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Residency

Students, other than statutory exempt individuals, who do not qualify as bona fide residents of the State of Hawaii according to the University of Hawaii Rules and Regulations in effect at the time they register, must pay non-resident tuition. An official determination of residency status will be made at the time of application. Applicants may be required to provide documentation to verify residency status. A nonresident application fee of $25 is required at the time of application.

Once classified as a non-resident, students continue to be so classified during their term at the College until they can present satisfactory evidence to the Residency Officer that proves otherwise. Some of the more pertinent University Residency Regulations follow. For additional information or interpretation, contact the Registrar at Honolulu Community College, Building 6, 845-9120.

Definition Of Hawaii Residency: For tuition purposes, students are deemed residents of the State of Hawaii if they (or if under 18 their parents or legal guardian) have:

  1. United States citizenship or approved Permanent Resident (green card) status
  2. Demonstrated intent to permanently reside in Hawaii (see the following for indicia)
  3. Been physically present in Hawaii for 12-14 consecutive months prior to the first day of instruction, and subsequent to that demonstration of intent to make Hawaii their legal residence; and,
  4. Not been claimed as a dependent for tax purposes by their parents or legal guardians who are not legal residents of Hawaii.

To demonstrate the intent to make Hawaii your legal residence, the following indicia apply:

  1. Voting or registering to vote in the State of Hawaii.
  2. Filing a Hawaii Resident State Personal Income Tax Return.

Other indicia, such as permanent employment or the leasing of a dwelling in Hawaii may apply, but no single act is sufficient to establish residency in the State of Hawaii.

Other legal factors involved in making a residency determination include that:

  1. The twelve months of continuous residence in Hawaii shall begin on the date upon which the first overt action (see indicia above) is made to make Hawaii one’s permanent residence. For Permanent Residents (green card holders) the twelve months begins on the date on which the Permanent Residency status was granted by Immigration.
  2. Residency in Hawaii and residency in another place cannot be held simultaneously.
  3. Presence in Hawaii primarily to attend an institution of higher learning does not create resident status. Continued presence in Hawaii during vacation periods and occasional periods of interruption of the course of study does not itself overcome this presumption.
  4. The residency of unmarried students who are minors follows that of the parents or of the legal guardian. Marriage emancipates a minor.
  5. Resident status, once acquired, will be lost by future voluntary action of the resident inconsistent with such status. However, Hawaii residency will not be lost solely because of absence from the State while a member of the United States Armed Forces, while engaged in navigation, or while a student at any institution of learning.

These considerations do not exhaust all of the factors that affect the determination of residency. For more information, consult the "Rules and Regulations Governing Determination of Residency as Applied to Tuition Payments and Admission at All Institutions Under the Jurisdiction of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii."

Non-Resident Students

Once classified as a non-resident, a student continues in this status at the College until submitting
satisfactory evidence to the Records Office that proves otherwise. Non-resident students who enter any campus of the University of Hawaii may not be allowed to change his/her residency status from nonresident to resident during any period in which he/she:

  1. Enrolled for 6 credits or more at any higher education institution(s) in Hawaii;
  2. Was absent from Hawaii for more than 30 days per year during school vacation periods;
  3. Received student financial assistance based on residency in another state; or
  4. Was a dependent of nonresident parent(s) or legal guardian.

The maximum number of non-resident students that can be accepted by the College is limited by Board of Regents policy. Students classified as non-residents are required to pay non-resident tuition.

Statutory Exemptions

Non-residents may be allowed to pay resident tuition if they qualify as one of the following:

  1. Members of the Hawaii National Guard or Hawaii-based Reserves.
  2. United States military personnel and their authorized dependents (as defined by the Armed Services) during the period such personnel are stationed in Hawaii on active duty.
  3. Full-time employees of the University of Hawaii and their spouses and legal dependents (as defined under Internal Revenue Service rules).
  4. East-West Center student grantees pursuing baccalaureate or advanced degrees.
  5. Hawaiians, descendents of the aboriginal peoples that inhabited the Hawaiian Islands and exercised sovereignty in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778. A non-resident application fee of $25 is required at the time of application.

Persons who are legal residents of any Pacific Island or Asian district, Commonwealth, Territory, or Insular Jurisdiction, State, or Nation which does not provide public institutions of higher learning are eligible to pay 150% of the resident tuition rate. These currently include the following:

  • American Samoa
  • Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas
  • Cook Islands
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Futuna
  • Kiribati
  • Nauru
  • New Caledonia
  • Niue
  • Republic of Belau
  • Republic of the Marshall Islands
  • Solomon Islands
  • Tokelau
  • Tonga
  • Tuvalu
  • Vanuatu
  • Wallis

Misrepresentation: A student or prospective student who intentionally or willfully misrepresents any fact on any form or document intended for use in determination of residency status for tuition purposes will be subject to the regular disciplinary measures of the University of Hawaii.

Appeal Process: Residency decisions may be appealed by submission of The Residency Classification form and any supporting documentation by the deadline. Students desiring to initiate a residency appeal should contact the Residency Officer for more information on the appeal process, applicable tuition payments, and deadlines. Appeals are heard by the Residency Appeal Board.