Residency Requirement
North Carolina statute 116-143.1 requires that “to qualify as a resident for tuition purposes, a person must have established legal residence (domicile) in North Carolina and maintained that legal residence for at least twelve (12) months (365 days) immediately prior to his or her classification as a resident for tuition purposes.” A 12-month presence in North Carolina, even when coupled with a declaration of intent to remain permanently, does not, in and of itself, entitle an applicant to in-state tuition.
Students who believe that they have been erroneously classified shall be permitted to appeal the classification to the Director of Enrollment Management. Residency classification will be determined prior to the academic term start. Residency reclassifications that are completed after the academic term start will be made effective the following academic term.
Regulations concerning the classification of students by residence are set forth in the "North Carolina State Residence Classification Manual." A copy of the manual and the application for residency are available in Student Services and online on the WPCC website.