Residency & reciprocity

Read the policy for determining residency status*

*Please note that reciprocity is not accounted for in this policy, but the rules that govern determining Indiana residency can generally be assumed to apply for reciprocity residency. Contact the Office of the Registrar with any questions.

Special rules for military families

IU East recognizes the unique circumstances that often surround our military families. Your enlistment status could qualify you for a remission of out-of-state tuition fees. We encourage you to reach out to the Office of the Registrar for guidance.

Learn more about residency

How you can become classified as an in-state or reciprocity student

If any of the following circumstances apply to you, you can apply for a residency reclassification.

  • If you move to Indiana or one of the reciprocity counties, you must meet the 12-month residency requirement.
  • If you’re a dependent spouse, you must meet the 12-month residency requirement.
  • If your employer transfers you to Indiana, you must meet the 12-month residency requirement.
  • If you marry an Indiana or reciprocity county resident and can provide convincing evidence that education is no longer your main purpose for residing there, you may be eligible to be reclassified as an in-state or reciprocity student 12 months after the date of your marriage.
  • If you’re an emancipated student under 21 years of age and your parents live out of state, you can establish in-state eligibility by doing all of the following:
    • Provide a notarized statement from your parents showing the level of financial support they provide and the date they last claimed you as a dependent on their federal tax returns.
    • Provide a financial statement showing all sources and amounts of income to prove you are supporting yourself.
    • Meet the 12-month residency requirement.

If you take classes before you’ve met the 12-month residency requirement, you may still be eligible for in-state or reciprocity student status later. You must be able to provide convincing evidence that you didn’t move to Indiana or a reciprocity county specifically for higher education.

These agreements establish the guidelines under which students shall be classified as "Ohio reciprocity students" or "Kentucky reciprocity students" on the Indiana University East campus for university fee purposes. These agreements should not be confused with the IU System Residency Policy. While Ohio/Kentucky reciprocity students qualify to pay the in-state rate of tuition, they are, by definition, "non-resident" students. (*The only degree program approved for Kentucky Reciprocity is the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA).  This is a two-plus-two completion program in Business offered by Ivy Tech Community College (Batesville, Lawrenceburg, and Madison) and Indiana University East.)

