NC Residency

If you are a North Carolina resident, you may be eligible for a lower tuition rate. To qualify as a resident for tuition purposes, the following requirements apply: 

1. You established legal residence (or domicile) in North Carolina, and have maintained that residence, at least twelve months prior to securing your resident classification, and
2. You can demonstrate evidence of your intent to remain a North Carolina resident (i.e. you did not come to North Carolina solely to attend school).

You may also qualify for a reduced tuition rate if:

• You are a member of the armed services, the North Carolina National Guard or a military dependent via the Active-Duty Military Tuition Benefit, or
• You are a full-time employee of The University of North Carolina, or the spouse or dependent child of a full-time employee of The University of North Carolina and who is a legal resident of North Carolina, via the UNC System Employee Tuition Benefit.

If you believe that you qualify as a North Carolina resident under state law, you’ll need to submit a residency application with the North Carolina Residency Determination Services (RDS), a government agency. All residency decisions, and appeals, are determined by RDS.

The application process for in-state residency is separate from the application for admission. All residency decisions, and appeals, are determined by RDS. Once you’ve submitted your residency application, RDS will provide you with a Residency Certification Number (RCN), which you should enter in your application for admission.

We recommend completing your residency application as soon as possible. You may complete it before you start or submit your application for admission.