Resident Status for Students

Students must accurately answer questions about their residency on the Application for Admission and provide supporting documentation as set out below, if necessary. Any violation of residency rules and regulations may result in disciplinary action.

For purposes of determining residency, South Texas College (STC) complies with all applicable state and federal regulations, as well as the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recommendations. The STC district includes all of Hidalgo and Starr counties. STC uses three residency classifications for students: “in-district” (students who live in Hidalgo or Starr counties), “out-of-district” (students who live in all other counties within the state of Texas), and "non-residents" (out-of-state or international students). According to STC policy, international students will always be classified as "non-residents."

Under Texas State Law, an applicant or enrolled student is classified as a Texas resident or non-resident. In order to qualify as a Texas resident, an individual must reside in Texas for 12 continuous months and establish a domicile in Texas the 12 months prior to census date. An applicant or student who is claimed as a dependent on a parent’s most recent federal tax return will be classified based on the parent’s qualification for residency.

List A - Document proof of domicile

Submit one document from the list below to support establishment of domicile in Texas. You also need one document from List B.

  • Employer-provided employment verification, proof of self-employment or living off earnings statement, with supporting bank statements (must show student's Texas address.)
  • Ownership in real property sole or joint.
  • Marriage to a person who has established and maintained domicile in Texas.
  • Ownership in a Business in part or whole in Texas.

List B - Document proof of physical residency

Submit one document from the list below to support physical presence for 12 consecutive months in Texas. You also need one document from List A. Additional documents may be required to support a claim for Texas resident status. 

  • Utility bills in name of the person.
  • Texas high school transcript.
  • Transcript from a Texas institution.
  • Texas driver’s license or Texas ID card showing origination date.
  • Texas voter registration card showing origination date.
  • Pay stubs.
  • Bank statements.
  • Written statements from one or more social service agencies.
  • Lease or rental of residential real property in the name of the person.

Additional documentation

The following documents may lend support to clarify domicile or physical presence in Texas.

  • Tax returns for most recent tax year.
  • Visa, passport, or other pertinent immigration documents.
  • Leave and Earnings Statement (LES).
  • License to conduct business in Texas.

Residency Based on High School Graduation or Receipt of a GED Certification

In accordance with Texas Education Code 54.052, an individual shall be classified as a Texas resident until the individual establishes a residence outside this state. 

An individual is considered resident:

  1. if the individual resided with their parent(s), guardian, or conservator while attending a public high school in Texas and;
  2. graduated from a public high school or received the GED in Texas;
  3. resided in Texas for at least three years as of the date the student graduated from high school or received the GED in Texas;
  4. resided in Texas for 12 months prior to the census date of the semester in which the student plans to enroll;
  5. if the individual is not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, an Affidavit, stating that the student will file an application to become a permanent resident at the earliest opportunity, shall be provided to the College.

All documentation must include the student’s name and address.

In-District

Persons and their dependents, who do not live in the STC district, but who own property that is subject to ad valorem taxation by the STC taxing district, are also classified as "in-district" students. Proof of ownership of such property is a current certificate of payment provided by the Tax-Assessor Collector of either Starr or Hidalgo counties, which must be submitted with the Application for Admission, re-submitted annually and retained by the College. Dependents of property owners must submit a copy of the income tax return for the previous year, naming the student as a dependent.

If there are any questions about residency classification, it is the student’s obligation, prior to or at the time of enrollment, to raise the questions with the proper College official for a determination. Students classified as "in-district" or "out-of-district" must provide proof of that classification as part of the admissions process, as explained above. If a student’s residency classification changes for any reason, it is the responsibility of the student to notify the proper College official, and failure to do so constitutes a violation. Out-of-state students classified as "non-residents" have not met the state requirements for establishing residency prior to the census date of the semester in which they are enrolling.