Hoping someone here can give us some insider information. My daughter has been accepted (yay!) and it's her top pick. We love Boone and I know the school is perfect for her. But we are out of state, and that out of state tuition is staggering! (We haven't received information on any financial aid yet)

My concern is that the rules for getting in state tuition after the first year are very vague. Using the FAQ on the UNC's website (http://resdetermination.uncc.edu/faqs) it almost sounds like she wouldn't even qualify for in-state tuition after her first year because she's required to live in dorms, etc.

So I'm curious: do any of you have any experience with this? Are out of state students usually eligible for in-state tuition in North Carolina after their first year of school? We might be able to swing one year of out of state, but not more than that.

I was out-of-state as well, although it was much less expensive back in my day. My understanding was that I would have to get an apartment and support myself for a full year in order to qualify for in-state tuition.

I wish you and your daughter the best of luck.

My experience with out of state tuition s from 20 years ago but it might help. My room mate lived within spitting distance of the NC line but alas he was on the wrong side. He applied for in state and was told he had to prove that he would be in NC living for reasons beside school. He quit school for a year and worked in a local factory for a year and then was awarded in state tuition. I don't know if that would be the case now though.

To qualify for in-state status, you have to establish an in-state residence for a 12 month period prior to your classification determination date. Generally, this means it's difficult to gain in-state status before your second semester of year 2. A student is also generally tied to his or her parents' state of residence. NC residence rules are dictated by the NC General Statutes (NCGS). See NCGS 116.143.1 at the link below for the regulations:

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/enactedlegi ... le_14.html

Good luck. I am in year 4 of paying out of state tuition at ASU.

Thanks for the responses. I thought I had posted a reply, but don't see it here.

CincyApp, if you don't mind my asking, are you paying out of state tuition because you're not staying in town during summers? Our thinking is that if she lives in the dorm for the fall/spring semesters and then gets and apartment for the next year, including that first summer, she'll be eligible to apply for in state tuition for her second year.