Georgia Perimeter College is required under Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia policy (Section 3.3.2) to determine the residence classification for tuition purposed of all applicants and students of Georgia Perimeter College.
Description of Terms Used in the Policy
Dependent Student: An individual under the age of 24 who receives financial support from a parent or United States court-appointed legal guardian.
Emancipated: A minor who, under certain circumstances, may be treated by the law as an adult. A student reaching the age of 18 shall not qualify for consideration of reclassification by virtue of having become emancipated unless he/she can demonstrate financial independence and domicile independence of his/her parents.
Independent Student: An individual who is not claimed as a dependent on the federal or state income tax returns of a parent or United States court-appointed legal guardian and whose parent or guardian has ceased to provide support and rights to that individual’s care, custody, and earnings.
Undocumented Student: Undocumented students include those students born outside of the United States who reside here without legal permission of the federal government. Undocumented students are not precluded from admission to public colleges and universities, but are ineligible for federal or state financial assistance and must pay out-of-state tuition fees.
United States Citizens
Independent Student: An independent student who has established and maintained a domicile in the State of Georgia for a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term shall be classified as in-state for tuition purposes.
No student shall gain or acquire in-state classification while attending any postsecondary educational institution in this state without clear evidence of having established domicile in Georgia for purposes other than attending a postsecondary educational institution in this state.
If an independent student classified as in-state for tuition purposes relocates out of state temporarily but returns to the State of Georgia within twelve (12) months of the relocation, such student shall be entitled to retain his/her in-state tuition classification.
Dependent Student: A dependent student shall be classified as in-state for tuition purposes if such dependent student’s parent has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term and:
- The student has graduated from a Georgia high school; or,
- The parent claimed the student as a dependent on the parent’s most recent federal or state income tax return.
A dependent student shall be classified as in-state for tuition purposes if such student’s United States court appointed legal guardian has established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term, provided that:
- Such appointment was not made to avoid payment of out-of-state tuition; and,
- The United States court-appointed legal guardian can provide clear evidence of having established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term.
If the parent or United States court appointed legal guardian of a dependent student currently classified as in-state for tuition purposes establishes domicile outside of the State of Georgia after having established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia, such student may retain his/her in-state tuition classification so long as such student remains continuously enrolled in a public postsecondary educational institution in this state, regardless of the domicile of such student’s parent or United States court-appointed legal guardian.
Non-Citizens: A non-citizen student shall not be classified as in-state for tuition purposes unless the student is legally in this state and there is evidence to warrant consideration of in-state classification as determined by the Board of Regents. Lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, or other eligible noncitizens as defined by federal Title IV regulations may be extended the same consideration as citizens of the United States in determining whether they qualify for in-state classification.
International students who reside in the United States under non-immigrant status conditioned at least in part upon intent not to abandon a foreign domicile shall not be eligible for in-state classification.
Petitioning for In-State Tuition
A student is responsible for registering under the proper residency classification. A student classified as an out-of-state resident for tuition purposes but who believes that he/she qualifies as in-state must file a Petition for Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes with the campus Enrollment and Registration Services office. Residence status for tuition purposes is not changed automatically. The burden of proof rests with the student to demonstrate that he/she qualifies for in-state tuition under the regulations of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. The completed petition and all supporting documentation must be submitted prior to the semester in which the student is to be considered for reclassification. If the petition is approved, classification for in-state tuition is not retroactive to prior terms.
Tuition Differential Waivers
Georgia Perimeter College may waive the differential between in-state and out-of-state tuition. Granting a tuition differential waiver does not constitute a change to in-state residence for tuition purposes. All conditions must be met and supporting documentation submitted before any review will be made. The following waivers are available to Georgia Perimeter College students.
| Waiver Type | Description |
| International Waiver | International students who meet the academic requirements set by Georgia Perimeter College. Some waivers based on financial need will be reviewed. |
| University System Employees and Dependents | Full-time employees of the University System, their spouse, and their dependent children. |
| Full-time School Employee | Full-time employees, their spouse, and their dependent children, of the public schools of Georgia or of the Department of Technical and Adult Education. |
| Career Consular Officials | Career consular officers, their spouse, and their dependent children, who are citizens of the foreign nation which their consular office represents and are stationed and living in Georgia under orders of their respective governments. |
| Military Personnel | Military personnel, their spouse, and their dependent children stationed in or assigned to Georgia and on active duty. |
| National Guard Members | Full-time members of the Georgia National Guard, their spouse, and their dependent children. |
| Students in ICAPP Advantage Programs | Students participating in an ICAPP Advantage Program. |
| Economic Advantage | As of the first day of classes for the term, an economic advantage waiver may be granted to a dependent or independent student who can provide clear evidence that the student or the student's parent, spouse, or U.S. court-appointed guardian has relocated to the state of Georgia to accept full-time, self-sustaining employment and has established domicile in the state of Georgia. Relocation to the state must be for reasons other than enrolling in an institution of higher education. This waiver will expire 12 months from the date the waiver was granted. |
| Recently Separated Military Service Personnel | Members of a uniformed military service of the United States who, within 12 months of separation from such service, enroll in an academic program and demonstrate an intent to become a permanent resident of Georgia. This waiver may be granted for not more than one year. |
| Nonresident Student | As of the first day of classes for the term, a nonresident student whose parent, spouse, or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian has maintained domicile in Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months so long as the student can provide clear evidence showing the relationship to the parent, spouse, or U.S. court-appointed guardian has existed for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term. |
Applying for Tuition Differential Waivers
A completed Petition for Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes and all supporting documentation must be submitted prior to the semester in which the student is to be considered for the waiver. F-1 visa students seeking the International Waiver must submit a Regents' Waiver of Non-resident Tuition Fees for International Students form. F-1 visa students must meet the current guidelines and submit the form by the deadline for the term the waiver is being requested. Information about this waiver can be obtained from the International Student Admissions and Advising office.