Establishing Residency

KingDan · #1 10-03-2007, 02:17 AM

I'm a freshman from Jersey going to UMD.

I'm thinking about trying to establish residency, as school would cost 20k/year less to me. At 10k/year, I think I would be more likely to take fewer classes and actually focus on the ones I am in.

Here is a link where they talk about the Requirements

To sum up, the hard part is they want 12 months of you renting housing in MD, but since I'm living in the dorms this isn't in the works.

FWIW, next year I am considering getting a balla apartment. I will be looking into filing as an independent if it matters (not sure if there is a benefit, the main deterrent is the fact that my mom is a teacher and therefore has good health insurance). I'm also considering taking a semester off next fall to play all the European live tournies, so if I do this I would have a little time to get something together for next year.

Any thoughts on whether I have a shot?

KStV · #2 10-03-2007, 02:26 PM

You are facing three possible situations:

World 1: It is a huge priority of UMD to protect MD taxpayers and make sure that out-of-state students cannot alter their tuition status in the absense of truly compelling circumstances. They follow the guidelines to the letter and require overwhelming evidence. If this is the case, you are almost certainly out-of-luck. Don't believe the administration about their level of seriousness-- talk to some actual students who have been through it. The administration will talk a big game no matter what (they have to for a few reasons). Find someone who succeeded and pick their brain. In the end, if you are in World 1, don't bother pursuing it.

World 2: UMD is a huge school, this is a purely administrative task and they secretly don't mind helping out-of-state students get through the back-door. You hand your packet of stuff to a lady behind a window, she checks it off, stamps something and you are good to go. If this is the case, just make sure you do everything you can to build the 12-month record and make sure your materials are thorough, very well organized and presented professionally. Congrats-- you've just saved you and/or your parents a ton of needless costs- vnh.

World 3: We're somewhere between 1 and 2 (most likely scenario). Again, present them with a nice, clean, thick packet of organized stuff and cross your fingers. A key here might be to make it clear that you will be a pain in their ass until you get what you want. Be very nice at first, but if you get push-back, let them know that your file will never be off their desk until this is resolved favorably to you.

THE GUIDELINES

The guidelines you linked to are pretty hard-ass, but again, we don't know whether that is just a smokescreen.

Let's take the requirements step-by-step:

 "1. Make Maryland his or her permanent home;" 

--Use one Maryland address for everything. Do not use a non-Maryland address for anything. Get a Maryland driver's license immediately. Register to vote in Maryland immediately. Be prepared to affirmatively state that the whole reason you chose UMD was because you intend to settle in Maryland. Try to believe this when you say it/type it.

 "2. Abandon his or her former home state" 

See #1. Also, spend no more than a few days in NJ on the holidays. To be really clever, find a way to prove that you were in College Park over the holidays (do research for a professor, etc.).

 "3. Reside in Maryland indefinitely;" 

--This one sounds scary but it's not. Just be prepared to say that you have no current plans to reside anywhere else other than Maryland.

 "4. Reside in Maryland primarily for a purpose other than that of attending an educational institution in Maryland." 

--This is a tough one. A geographically-specific job would help. A Capitol Hill internship with a Maryland congressman (even if unpaid only a couple hours a week) might do nicely. My guess is they lean pretty hard on this one when they are disinclined to play ball.

Per the guidelines, there are two factors that give rise to a presumption that your application is full of crap. First, you were out-of-state when you applied to UMD. Nothing you can do about that. Second, they will assume you are financially dependent on your parents. You can overcome this one by making sure your parents do not declare you as a dependent for tax purposes. It will be a bad (and perhaps insurmountable) fact if your parents write your tuition check. If you can demonstrate that you live independently (again, a job helps here), you might be ok.

Taking the "rebuttal evidence" one-by-one:

 "A. i. Maryland employment and earnings history through sources beyond those incident to enrollment as a student in an educational institution (e.g., beyond support provided by work study, scholarships, grants, stipends, aid, student loans, etc.), or

ii. Evidence the student is Financially Dependent upon a person who is a resident of Maryland." 

Again, you have some control over building a record for (i). (ii) is probably out unless you have a rich uncle who lives in Maryland or something.

 "B.Substantial participation as a member of a professional, social, community, civic, political, athletic or religious organization in Maryland that is not University-related or otherwise incident to enrollment as a student in an educational institution." 

This is B.S. and they know it.

 "C.Registration as a Maryland resident with the Selective Service, if male." 

Easy.

 "D. Evidence showing the student uses his or her Maryland address as his or her sole address of record for all purposes including on health and auto insurance records, bank accounts, tax records, loan and scholarship records, school records, military records, leases, etc." 

Easy. Keep copies of everything.

 "E. An affidavit from a person unrelated to the student that provides objective, relevant evidence of a student's conduct demonstrating the student's intent to live permanently in Maryland." 

Meh.

THREE FINAL POINTS:
1-- None of your materials can reflect a significant time away from MD, which would include an extended Europe hiatus.

2-- Don't affirmatively lie. I'll repeat that. Don't affirmatively lie. It's not worth it.

3-- Make sure there are no inconsistencies in the materials you present. Make sure all the components of your narrative are congruent to one another.

*I took the time to respond in detail because I spent $288,000 of my own money attending the public schools (undergrad, grad, law) of Virginia and California as an out-of-stater. I spent about 5 hours in my home state between 1993 and 2002, but it didn't matter. If you can pull it off, you'll thank yourself later. Best of luck.

KingDan · #3 10-05-2007, 04:17 AM

They are kind of hard asses with the 12 months on a lease.

I am willing to get creative here. Can I rent a [censored] place and just not stay in it? Buy a cheap piece of real estate?

Any ideas?

KStV · #4 10-05-2007, 10:37 AM

[ QUOTE ]
They are kind of hard asses with the 12 months on a lease.

I am willing to get creative here. Can I rent a [censored] place and just not stay in it? Buy a cheap piece of real estate?

Any ideas?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you purchased real estate and had bills sent to that address, I think you would be golden. I think they would have a very hard time denying a MD property owner who has been paying MD real estate taxes for 12 months.

rivermetimbers · #5 10-06-2007, 02:49 AM

Dan, I go to UMD also... just get an apartment at Parkside or Commons (or wherever). My friend from DC lives in Commons and was able to easily establish residency there after his first year living there. GL

KingDan · #6 10-06-2007, 04:39 PM

Yea, but that means I wouldn't bet set up as a resident till Junior year. I would love if I could set it up for next year and save 20k.

rivermetimbers · #7 10-07-2007, 01:30 AM

there is probably no way for you to set it up for at least another 12 months, unless you have relatives (or maybe friends) who's address you can use... if even that will work