How to Fill Out the CUNY Residency Form for In-State Tuition

The CUNY Residency Form is the document you file to prove you qualify for in-state tuition at any City University of New York campus. You complete it with your personal information, a twelve-month address history, and your citizenship or immigration status, then attach proof of status plus two documents showing you have lived in New York State for the past year. Submit it to your campus registrar — through an online portal at most colleges, in person at others — before the last day of finals in the semester you want the resident rate to apply. The tuition gap is large: a full-time undergraduate at a CUNY senior college pays roughly $6,930 a year as a New York State resident versus $18,600 as a non-resident.1The City University of New York. Tuition, Aid and Scholarships

Who Has to File It

Not every CUNY student does. If the admissions system already has what it needs to classify you as a resident, your tuition is set automatically. The form comes into play when there’s a question — you moved to New York recently, transferred from an out-of-state school, or hold a non-U.S. immigration status. If you’ve been billed at the non-resident rate and believe you qualify as a resident, submitting a completed Residency Form with supporting documents is the only way to fix it.2City University of New York. CUNY Residency Form CUNY will not change your residency classification for semesters that have already ended, so file promptly.3BMCC. Residency

What You’re Being Asked to Prove

The core requirement is the same at every CUNY campus: you must have lived in New York State continuously for at least twelve months immediately before the first day of classes for the semester in question, and you must intend to stay permanently.4The City University of New York. IV. Residency Being physically present only to attend school doesn’t count. CUNY is looking for evidence that New York is your actual home.

Community colleges add a step. On top of the twelve-month state requirement, you need to show you have lived in New York City for the last six consecutive months before classes start. If you live in a New York State county outside the city, you can still qualify, but you must get a certificate of residence from your home county and present it to the community college.4The City University of New York. IV. Residency

Immigration Status

You must be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or hold a qualifying immigration status. Students on certain non-immigrant visas are flatly ineligible for the resident rate no matter how long they’ve lived in New York. The excluded categories are B, C, D, F, H-2, H-3, H-4 (when the primary holder has an H-2 or H-3), J, M, P, Q, and TN.2City University of New York. CUNY Residency Form F-1 international students and J-1 exchange visitors are not eligible, even after years in Brooklyn or the Bronx.5John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Residency and In-State Tuition

Undocumented and out-of-status students have a separate pathway. If you attended a New York State high school for at least two years and graduated, or received a GED issued in New York State, and you apply to CUNY within five years of that diploma or GED, you qualify for the resident rate. You will complete Part B of the Residency Form, a notarized Affidavit of Intent to Legalize.2City University of New York. CUNY Residency Form

If You’re Under 24

CUNY presumes students under 24 are financially dependent on their parents and treats their residency as the same as the custodial parent or legal guardian. Students 24 and older are automatically classified as independent.4The City University of New York. IV. Residency If your parents live out of state but New York is your home, you have two options.

One is to prove financial independence. CUNY looks at whether your parents claim you as a dependent on their federal and state tax returns, whether you are employed and how much you earn relative to your expenses, how much financial support you receive from your parents, and whether you have other income.6The City University of New York (John Jay College of Criminal Justice). New York State Residency Requirements Earning a modest amount while your parents cover most of your rent generally will not be enough.

The other is to show you have changed your domicile to New York despite still being supported. This requires “clear and convincing evidence,” which must include a New York State driver’s license or non-driver ID issued at least twelve months before the semester starts. Supporting evidence includes a filed New York State resident income tax return, proof you lived in New York for a significant period before enrolling, property ownership by you or your parents, and consistent use of your New York address on insurance, bank, and similar records.6The City University of New York (John Jay College of Criminal Justice). New York State Residency Requirements

Documents to Attach

The form requires two attachments: proof of immigration status, and two separate documents showing New York residency. Gather both before you start filling anything out. For dependent students under 24, the residency documents can be in a parent’s name.

Proof of Status

  • U.S. citizen or permanent resident: a U.S. passport, birth certificate, permanent resident (green) card, or copy of an I-551 stamp.
  • Pending permanent residence or citizenship: an official government receipt of application (Form I-485 or I-797) or a work authorization card.
  • Undocumented student using the high school or GED pathway: a New York State high school transcript showing at least two years of attendance and graduation, or a copy of a New York State GED, plus the notarized Affidavit of Intent to Legalize in Part B of the form.
2City University of New York. CUNY Residency Form

Proof of New York Residency

Submit two items from the list below. Every document must cover the twelve-month period immediately before the first day of classes. For a document that doesn’t inherently span a year (a license, an ID card), its date of issuance must be at least one year before the semester starts.4The City University of New York. IV. Residency

  • Lease, deed, or rent registration form signed by the landlord and by you or a parent with your last name.
  • Social Security or public assistance letter showing your New York address and covering the full year.
  • Federal and New York State tax returns with W-2s showing a New York address.
  • New York State driver’s license or non-driver ID issued at least a year before classes.
  • IDNYC municipal ID card issued at least a year before classes.
  • Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy listing you as the insured.
  • Automobile registration or insurance certificate in your name.
  • Voter registration card in your name.
  • Utility, phone, or cable bills in your name covering twelve months of service.
  • Bank or credit card statements in your name covering twelve months (dollar amounts may be redacted).
  • Jury service documentation with your name and a New York location.
  • Housing lease signed by an individual landlord. If your name isn’t on the lease, use the Alternate Lease Statement on the form, which must be notarized by both you and the leaseholder.
2City University of New York. CUNY Residency Form

Filling Out the Form

The top of the form asks for your personal information: full name, date of birth, CUNY student ID (your EMPL ID), and Social Security number. If you don’t have an SSN, leave that field blank.

The next section asks for your address history over the past twelve months, starting with your current address and working backward.6The City University of New York (John Jay College of Criminal Justice). New York State Residency Requirements Include every address where you lived during that period, including temporary and summer addresses. Make the dates and addresses on the form match your supporting documents exactly. A lease showing one address while the form lists different dates for it is one of the fastest ways to trigger additional review.

You will also check boxes for your citizenship or immigration status and identify the two residency documents you are attaching. Undocumented students using the high school or GED pathway complete Part B, the Affidavit of Intent to Legalize, which requires notarization.

Where and When to Submit

Submission varies by campus. Many CUNY colleges accept the form and supporting documents through a secure online portal. BMCC, for instance, has students log in with their college email credentials and upload everything through a SharePoint-based application.3BMCC. Residency Other campuses still take physical copies at the registrar’s or residency services office. Check your college’s registrar page for the exact method.

The deadline is the last day of finals for the semester you want the resident rate to apply to.2City University of New York. CUNY Residency Form Don’t wait that long. CUNY will not adjust tuition retroactively for past semesters, and some campuses warn that late submissions may not be processed before the next billing cycle.3BMCC. Residency Submit before the semester begins when you can, so you aren’t paying the non-resident rate upfront while you wait.

After You Submit

Processing is faster than many students expect. Brooklyn College reports a typical turnaround of three to five business days for completed applications.7Brooklyn College. Establishing Residency for In-State Tuition City Tech cites approximately three business days.8City Tech. Residency Services Incomplete or unclear documentation stretches that out, because the office will come back to you for more before deciding.

If you’re approved, your tuition for the semester is adjusted to the resident rate. If you’re denied, the college will give you the reason, and you’ll have a short window to appeal. At City Tech, that window is ten days from the date of the decision.9City Tech. Residency Appeal Process Timelines can differ at other campuses, so check with your registrar as soon as you get a denial. An appeal usually means submitting additional or stronger documentation aimed at the specific reason for the denial.