  1. "Residence" means the place where an individual has his/her permanent home and has voluntarily fixed as a permanent habitation when not called elsewhere for labor, studies or other special or temporary purposes.
    1. A person entering the state from another state or country does not at that time acquire residence for the purpose of these Rules until such person has been a resident for 12 months.
    2. Physical presence in a qualifying Ohio county, for the predominant purpose of attending a college, university, or other institution of higher education, shall not be counted in determining the 12-month period of residence; nor shall absence from for such purpose deprive a person of resident student status.
  2. A person may be classified as an "Ohio Reciprocity" student for fee payment purposes at Indiana University East only when he/she has maintained a permanent residence in Allen, Auglaize, Butler, Darke, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Mercer, Paulding, Preble, Putnam, Shelby, Van Wert, or Williams counties in Ohio or a "Kentucky Reciprocity" student when he/she has maintained a permanent residence in Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Henry, Kenton, Oldham, Owen, Pendleton or Trimble counties in Kentucky for 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the academic session in which he/she plans to enroll. (For Kentucky students: The only degree program approved for Kentucky Reciprocity is the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA).  This is a two-plus-two completion program in Business offered by Ivy Tech Community College (Batesville, Lawrenceburg, and Madison) and Indiana University East.)
  3. The residence of an unemancipated person under 21 years of age follows that of his/her parents or legal guardian. In the event of a divorce or separation, if either parent meets the "Ohio or Kentucky Reciprocity" resident requirement, such person will be considered an "Ohio or Kentucky Reciprocity" student.
  4. The foreign citizenship of a person shall not be a factor in determining "Ohio or Kentucky Reciprocity" student status if such a person has legal capacity to remain permanently in the United States (i.e., holds a "Permanent Resident Alien" card).
  5. At the point of admission to Indiana University East, the Office of Admissions will make the initial determination as to an applicant's eligibility for classification as an Ohio or Kentucky reciprocity student.
  6. A person classified as a non-reciprocity eligible student may show that he or she is exempt from paying the nonresident fee by clear and convincing evidence that he or she has been a resident of Allen, Auglaize, Butler, Darke, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Mercer, Paulding, Preble, Putnam, Shelby, Van Wert or Williams counties in Ohio or Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Henry, Kenton, Oldham, Owen, Pendleton or Trimble counties in Kentucky for 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the academic session in which his or her fee status is to be changed. Such a student will be allowed to present his or her evidence only after the expiration of 12 months from the reciprocity qualifying date, i.e., the date upon which the student commenced the 12-month period for reciprocity status. The following factors will be considered relevant in evaluating a requested change in a student’s non-reciprocity status and in evaluating whether his or her physical presence in one of the qualifying Ohio or Kentucky counties is for the predominant purpose of attending Indiana University East. All factors will be considered in combination, and ordinarily reciprocity student status will not result from the doing of acts which are required or routinely done by sojourners in the state or which are merely auxiliary to the fulfillment of educational purposes.
    1. The residence of a student’s parents or guardians.
    2. The source of the student’s income.
    3. To whom a student pays his or her taxes, including property taxes.
    4. The state in which a student’s automobile is registered.
    5. The state issuing the student’s driver’s license.
    6. Where the student is registered to vote.
    7. The marriage of the student to a resident of Ohio or Kentucky (living in a qualifying county).
    8. Ownership of property in Ohio or Kentucky (qualifying county).
    9. The residence claimed by the student on loan applications, federal income tax returns, and other documents.
    10. The place of the student’s summer employment, attendance at summer school, or vacation.
    11. The facts and documents pertaining to the person’s past and existing status as a student.
    12. Parents’ tax returns and other information, particularly when emancipation is claimed.
  7. The fact that a person pays taxes and votes in a qualifying Ohio or Kentucky county does not in itself establish residence, but will be considered as hereinbefore set forth.
  8. Upon appeal, the registrar or the person fulfilling those duties on the IU East campus shall reclassify the student as a reciprocity student or a non-reciprocity student and may require proof of all relevant facts. The burden of proof is upon the student making a claim to a reciprocity student status.
  9. A student who is not satisfied by the determination of the registrar has the right to lodge a written appeal with the Standing Committee on Residence within 30 days of receipt of written notice of the registrar’s determination, which committee shall review the appeal in a fair manner and shall afford to the student a personal hearing upon written request. A student may be represented by counsel at such hearing. The committee shall report its determination to the student in writing. If no appeal is taken within the time provided herein, the decision of the registrar shall be final and binding.
  10. The Standing Committee on Residence is authorized to classify a student as an Ohio or Kentucky reciprocity student, though not meeting the specific requirements herein set forth, if such student’s situation presents unusual circumstances and the individual classification is within the general scope of these Rules. The decision of the committee shall be final and shall be deemed equivalent to a decision of the Trustees of Indiana University.
  11. A student or prospective student who shall knowingly provide false information or shall refuse to provide or shall conceal information for the purpose of improperly achieving reciprocity student status shall be subject to the full range of penalties, including expulsion, provided for by the university, as well as to such other punishment which may be provided for by law.
  12. A student who does not pay additional monies which may be due because of his or her classification as an Ohio or Kentucky reciprocity student within 30 days after demand, shall thereupon be indefinitely suspended.
  13. A student or prospective student who fails to request reciprocity student status within a particular semester or session and to pursue a timely appeal (see rule 8) to the Standing Committee on Residence shall be deemed to have waived any alleged overpayment of fees for that semester or session.
  14. These reciprocity agreements are only for Ohio residents of Allen, Auglaize, Butler, Darke, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Mercer, Paulding, Preble, Putnam, Shelby, Van Wert or Williams counties or for Kentucky residents of Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Henry, Kenton, Oldham, Owen, Pendleton or Trimble counties.
  15. These reciprocity agreements are good only at Indiana University East. If an Ohio or Kentucky reciprocity student transfers to another IU campus that student will pay non-resident out-of-state tuition fees at that institution.

Other things to keep in mind about residency

  • Your circumstances on the first day of classes of each term determine your eligibility for in-state student status for that term.
  • Once you’re classified as an in-state or reciprocity student, you’ll keep that classification as long as you are enrolled in each fall and spring semester until you earn your degree—even if your parents move out of the area.
  • If you were an Indiana or reciprocity county resident who moved away, you’ll still be considered an in-state or reciprocity student if you move back within a year after leaving.
  • If you are an Indiana or reciprocity county resident who went to school out of state, we’ll still consider you an in-state or reciprocity student as long as you return to Indiana or a reciprocity county within one year of your last enrollment or graduation.

Request a reclassification

You can apply to be reclassified as an in-state or reciprocity student for fee-paying purposes. If you feel you meet the eligibility criteria, fill out the appropriate form:

Please contact the Office of the Registrar with questions or to request this form in an accessible format.

After you submit your application and supporting documentation (see the handy checklist), we’ll let you know we’ve received them. We’ll contact you in writing within 20 business days to let you know our final determination on your reclassification.

You have until the last day of the semester for which you wish to be reclassified to file your application. You can submit your application as early as:

  • May to be reclassified for the coming fall semester
  • October to be reclassified for the coming spring semester
  • March to be reclassified for the coming summer sessions

Keep in mind that we can’t adjust your residency status retroactively. If you missed the deadline for filing your appeal, you won’t be able to get a refund of tuition and fees for that semester.