Section 0240-07-02-.02 - OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PAY OUT-OF-STATE TUITION(1) An unemancipated, currently enrolled student will be reclassified as out-of-state should his/her parent move out of the state of Tennessee. However, the student will not be required to pay out-of-state tuition nor be treated as an out-of-state student for admission purposes so long as he/she is continuously enrolled at MTSU.(2) The waiver of out-of-state tuition granted to a student will follow the student from a Tennessee public community college to MTSU if the student transfers from the community college without a break in enrollment after successfully completing an associate's degree or if participating in a reverse transfer program.(3) Students who participate in a study abroad program, when the course(s) in the study abroad program is/are the only course(s) for which the student is registered during that entire term are not required to pay out-of-state tuition.(4) Dependent children whose parents are full-time, licensed Tennessee Public School Teachers and will be utilizing the Public Higher Education Fee Discount form.(5) Military veterans who have a Tennessee address in Box 19A on their DD214 (mailing address after separation) will be charged in-state tuition and fees.(6) A veteran or dependents eligible to receive educational benefits (to include the David Fry Scholarship) administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, through any provision of the United States Code, shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition and fees when the veteran or eligible dependent is: (b) Utilizing such benefits at MTSU; and(c) Living in the state of Tennessee, regardless of the individual's formal state of residency. If VA benefits run out/expire prior to graduation, a student can continue to qualify for in-state tuition and fees until completion of that degree, if he/she:
1. Maintains continuous enrollment (Fall and Spring terms); and2. Demonstrates objective evidence of established residency in the state of Tennessee by presenting three (3) of the following:(i) A Tennessee driver's license, issued for at least one (1) year;(ii) A Tennessee Identification Card, issued for at least one (1) year;(iii) Proof of a Tennessee voter's registration;(iv) A Tennessee motor vehicle registration;(v) Proof of established employment in Tennessee;(vi) Residential lease or mortgage. Further, if the veteran or eligible dependent wishes to become a permanent resident, he/she can follow Steps 1. and 2. above and be recoded as an in-state resident.
(7) Individuals who join the Tennessee National Guard (active member) will be charged in-state tuition and fees.(8) Military service members on active-duty orders who are stationed outside of the state of Tennessee but still maintain a Tennessee domicile will be charged in-state tuition and fees.(9) An unemancipated person or spouse of an active-duty military member who is stationed outside of Tennessee but whose home of record is Tennessee, will be charged in-state tuition and fees (must show proof of domicile, including, but not limited to, driver's license, voter's registration, LES, tax document).(10) An unemancipated person whose parent is not domiciled in Tennessee but is a member of the armed forces and stationed in Tennessee or at Fort Campbell, Kentucky pursuant to military orders will be classified out-of-state but shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition. Such a person, while in continuous attendance toward the degree for which he/she is currently enrolled, will not be required to pay out-of-state tuition if his/her parent is transferred on military orders.(11) Active-duty military personnel who begin working on a college degree at MTSU while stationed in Tennessee or at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and who are transferred or deployed prior to completing their degree, can continue to completion of the degree at MTSU without being required to pay out-of-state tuition, as long as he/she completes at least one (1) course for credit each twelve (12) month period after the transfer or deployment. Exceptions may be made in cases where the service member is deployed to an area of armed conflict for periods exceeding twelve (12) months.(12) Military personnel and their spouses stationed in Tennessee or at Fort Campbell, Kentucky who would be classified out-of-state in accordance with other provisions of these rules will be classified out-of-state but will not be required to pay out-of-state tuition. This does not apply to military personnel and their spouses who are stationed in Tennessee primarily for educational purposes.(13) MTSU shall charge a dependent child under twenty-three (23) years of age, whose military parent dies as a result of a targeted attack that occurred in Tennessee, in-state tuition and fees regardless of the dependent child's domicile or place of residence during the dependent child's enrollment at MTSU, provided the dependent child has met and continues to meet all stated statutory requirements.(14) Part-time students who are not domiciled in Tennessee but who are employed full-time in Tennessee, or who are stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky pursuant to military orders, shall be classified out-of-state but shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition. This shall also apply to part-time students who are employed in Tennessee by more than one (1) employer, resulting in the equivalent of full-time employment. Full-time employment is defined as working either one (1) job at a minimum of thirty-two (32) hours per week or more than one (1) part-time job to total an average of thirty-two (32) hours per week.(15) Presumption. No person shall qualify for in-state fees if he/she came to Tennessee for the primary purpose of attending college. For example, if an individual moved to Tennessee and immediately enrolled at MTSU, another university, college, or community college as a fulltime student, that person is presumed to have moved to Tennessee for the primary purpose of attending college and will not be eligible for in-state fees. The presumption is that a student cannot acquire domicile in Tennessee while enrolled as a full-time student.(16) Evidence to be Considered for Establishment of Domicile. If a person asserts that he/she has established domicile in Tennessee, he/she has the burden of proving that he/she has done so. MTSU will consider any and all evidence provided concerning such claim of domicile. Generally, persons attempting to prove domicile should be prepared to offer multiple items of evidence including, but not limited to, proof of residence and/or property ownership within Tennessee; military orders assigning the person to Tennessee; proof of full-time employment within Tennessee; proof of receiving a Tennessee state benefit including, but not limited to, TennCare, TN Disability benefits, or SNAP; proof of current classification as in-state for tuition and fee purposes at another public Tennessee higher education institution; etc.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0240-07-02-.02
Original rules filed May 17, 2019; effective August 15, 2019. Amendments filed January 29, 2024; effective 4/28/2024.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-4-704, 49-7-164, and 49-8-104.