Residency Requirement
Under North Carolina law, persons must qualify as state residents for a tuition rate lower than that for nonresidents. 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 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.
Failure to provide accurate information for residency classification can result in classification as a nonresident and/or disciplinary action. Students who believe that they have been erroneously classified shall be permitted to appeal the classification to the Director of Enrollment Management within one month of the initial residency determination.
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 web site.