Residency
We’re glad you’re here! All students are welcome at Columbia Basin College regardless of residency status.
Your Washington state residency determines whether you pay resident or non-resident tuition while attending Columbia Basin College. Residency is initially determined based on how you answer the questions on your admissions application, and documentation is required if you’d like us to reevaluate your status. Residency policies are set by the State of Washington (RCW 28B.15.)
About Residency
Residency can be complicated, but we’re here to help!
How do I know my residency status?
We’ve made it easy to identify your residency status by adding a Residency hold to your student account. Your Residency hold can be viewed on your Student Center. Don’t worry—this hold is for information purposes only and will not prevent you from registering.
What are the different types of residency?
In State: Washington has been your state of residence for at least 12 months.
Out of State: You are a resident of a state other than Washington OR you have not been a Washington resident for at least 12 months.
Non U.S. Resident: You may be coded as a Non U.S. Resident if your admissions application indicates you are a non-US citizen or has conflicting information.
International: You are studying at CBC as an F1 International Student.
CBC has two forms that students commonly use to apply for residency requalification, the Washington Higher Education Residency Affidavit and the Residency Documentation for Tuition Purposes. You should only submit one of these forms OR the alternative documentation listed below, and the best option for you will depend on your circumstances.
| Residency Affidavit | Residence Questionnaire |
All residency documentation must be received prior to the 30th calendar day of the quarter for which you are seeking reclassification.
- Documentation received after the 30th calendar day will be considered for the following quarter and is not retroactive for prior quarters. The 30-day count starts on the first day of the quarter.
- You are responsible for paying tuition and fees while awaiting a determination of your residency status.
- If the determination is made that you qualify for resident status after you’ve paid tuition as a non-resident, you'll receive a refund for the difference.
- Decisions on resident status are based on documents submitted, which become a part of your file and are not returned.
Before you submit any documentation, we encourage you to review the information below that applies to your situation.
Residency Guide
There are a lot of factors that determine your residency, but don't worry—we've got information to guide you through the process!
If your residency hold is In State, you do not need to submit any documentation as you are already paying Washington resident tuition!
First, check if you’re eligible for the Washington State Higher Education Residency Affidavit. You may be eligible to submit the Residency Affidavit if:
- You have earned or will earn a high school diploma, GED, or diploma equivalent before your first term at CBC, AND
- You have maintained a primary residency in Washington for at least 12 months before starting college, AND
- You moved to Washington for purposes other than higher education.
The Residency Affidavit does not require disclosure of financial independence or citizenship.
If you meet the above requirements, download the Affidavit.
If you do not meet the qualifications listed on the Residency Affidavit, you’ll need to submit the Residency Documentation for Tuition Purposes form to apply for your residency to be changed from Out of State to In State. This is common for students who were Out of State when they first applied to CBC, but have now established domicile in Washington state.
Note: in order to submit the Residency Documentation for Tuition Purposes form, you must have moved to Washington at least 12 months prior to the start of the quarter for reasons other than education.
Before you start the packet, you’ll need to determine if you’re applying as an independent or dependent student:
Independent Student:
If you are over the age of 24 and/or no one else has claimed you on federal income taxes for the current and/or previous calendar year, you are considered financially independent for tuition purposes.
Dependent Student:
If you are under the age of 24 and someone else has claimed you on federal income taxes for the current and/or previous calendar year, you are considered financially dependent for tuition purposes. For dependent students, residency is determined by the residency of your parent or legal guardian.
If a parent or legal guardian is a Washington resident, you can apply for Washington residency.
If you are a dependent student and your parent or legal guardian is not a Washington resident, you are not eligible to apply for Washington residency.
Ready to submit?
In order to ensure timely processing, please be sure to complete the form carefully without leaving any fields blank, and include all documents listed on page one of the questionnaire. Please only provide the required documents.
Click here to download the Residency Questionnaire.
You may qualify for In State or Out of State tuition by submitting eligible citizenship documentation for review. This documentation may include, but is not limited to:
- Permanent Resident Card
- Certificate of Naturalization
- Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
- Documentation of refugee, asylee, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or Withholding of Removal status
- Current or expired DACA status
- T or U visa documentation
- PRUCOL (Permanently Residing Under the Color of Law) status
If you meet one of these categories, submit your documentation in-person at Hawk Central or via%20email%20to%20Student%20Records.
Please note that certain visas are not eligible for establishing residency in Washington state for tuition purposes as they require a domicile elsewhere. They are:
- B, C, D, F, H-1B1, H-2, H-3, J, M, P, TD, TN, WB, WT
- H-4 Visas are not specifically listed as ineligible, however residency requires that both a parent and the dependent student have an eligible status, so H-4 students are not eligible under that requirement.
You are welcome at CBC, even if you are not eligible for Washington state residency. This information is for tuition purposes only.
If your residency is Out of State or Non U.S. Resident and you qualify for one of the options above, submit the documentation that applies to your situation.
Students who receive veterans’ benefits may be eligible for the in-state tuition rate and may contact the V.E.T.S. Center for more information.
If your residency is Out of State or Non U.S. Resident and you qualify for one of the options above, submit the documentation that applies to your situation.
Students who are a member of a federally recognized tribe and are eligible for the in-state tuition rate if they meet the following two conditions:
- You have been domiciled in one or a combination of the following states: Idaho; Montana; Oregon; or Washington for one year immediately prior to enrollment at CBC AND
- You are a member of a federally recognized Indian tribes whose traditional and customary tribal boundaries included portions of the state of Washington or whose tribe was granted reserved lands within the state of Washington
Students who meet the above conditions may submit the following documentation via%20email%20to%20Student%20Records or in-person at Hawk Central:
- Copy of your Certificate of Indian Blood (CIB)
- Copy of your driver’s license
If you're a Running Start student, you should not submit any of the documentation listed above. However, if you're planning to pay tuition and fees for classes that are not covered under Running Start, you'll need to contact Running Start to learn how to submit alternative information to establish residency. Visit the Running Start webpage for contact information.
If your residency is Out of State or Non U.S. Resident and you qualify for one of the options above, submit the documentation that applies to your situation.
If your residency is In State or you believe your residency status is correct based on your situation, contact Hawk Central for assistance with your financial aid mismatch.
