Pay in-state tuition when the law says you qualify.
Residency rules decide whether a family pays the resident rate or two to three times more. An attorney who works these files every week can tell you where you stand, what each state expects, and what to do when a university says no.
Roger K. Neustadt, JD, attorney for 30+ years. Hundreds of families advised on residency and accommodations.
Two practice areas, one standard of proof
Both come down to the same thing: a decision-maker applies written rules to the documents in front of them. We make sure those documents carry the case.
In-state tuition and residency
For families planning a move, students already enrolled, and anyone who has been classified as out of state.
- Residency planning before an application or move
- Residency questionnaires and supporting evidence
- Reclassification requests after enrollment
- Appeals of residency denials
Testing and academic accommodations
For students with documented disabilities who need extended time or other accommodations, from high school through professional licensing.
- SAT, ACT, AP and PSAT requests
- LSAT, MCAT, GRE, GMAT and bar exam requests
- School and college accommodations, including 504 plans
- Requests for reconsideration after a denial
When a family usually calls us
Most residency files are routine. These are the situations where a mistake costs a year of tuition or more.
- The university classified the student as out of stateAppeal deadlines are short, often days or a few weeks from the decision.
- Parents are moving, divorced, or live in different statesWhose domicile counts for a dependent student is the most common point of dispute.
- The student moved for school and now wants resident ratesMost states presume a student who moved to attend college is not domiciled there.
- You are relying on a lease, a business, or a home purchaseEach state weighs these differently, and some give them little weight at all.
- A residency questionnaire asks something you are unsure how to answerAnswers are made under penalty of perjury and drive the institution's decision.
- A testing agency denied or reduced an accommodation requestA focused request for reconsideration often turns on the documentation, not the diagnosis.
How an engagement works
- Consultation
We review the student's situation, the target schools and the timeline, and tell you plainly whether the rules support a resident classification.
- Strategy and evidence
You get a plan matched to the state's statute and the institution's policy, and the documents that will carry the file.
- Filing and follow-through
We prepare the questionnaire, reclassification request or appeal, and stay with it until the institution decides.
Roger K. Neustadt, JD
Attorney, admitted in Georgia (Bar No. 539120) · Emory University School of Law · Columbia University
Roger has practiced law for more than thirty years and has advised hundreds of families on in-state tuition residency and testing accommodations. Texas files make up the largest share of his residency work.
He knows the process from the parent's side too: one of his children attends the University of Texas at Austin.
Most-read residency guides
Each guide cites the controlling statute or board policy and shows when it was last reviewed.
- Texas in-state tuition
- Arkansas in-state tuition
- Michigan in-state tuition
- Iowa in-state tuition
- Indiana in-state tuition
- Alabama in-state tuition
- New York in-state tuition
- Wisconsin in-state tuition
- Delaware in-state tuition
- Mississippi in-state tuition
- Virginia in-state tuition
- California in-state tuition
- Texas gainful employment rule
- Texas Core Residency Questions
- Residency denied: first 24 hours
Common questions
How long do you have to live in a state to get in-state tuition?
Most states require twelve consecutive months of domicile before the term begins, and a few set a different period. Living there is not enough on its own: you also have to show you intend to make the state your permanent home, and most states presume that a student who moved there to attend college does not qualify.
Can a dependent student qualify through a parent?
Usually, yes. For a dependent student, most states look at the domicile of a parent or legal guardian, often the one who claims the student as a dependent or provides financial support. When parents are divorced or live in different states, the rules vary and are a frequent source of disputes.
Does buying a home in the state qualify you?
Not by itself. Property ownership is one piece of evidence, but states and universities weigh it alongside where you work, file taxes, vote, register vehicles and spend the year. Buying a home without the rest of the record rarely carries a residency claim.
What should I do if a university classifies me as out of state?
Get the decision in writing, find the deadline for reconsideration or appeal, and gather the evidence that answers the reason given. Deadlines are often short, and new evidence is easier to submit early than late.
Do you help families in every state?
Yes. We provide residency and accommodations consulting nationwide and represent clients in appeals where permitted. Roger K. Neustadt is admitted to practice law in Georgia.
Do testing agencies have to grant accommodations?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, organizations that offer exams for school admission, professional licensing or certification must provide appropriate accommodations to people with disabilities, and their documentation requests must be reasonable and limited to what the request needs.
Talk to an attorney about your file
Every residency and accommodations decision turns on specific facts and documents. In a consultation we review yours and tell you plainly where you stand.