Citizenship and Residency

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Admissions
Awarding of Transfer Credits

To receive in-state tuition students must provide proof of Citizenship and Residency. Citizenship and residency determinations are subject to A.R.S. §15-1801 et seq.

Evidence of Citizenship

Documents most frequently submitted by U.S. citizens:
  • Unexpired Arizona Driver’s License, Instruction Permit, or non-operator ID.
  • U.S. Birth Certificate (with photo ID)
  • Signed U.S. Passport
  • Non-Arizona Driver’s License (licenses and permits from the following states are NOT permissible: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia).
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs ID Card, Tribal ID Card, or Certificate of Indian Blood (with photo ID)
  • Signed U.S. Social Security Card (with photo ID)
  • Signed Certificate of U.S. Citizenship or Signed Certificate of Naturalization (with photo ID)
  • U.S. Military ID or DD-214 documentation (with photo ID)
  • U.S. Armed Forces Driver’s License
Documents most frequently submitted by non-U.S. citizens to request an approved citizenship status:
  • Signed unexpired Foreign Passport and valid U.S. Visa
  • Permanent Resident Card
  • F1 Visa and I-20 (signed)
  • J1 Visa and DS-2019 (signed)
  • Refugee Travel Document (Form I-571) issued since 2003
  • Form I-94 arrival/departure record with endorsement (expiration date must not have passed); stamp showing admission under section 207 (refugees) or section 208 (asylee) of the Immigration Nationality Act.

If you are unable to provide verification or if you have questions, please contact Admissions on the Gila Pueblo Campus at 928-425-8481 or on the Payson Campus at 928-468-8039.

Evidence of Residency

To receive in-state tuition, a student must provide evidence of continuous residency in Arizona for one year.

  1. A student must have an Arizona driver’s License or an Arizona State ID card
  2. If an Arizona Driver’s License or Arizona State ID card is not one year old, one of the following documents must be used to determine Arizona residency. 
    Supplemental documents should
    1. Match address on Arizona Driver’s License or Arizona State ID*
    2. Have students name
    3. Be dated at least one year ago
  • AZ voter registration card
  • Bank account with AZ address
  • Utility bill
  • W2 or pay stubs
  • AZ income tax return from previous year
  • AZ tribal document from any tribe with a reservation in the state of AZ
  • MVD report (may be obtained at www.servicearizona.com or at the local MVD office)

*Additional documentation may be required if the addresses do not match. 

Dual Enrollment

To verify Arizona residency and citizenship for a high school student without a one-year-old Arizona Driver’s License or Arizona State ID card, the student must provide a birth certificate and high school transcript showing they are currently enrolled.

Veterans

Veterans should provide the following documents to determine if they qualify for immediate in-state residency:

  1. A veteran must submit a DD-214 that states the veteran has an honorable discharge. It cannot be general under honorable or any other status.
  2. A veteran must submit one piece of documentation that show the veteran has an intent to establish AZ residency by providing any of the items below:
    1. AZ voter registration card
    2. AZ Driver’s License or AZ ID Card
    3. AZ motor vehicle registration
    4. Employment history in Arizona
    5. Transfer of major banking services to Arizona
    6. Change of permanent address on all pertinent records
    7. Other materials of whatever kind or source relevant to domicile or residency status

Veteran Dependents

Veteran Dependents should provide the following documents to determine if they qualify for immediate in-state residency:

  1. A veteran’s dependent must submit a DD-214 that states the veteran has an honorable discharge.
  2. A veteran’s dependent must submit documentation that proves the relationship to the veteran, such as marriage license, federal taxes or birth certificate.
  3. A veteran's dependent must submit one piece of documentation
    1. AZ voter registration card
    2. AZ Driver’s License or AZ ID Card
    3. AZ motor vehicle registration
    4. Employment history in Arizona
    5. Transfer of major banking services to Arizona
    6. Change of permanent address on all pertinent records
    7. Other materials of whatever kind or source relevant to domicile or residency status

Arizona Proposition 300 

In November 2006, Arizona voted to stipulate that college students who are not legal United States citizens or are without lawful immigration status must pay out-of-state tuition, and that persons who are not United States citizens or who are without lawful immigration status are not eligible for financial assistance using state money. The law requires that those who do not show proof of US citizenship or lawful immigration status are to pay out-of-state tuition. Proposition 300 does not affect whether a student can attend Gila Community College, but rather whether a student pays in-state or out-of-state tuition or is eligible to receive financial aid subsidized or paid in whole or in part by the state. 

Arizona Proposition 308 

In November 2022, Arizona voted to support Proposition 308, which allows for qualifying, non-citizen Arizona high school graduates to receive in-state tuition at Arizona universities and community colleges and may be eligible to receive state-funded financial aid. 

If a student cannot provide documentation to meet Prop 300 requirements, they may qualify for in-state tuition through Prop 308 if: (1) The student attended any public or private high school or homeschool equivalent while physically present in Arizona for at least two years and (2) the student graduated from any public or private high school option or homeschool equivalent in Arizona or obtained a high school equivalency diploma in Arizona, i.e., a GED.