Want in-state tuition at USC? How students can apply for residency
USC students who live in South Carolina pay almost $25,000 less in tuition per year than those who don’t call the Palmetto State home. But how does the university determine who’s an in-state student?
The university, under state law, considers multiple criteria before giving a student the in-state rate of $12,688 per year, which has been frozen for eight years. Out-of-state tuition is $37,388 per year.
USC is required by state law to determine the classification of applicants who claim South Carolina as their home and legal residence. In-state residency is decided at the time of a student’s admission and can affect the cost of tuition and eligibility for scholarships. Even if a student isn’t a born-and-raised South Carolinian, they may still have the opportunity to take advantage of frozen tuition.
But they need the proper intent and documentation.
A student must establish their “domicile” — their principal and permanent home — in South Carolina.
Any vehicles owned by the student should then be registered in South Carolina within 45 days, and a state driver’s license must be obtained within 90 days.
Students seeking residency must also file and pay South Carolina income taxes. They need to have provided at least 51% of their own financial support towards all expenses, including tuition, for a minimum of a year.
Then they must wait a year. The residency must take effect before the first day of class for the semester requested.
After that, they must complete a Residency Certification Form and provide proof of their residency, registration, license and finances to the USC registrar’s office by the following deadlines:
- July 1 for the fall semester
- Dec. 1 for the spring semester
- May 1 for the summer semester
This initial deadline, the university said, is to ensure student bills reflect the in-state rate prior to payment deadlines.
Students submitting forms and supporting documents after the priority deadline need to make payment arrangements at the non-resident rate by the time tuition is due. This year, that date is Aug. 13 for the Fall 2025 semester.
The university says there is no guarantee documents will be processed in time for the fee payment deadline.
The final deadline to submit all necessary residency documentation is the first day of class. If forms are received after, they will not be processed until the following term.
Residency decisions are made by the Office of the University Registrar.
However, USC noted that students cannot seek resident status for the sole purpose of enrolling in the school or accessing other state-supported programs.
The burden of proof, USC said, rests with the student to provide the required evidence to document a change in resident status.
