Residency Requirements For In-State Tuition

There are two ways that an enrolled student may be eligible for in-state tuition rates outlined below.  All Ramapo College of New Jersey decisions on residency are governed by New Jersey State Law.

A.)  If a student is a US citizen or the holder of a permanent resident card;

• A student is presumed to be a resident of New Jersey for tuition purposes if the student, or parent or legal guardian upon whom the student is financially dependent, is domiciled in New Jersey for a period of 12 months before first enrolling at the College. This student will be assessed the in-state tuition rate.
• A student is NOT presumed to be a resident of New Jersey for tuition purposes if the student, or parent or legal guardian upon whom the student is financially dependent, is domiciled in New Jersey for a period of less than 12 months before first enrolling at the College. This student will be assessed the out-of-state tuition rate.
• Residence solely for the purpose of attending the College does not constitute domicile for tuition purposes.
• If a dependent student’s supporting parent(s) or legal guardian(s) change their domicile to another state, the dependent student is not eligible for in-state tuition unless the student officially establishes a permanent New Jersey residence for each calendar year of enrollment. A campus or local off-campus address, which is not a student’s permanent residence, does not constitute domicile for tuition purposes.

Note: Domicile is defined as the place where a person has his or her true, fixed, permanent home and principle establishment, and to which, whenever he or she is absent, he or she has the intention of returning.

Students must demonstrate evidence of domicile when requesting in-state resident status.  Evidence of Domicile is outlined on the Registrar’s Office website.

Students must request for any semester a change in status by completing the affidavit and providing all necessary documentation by the end of the 100% refund deadline as published on the college’s academic calendar. 

B.)  Effective January 1, 2014, non-resident students enrolled at Ramapo College of New Jersey who meet the established New Jersey criteria will qualify to be charged in-state tuition.  All students wishing to pursue this eligibility must complete an application and affidavit as outlined in NJ state bill, P.L. 2013, c.170 (or as amended).

Newly admitted or enrolled students wishing to qualify for in-state rates must complete the New Jersey Status Affidavit for In-State Tuition Request form posted on the undergraduate admissions website.

Continuing students wishing to qualify for in-state rates must complete the appropriate form posted on the Registrar’s Office website or available in the Registrar’s Office.

Students determined to be eligible will continue to receive the exemption as long as they fulfill the requirements or the College no longer offers the exemption, whichever occurs first.  Applying for the exemption does not in any way alter a student’s responsibility to pay on time any nonresident tuition and fees that may be due before eligibility is determined.

Students must request for any semester a change in status by completing the affidavit and providing all necessary documentation by the end of the 100% refund deadline as published on the college’s academic calendar. 

Affidavit(PDF)

Evidence of Domicile

First-time Matriculated Students –First-time matriculated students must certify their domicile on the Admissions Application Form. Students may be required to provide additional proof upon request to qualify for in-state tuition.

First-time Non-matriculated Students  –First-time non-matriculated students must provide the Admissions office with a valid New Jersey driver’s license or a valid New Jersey Voter Registration card before first enrolling at the College to qualify for in-state tuition.

The College’s policy on legal residency is governed by New Jersey Administrative Code 9A:5, which requires that individuals be domiciled in the state for 12 months before becoming eligible for in-state tuition.  Any student who falsifies information regarding his/her domicile will have his/her residency status changed to out-of-state and the student will be responsible to pay the out-of-state tuition rate for all prior terms in which he or she was erroneously charged the in-state rate.  If a student is erroneously charged the in-state rate, the College will correct the error, assess the appropriate charge, and collect the outstanding balance.  Students must be either a U.S. citizen, have a Permanent Resident Card or eligible visa classification to be considered for in-state tuition.

A student who disagrees with the institution’s initial determination of domicile shall be entitled to file with the institution a Request for Reconsideration.  The Request for Reconsideration shall be submitted to the Office of the Registrar who will then forward all documentation received from the initial Application for In State Tuition to the appropriate Vice President.

• In State Tuition Residency Form (DOC) (PDF)