Under most circumstances, a person must live in South Carolina for 12 consecutive months to establish residency.
South Carolina Residency Frequently Asked Questions
Your residency status helps decide if you qualify for in-state tuition and state financial aid. Below are answers to common questions about the residency process.
General Residency Requirements
- Statement of full-time employment
- Designating South Carolina as state of legal residence on military record
- Possession of a valid South Carolina driver’s license, or if a non-driver, a South Carolina identification card. Failure to obtain this within 45 days of the establishment of the intent to become a South Carolina resident will delay the beginning date of residency eligibility
- Possession of a valid South Carolina vehicle registration card for all vehicles in which the independent person is in full, or partial, ownership. Failure to obtain this within 45 days of the establishment of the intent to become a South Carolina resident will delay the beginning date of residency eligibility
- Maintenance of domicile in South Carolina
- Paying South Carolina income taxes as a resident during the past tax year, including income earned outside of South Carolina from the date South Carolina domicile was claimed
- Ownership of principal residence in South Carolina
- Licensing for professional practice (if applicable) in South Carolina
*Please note that any single indicator may not be conclusive.
If a parent, guardian, or spouse provided more than half of the student’s support for the past twelve months, the student is considered dependent, and it is the parent, guardian, or spouse that must meet the residency requirements. If the student provided most of the support, then the student may be eligible to apply as independent. An independent student must have his/her own SC domicile. Dormitory housing cannot be used as one’s domicile, as it is temporary in nature.
Special Circumstances
- If one of the following scenarios applies to your situation then you can claim SC residency:
- Joint Custody and one parent is a SC resident
- Parent who is claiming the child on income taxes
- Parent who is an SC resident pays child support over the cost of attendance as dictated by the college.
If you are a dependent of a SC resident, then you may be eligible for State scholarships and grants. Please consult the financial aid office at your institution.
Generally, the student may continue to claim SC residency if he/she is continuously enrolled during all regular academic terms (fall and spring terms or their equivalent) if the family had lived in South Carolina for over three years..
Not unless the relative has permanent court-ordered guardianship and claims you on their taxes.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Students who did not graduate from high school in South Carolina and were not dependents of SC residents at the time of high school graduation may be eligible to receive the SC Need-based Grant and/or Lottery Tuition Assistance. Please contact the financial aid office at your institution about your eligibility.
For the student to be eligible for the Palmetto Fellows, LIFE or SC HOPE Scholarships, you will need to be a resident of SC at the time they graduate from high school. The following items will show the intent to become a resident of SC:
- Statement of full-time employment in SC
- Designating South Carolina as state of legal residence on military record
- Possession of a valid South Carolina driver’s license, or if a non-driver, a South Carolina identification card. Failure to obtain this within 45 days of the establishment of the intent to become a South Carolina resident will delay the beginning date of residency eligibility
- Possession of a valid South Carolina vehicle registration card for all vehicles in which the independent person is in full, or partial, ownership. Failure to obtain this within 45 days of the establishment of the intent to become a South Carolina resident will delay the beginning date of residency eligibility
- Maintenance of domicile in South Carolina
- Paying South Carolina income taxes as a resident during the past tax year, including income earned outside of South Carolina from the date South Carolina domicile was claimed
- Ownership of principal residence in South Carolina
- Licensing for professional practice (if applicable) in South Carolina
Yes. Even though pre-payment plans are in students’ names, the parents contributed the funds and received the tax benefits. Therefore, they are considered funds from the parents.
Military & Veteran Considerations
Members of the military permanently assigned in SC on active duty and their dependents qualify under an exception category. Military members and their dependents may be charged in-state tuition and fees without having to establish a permanent home in South Carolina. SC residents who are members of the military stationed outside of SC and their dependents may receive in-state tuition and fees if they continue to claim SC as their state of legal residency. This must be reflected on the individual’s taxes and Leave and Earnings Statement (LES). SC residents who change their state of legal residence lose their SC resident status for tuition and fee purposes
You may be eligible to pay in-state tuition charges while living in the state and using specific education benefits at a public college or university if you are:
- A veteran who has served 90 days or longer on active duty
- A person entitled to and receiving assistance under Section 3319, Title 38 of US Code, or who is using transferred benefits under this Section while the transferor is on active duty
- Possession of a valid South Carolina vehicle registration card for all vehicles in which the independent person is in full, or partial, ownership. Failure to obtain this within 45 days of the establishment of the intent to become a South Carolina resident will delay the beginning date of residency eligibility
- A person who is entitled to and receiving assistance under Section 3311(b)(9), Title 38 of US Code
- A person who is entitled to and receiving rehabilitation benefits under Section 3102(a), Title 38 of USC Code
Financial Independence & Support
You must provide over 50% of your total support with earnings coming from is his/her own earnings or income from employment, investments, or payments from trusts, grants, scholarships, commercial loans, or payments made in accordance with court order. Total support must also be greater than total expenses.
A student may be allowed to use money saved in a savings or checking account if he/she can prove that the funds are from allowable sources. Allowable sources consist of his/her own earnings or income from employment, investments, or payments from trusts, grants, scholarships, commercial loans, or payments made in accordance with court order.
No. Gifts are considered money coming from elsewhere and do not count toward financial independence. Financial support must come from the sources listed in the law/regulations.
No. PLUS loans are applied for and awarded to the parents.
Other Residency Considerations
On-campus housing is considered temporary because you must be a student to live in it. As a result, you may not use on-campus housing to prove in-state residency.
No. For independent students, owning property by itself does not allow students to receive in-state tuition, as the other requirements still must be met. For parents of dependent students, South Carolina must be the primary state of residence. Simply owning property is not sufficient.
You still must meet the other requirements. For admission, other factors are important, such as the source of transcripts and addresses of parents.
No. There is nothing automatic about residency. You must meet all the requirements, submit a residency application, and be approved before you become eligible.
No. You would need to establish residency and show you are in SC for reasons other than attending college.
Additional Information
Some non-immigrant visa holders may qualify for in-state tuition. To see the list of approved visa types, check the Approved Visa Classifications (pdf). Residency exceptions for these visa holders only apply to in-state tuition and fees. They do not include eligibility for state-funded tuition assistance or scholarships.
If your classification as a South Carolina resident for tuition and fee purposes is denied, you will be officially notified via email at your personal address.
If you wish to appeal the decision, you may submit a letter outlining the reasons you believe the decision is incorrect, along with any supporting documentation, to the Office of Admissions.
Please note that neither the initial Reviewing Officer nor the Appeals Officer has the authority to waive the provisions of the law. The Appeals Officer's decision is final.