In-State Residency and Tuition

Requirements for In-state Residency
You must be a U. S. citizen; a permanent U.S. resident; or hold an A, E, G, H-1 or H-4, K, or N visa to qualify for in-state tuition. You must also demonstrate intent to establish domicile. This determination is based on several factors, which include living in Virginia for one year, payment of Virginia income taxes, registering to vote, holding a Virginia drivers license, registering your automobile in Virginia, and ownership of property in Virginia.

If you are being charged out-of-state tuition and wish to be considered for in-state rates, please fill out the In-state Tuition Request Form. Allow two to three days after submitting the application to the Graduate School for it to show up on your student record, if you are approved. Out-of-state undergraduate students do not automatically receive in-state status when they enter Graduate School at Virginia Tech.

Academic Common Market
Academic Common Market is a program offered by the Southern Regional Education Board for students who seek to pursue a graduate program that is not offered in their home states. The Academic Common Market provides opportunities for such students to study outside of their home states and still pay in-state tuition. Visit the Southern Regional Education Board website for additional information.

Graduate Assistantships
If you are an out-of-state student on an assistantship you may receive a tuition scholarship and out-of-state fee waiver, but your out-of-state status is not changed. Should you go off the assistantship, you will be charged out-of-state tuition if you have not applied for and been granted state residency.

Graduate students who hold assistantships, and are classified as out-of-state residents, and earn more than $4000 during the academic year are eligible for a waiver of the out-of-state fees. For additional information, review the graduate assistantship webpage.