parent of a dependent student) was transferred or recruited to Kansas by an employer as a full-time employee to work in the state. Proof of residency and employment verification is required.

Border States

Students who are residents of the following states will be charged border state tuition rates: Colorado, New Mexico, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Non-Resident Status (Out-of-State or International)

Students not meeting the Kansas residency requirements will be classified as a non-resident student (Out-of-State or International) for tuition purposes and will be charged the appropriate tuition rate.

International

A student who is a citizen of another country will be classified as International unless the student meets the Kansas six (6) month residency requirement. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate any request for change of residency; an Affidavit of Residency form may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office.

A student who has been issued a Certificate of Eligibility (USCIS Form I-20 with an F-1 Visa) to attend college at SCCC cannot be considered a Kansas resident and will be classified as International. High school exchange students with a J-1 Visa who take SCCC classes concurrently will also be classified as international.

The Registrar may change a student’s residency status immediately when such information becomes known and is verified

Residency under Section 702 of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (“Choice Act”)

Effective July 1, 2015, in order to maintain approval to offer programs of education for payment of benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty at public institutions of higher learning, schools must charge in-state tuition and fee amounts to “covered individuals.” A “covered individual” is defined in the Choice Act as:

  • A Veteran who lives in the state in which the institution of higher learning is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
  • A spouse or child using transferred benefits who lives in the state in which the institution of higher learning is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within 3 years of the transferor’s discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.

A spouse or child using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship who lives in the state in which the institution of higher learning is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the Service member’s death in the line of duty following a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

Residency under Kansas HB 2145

Eligibility for Resident Tuition (In-State) under Kansas 2004 House Bill 2145 for Certain Undocumented Immigrants and Others

Any student who meets all of the following criteria can be considered a Kansas resident for tuition purposes if:

  1. student has attended an accredited Kansas high school for three or more years

and

  1. student has graduated from an accredited Kansas high school or has received a GED issued in Kansas

and

  1. in the case of a person without lawful immigration status – student has signed and filed an affidavit with SCCC stating that the student or student’s parents have filed an application to legalize such student’s/parent’s immigration status (or will file such an application as soon as such person is eligible to do so).

or

  1. In the case of a person with a legal, nonpermanent immigration status – student has filed with SCCC an affidavit stating that such student has filed an application with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) to begin the process for U.S. citizenship (or will file such an application as soon as such person is eligible to do so).

Under this 2004 Kansas law, effective July 1, 2004, students who are not eligible for Kansas residency include:

  1. students who have a valid student visa (International students with F-1, and J-1 visas).
  2. students who are eligible to enroll in a public postsecondary educational institution in another state and be considered residents of that state.

Rollover to In-State Residency

After a non-resident student has continuously resided in Kansas for six (6) months, he/she may petition for in-state residency by completing an Affidavit of Residency form in the Registrar’s Office. The Affidavit of Residency form requires that the person provide three (3) documents from the following:

  • Receipt for payment of Kansas property tax.
  • Receipt for purchase of Kansas motor vehicle license tags.
  • Employment verification or payroll check stubs from employer, showing Kansas address or school attendance at SCCC commencing six (6) months prior to the start of the term.
  • Copy of Kansas voter registration card.
  • Copy of Kansas driver’s license.
  • Bank statements, utility and/or rent receipts showing Kansas address in student’s name.
  • Notarized verification from a Kansas resident that the student has resided with him/her/them for the six months prior to the start of the term. (Include a copy of that person’s Kansas driver’s License.

The Affidavit of Residency form requires that the student’s signature be notarized by a Notary Public.

The Registrar will change the student’s records to reflect in-state residency only after all requirements have been fulfilled. When enrolling, the student is responsible for indicating the proper residence classification for tuition and fee purposes. If there is any question of residency classification, as regulated by the State of Kansas statutes, the student should inquire with the Registrar who will review the facts and make a determination. If a student enrolls incorrectly as a resident of Kansas, and it is determined at a later date that the student was a non-resident for tuition purposes, payment of non-resident tuition will be required for all semesters during which the student was incorrectly registered. The establishment of in-state residency and providing supporting documentation is the responsibility of the student.

Establishing Seward County Residency

The establishment of Seward County, Kansas residency and providing supporting documentation is the responsibility of the student. A similar procedure to establishing Kansas residency will be used to establish Seward County residency. Eligibility for a Seward County Tuition Grant is possible only after the student has provided the required documentation to meet residency requirements and met the financial aid application timelines.

Residency Appeal Process

A Residency Status Appeals Committee consisting of the VP of Student Services, the VP of Finance & Operations, and the Director of Admissions, will hear appeals from students when in-state residency has been denied or appeals from the college that such residency is denied. The appeals request must be initiated, in writing, with the VP of Student Services. The appeals committee’s decision is final for the given semester.