Residency Requirements

Students with residency status are assessed in-state instructional fees, which are subsidized by funds from the State of Oregon's Higher Education budget. Non-resident students are assessed a higher level of instructional fees that more closely approximates the actual cost of instruction. This guide is designed to help students understand the classification criteria and the process by which residency classification is determined.

Please read the Guide to Oregon Residence Classification as published by the Oregon University System of Higher Education for complete information.

Complete the Residence Information Affidavit to apply for Oregon residency. Printed versions of both documents are available from the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records in Neuberger Hall.

Who is considered a resident?

Residency is determined in the evaluation of location of domicile, financial dependence or independence, primary purpose for living in Oregon, type and source of financial resources as well as other indicators. The primary determinant for residency is intent. That is, if you have moved to Oregon primarily for the purpose of obtaining an education, residency status is not granted regardless of the elapsed time since moving to Oregon.

You may be considered an Oregon resident if:

  1. You moved to Oregon for reasons other than to attend school.
  2. You have lived in Oregon for at least 12 months before registering at Portland State
  3. You are financially independent and meet A and B above.
  4. You are a member of the armed services assigned to duty and living in Oregon.
  5. You are a member of a Native American tribe which had traditional and customary tribal boundaries that included parts of the State of Oregon or which had ceded or reserved lands within the State of Oregon.
  6. You have been approved for permanent residency in the U.S. and meet all other domicile and financial conditions.
  7. You are financially dependent upon an Oregon resident.
  8. An Oregon resident who has been living in Oregon for at least 12 months has claimed you as a dependent for tax purposes.

You may be considered a nonresident if:

  1. You enrolled in a college or university more then eight hours per term within 12 months of moving to Oregon.
  2. Someone living in another state has claimed you as a dependent on state and/or federal tax returns.
  3. Your primary source of financial support comes from someone living outside Oregon.
  4. You are a resident alien possessing one of the following nonimmigrant or temporary visas: B, C, D, F, J, or M.

If you're ready to apply for residency:

Select "Residency Review" on the left side of this page for a step-by-step guide to the process.

Who determines residency classification at Portland State University?

The Residency Officer at Portland State University is Veda Kindle in the Office of Admissions, Registration, and Records. Questions about residency can be e-mailed to askres@pdx.edu.