Residency (In-State Tuition Classification)

Students are classified as a Colorado resident or non-resident for tuition purposes based on the information provided on the admissions application.

Non-resident tuition represents the full cost of education at public institutions. When a student is classified as a Colorado resident for tuition purposes, the difference between the non-resident and resident tuition is paid by the taxpayers of the State of Colorado in the form of a College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend. Therefore, tuition classification, as mandated by state statute, is adhered to rigorously at Morgan Community College.

Students are classified as either a resident or a non-resident of Colorado for tuition purposes at the time of admission. Colorado Tuition Classification is governed by State Law (Title 23, Article 7, of the Colorado Revised Statutes of 1973, as amended) and by judicial decisions that apply to all public institutions of higher education in Colorado and is subject to change at any time. Residency decisions do not transfer between Colorado colleges. Morgan Community College must apply the rules set forth in the residency statutes and is not free to make exceptions to the rules except as specifically permitted by law.

General Qualifications

• Resident status requires domicile in Colorado for one year immediately prior to the first day of class. Domicile is defined as a true, fixed, and permanent home and place of habitation. Domicile is a legal characteristic that everyone has, and students can have only one domicile at any one time. A student's domicile is a legal, primary residence.
• During the one-year domicile period, the student should comply with all legal obligations of a Colorado resident such as demonstrating proof of voter registration, Colorado income tax payment, Colorado motor vehicle registration, Colorado issued driver's license or ID card, and/or proof of employment.
• Students under the age of 23 (unemancipated minors) may be eligible for in-state tuition if a parent or court-appointed legal guardian has been domiciled and complied with legal obligations in Colorado for one year.
• Students whose parents are not domiciled in Colorado may also qualify to begin the one-year domiciliary period if the student is either: at least 23 years old, or married, or emancipated. Emancipation requires that the student's parents do not provide financial support of any nature or purpose. Parental support includes funds previously set aside for current support even if those funds are in the student's name. Parents may provide reasonable incidental gifts, but may not provide significant funds in order to be considered emancipated. A student who is claimed as a dependent on parent taxes is not emancipated.
• There are several amendments to the Tuition Classification Law for certain populations of students including Olympic Athletes, Military Personnel, Inmates, recent Colorado High School graduates and GED recipients, etc. Contact the MCC Director of Admissions to determine who may be in an eligible population.

Initial Classification

The initial tuition classification decision is made by the designated Residency Examiner in the Admissions and Records Office for the semester the student is admitted. The classification is based on the information provided on the application for admission. Failure to answer all questions could lead to a non-resident classification. After the student's status is determined, it remains unchanged in the absence of further action and evidence to the contrary.

Also See TUITION & FEES