Applications are reviewed in the order in which they were received.  Depending on the number received, it will likely take at least several weeks to be reviewed; in some semesters, it may take up to several months.  Enrollment Services staff will contact you with any questions or a determination of your classification status, there is not a need to remind them that you have submitted an application.  You can expedite a decision on your particular case by carefully reading and following all instructions, and turning in a complete, clear, well-organized application packet.

No. The state guidelines prohibit retroactive residency decisions. You must apply by the deadline for the semester in question in order to be reviewed for residency for that semester.

You may be eligible for “instant residency” if you are dependent upon a parent or spouse who is working full-time and has established domicile in Ohio as of the beginning of the term for reasons other than gaining the benefit of a state-supported education.  Please note that this means if your parent or spouse moves to Ohio as a result of your acceptance to NEOMED, you are not eligible for “instant” residency and should work to establish residency through other means.

No. A student cannot qualify for “instant residency” through other relatives, fiancées, in-laws, etc. A student may only be reviewed for “instant residency” through their dependency upon a parent/legal guardian or spouse who is living and working on a full-time basis in Ohio. 

If you are claimed as a dependent, your residency status is determined by the parent who claimed you.  Thus, if your parent is a resident of another state and claims you as a dependent, you are ineligible for reclassification as an Ohio resident.

Marriage to an Ohio resident does not automatically make you an Ohio resident for tuition purposes. If your spouse is employed full-time in Ohio, you may be eligible to apply for instant residency. Otherwise, you would need to apply for residency on your own. 

The state residency guidelines have two “grandfather clauses” to address this. If your parents are Ohio residents and move out of the state while you are an enrolled resident student at NEOMED, you will continue to be classified as a resident through the completion of your degree program, provided that you maintain continuous enrollment.

Similarly, if you are a dependent student applying for admission to NEOMED and your Ohio resident parents move out of the state, you will be considered a resident as long as you matriculate within 12 months of the date your parents moved out of Ohio.

As long as a dependent student has one parent who has been an Ohio resident for at least the 12 months immediately preceding enrollment, s/he will be considered a resident whether or not the student actually lives in Ohio. In addition to submitting a completed, notarized NEOMED Application for Resident for Tuition Status, the student should submit documentation supporting the following:

• A notarized statement from either of the student’s parents stating that they are divorced or separated
• A copy of the lease, rent checks, mortgage, etc., indicating the Ohio parent has lived in Ohio for at least the 12 months immediately preceding the student’s enrollment.
• A copy of the Ohio personal income tax return filed in the past 12 months by the Ohio parent
• A copy of the federal income tax return filed in the past 12 months by the parent who claimed the student as a tax dependent.

The Ohio Board of Regents Guidelines allows Ohio residents 12 months out of the state before they “lose” their residency. If you leave the state for more than 12 months, your residency will likely be questioned. If you can clearly demonstrate that your reason for leaving the state is solely for educational purposes (i.e. attending an out-of-state school), and that you have maintained all other ties to Ohio (i.e. subjecting your income to Ohio taxation, maintaining an Ohio driver’s license and voter registration, etc.) you may still be considered a resident. However, if you leave for reasons other than educational ones, for example, to accept employment in another state, you would likely lose your residency after 12 months. It is important to consider future residency implications when planning a move or extended stay outside Ohio. 

In determining a person’s eligibility for residency, the state guidelines are primarily concerned only with the 12-month period immediately preceding the term for which the student is applying for residency. The cumulative time a person lived in Ohio is not relevant if the person has been away from Ohio for more than the 12 months immediately preceding enrollment.  If you graduated from an Ohio high school, however, you may be eligible through the Forever Buckeye provision.

The expectation is that students who are in the process of establishing their residency are physically living in the State of Ohio for the 12 consecutive months prior to the semester for which they are requesting reclassification. Leaving the state for the summer or for any length of time longer than a three week period seriously jeopardizes your claim to Ohio residency.

No. You can apply at your current institution, by following the application process they lay out.  (While all Ohio schools are affected by the Ohio Board of Regents guidelines regarding residency status, each is expected to establish their own specific policies and processes.)  If you are reclassified as an Ohio resident for tuition purposes by your current school, please forward that official notification to NEOMED and we will honor that reclassification for your time with us.

Further information can be found on the respective school’s websites:
University of Akron Ohio Residency information
Cleveland State University Ohio Residency information
Kent State University Ohio Residency information
Youngstown State Ohio Residency information

For individuals who are on full-time, active duty status with the military, the state has two exceptions in the residency guidelines:

1. If you are an Ohio resident on full-time, active duty status with the military, you and your dependents are considered residents as long as Ohio has remained your state of domicile and you have fulfilled your tax obligation to the state while on active duty.
2. If you are not an Ohio resident but are stationed in Ohio on a full-time, active duty status, you and your dependents will be considered residents for tuition purposes.

Note: the Veteran’s Choice Act may permit classification as a resident if you are utilizing certain forms of military benefits. Please see the section on “Veteran’s Choice Act” to determine if you qualify.

Permanent Resident Aliens, Political Refugees, and Political Asylees are eligible to be reviewed for in-state residency.

The state guidelines do not grant residency to individuals or their dependents solely on the basis that they own property or a business in Ohio.

The following are examples of income sources that would not be viewed as eligible from a residency standpoint:

• Support from individuals who are not residents of Ohio
• PLUS loan money taken out by the non-Ohio resident parent of a student
• “Loans” or financial gifts from individuals who are not Ohio residents
• Savings that have not been in an account in your name for at least a year prior to your move to Ohio
• Financial aid that required you to be a resident of another state in order to receive it
• Credit card debt

All income must have documentation to be considered eligible as proof that you are self-supporting.  Depending on your specific sources of funds, this could include items such as: W-2 forms, pay stubs, financial aid award letters, statements from savings or investment accounts, statements showing receipt of government benefits, etc.

Obtaining an Ohio driver’s license and registering to vote in Ohio demonstrate your intent to make Ohio your state of residence. Since the Ohio Board of Regents Guidelines is meant to exclude from residency those who are in Ohio for educational purposes only, transferring these items of registration is a way to show that you intend to become an Ohio resident.

Not necessarily. If you are trying to establish residency in Ohio for tuition purposes, paying taxes in Ohio is an indicator of your intent to become an Ohio resident. However, you must meet all the residency criteria to be eligible for residency for tuition purposes.