Public Stewardship
Service Directory
Frequenty Asked Questions by Area
- How is residency determined for tuition?
- A common question concerns residency status because students are charged a different tuition rate depending on what classification they fall under (and how many credits they are signed up for at the time in question). A student new to the Maricopa Community Colleges who enrolls via my.maricopa.edu is considered out-of-state until proof of residency and citizenship or lawful status is established with the Admissions and Records Office/Office of Student Enrollment Services at the college he/she is planning to attend.
- For the Maricopa Community Colleges, tuition is based on four residency classifications. The following categories were determined in accordance with state law (ARS §§15-1801, 15-1802, 15-1802.01, 15-1803) and regulations of the Maricopa Community Colleges Governing Board:
- Maricopa County Resident—an individual who has lived in Maricopa County for 50 days AND lived in the State of Arizona for at least one year prior to class start who is a U.S. Citizen or in a lawful status.
- Out-of-County Resident—an individual who does not live in Maricopa County or has not lived in Maricopa County for 50 days prior to the start of the semester, BUT has lived in any county in Arizona except Apache, Greenlee, or Santa Cruz AND in the State of Arizona for at least one year prior to class start who is a U.S. Citizen or in a lawful status. According to ARS §15-1469, if the County Superintendent of Schools certifies that you are a resident of a county in Arizona which is not a part of an established community college district, Apache, Greenlee, or Santa Cruz counties will pay the tuition for you to attend one of the state community colleges. The student must complete and submit the Arizona Out-of-County Residence Affidavit form.
- Out-of-State Resident (including F-1 non-immigrant students)—any individual who has not lived in the State of Arizona for at least one year prior to class start or who is not eligible to establish residency and who takes 7 or more credit hours per semester.
- Unclassified, Out-of-County/Out-of-State Resident (1-6 credit hours system-wide)—any individual who has not provided proof of residency and any individual who has not lived in the State of Arizona for at least one year prior to class start or who is not eligible to establish residency and who is taking less than 7 credits per semester.
- It is up to the student to establish his/her residency and citizenship or lawful status prior to registration and register under the correct status. Proof of residency and citizenship or lawful status must be provided to each college of attendance.
- I just signed up using my.maricopa.edu and my tuition seems high. What is happening?
- The default for new students is set to "Out-of-State" so tuition and fees will be calculated accordingly. In order to change your status you will need to provide documentation to the Admissions and Records Office/Office of Student Enrollment Services at the college you wish to attend. As each Maricopa Communtiy College is individually accredited, you must establish proof of residency at each Maricopa Community College that you plan to attend.
- What proof do I need to provide, and to whom, to show I am a resident of Maricopa County?
For a complete list of acceptable documents, go to the Residency web. Documentation must be presented to the Admissions and Records Office/Office of Student Enrollment Services at each campus of attendance. Examples of appropriate documentation include:
- United States or Naturalized Citizens: Confirmation of citizenship through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); current valid Arizona Motor Vehicle Department Drivers License/Identification Card issued after 1996; Birth Certificate; United States Passport, current or expired (unless stamped "non-citizen National"); Tribal or Bureau of Indian Affairs Affidavit of Birth; US Military ID Card (active duty, reserve and retired)
; US Military DD-214
- Permanent Resident Aliens: Confirmation of citizenship through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); current valid Arizona Motor Vehicle Department Drivers License/Identification Card issued after 1996; permanent Resident Card (Form I-151 since 1997); Resident Alien Card (Form I-551 before 1997)
- Refugee or Asylee: Confirmation of citizenship through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); current valid Arizona Motor Vehicle Department Drivers License/Identification Card issued after 1996; I-94 or I-94A with stamp showing admission under Section 207 (refugees) or Section 208 (Asylee) of the Immigration Nationality Act (INA)
- Non-Immigrant Aliens:
Current valid Arizona Motor Vehicle Department Drivers License/Identification Card issued after 1996; current Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766); current Non-immigrant Visa
- How much is tuition? (See Tuition and Fee Schedule)
- Tuition and fees vary depending on residency status and number of credit hours your are taking. Fees vary based on course enrollment.
- How long does it take to establish residency?
- A student must reside in the state of Arizona for one year prior to the start of classes to be considered an in-state student and at least 50 days prior to the start of classes in Maricopa County* to be considered a Maricopa County resident. There are several exceptions which are detailed in Criteria for Determining Residency.
*There are agreements established in regards to residents of Apache, Santa Cruz
or Greenlee Counties to be considered in-county residents with a completed affidavit.
- I want to come to Arizona from another state to go to school and my mom/dad lives in Arizona. Can I qualify as an in-state student?
- Yes, if you can be claimed by the parent living in Arizona on his/her federal taxes. If your mom/dad moves out of Arizona after you are enrolled, but you remain continuously enrolled until attainment of the degree, your in-state status remains.
- Although I live in another state, I am a full-time teacher/classroom aide working for an Arizona school district and I need to take classes to keep my teaching certification. Do I have to pay out-of-state tuition?
- Since you are an employee of an Arizona school district under contract to teach full-time, or are a full-time non-certified classroom aide at a school within an Arizona school district, you would be considered in-state but only for courses necessary to complete certification requirements by the state board of education to teach in a school District in Arizona.
- I’m a member of Armed Forces and I am stationed in Arizona. What’s my status?
- As a member of the Armed Forces of the United States (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, commission corps of the United States Public Health Services, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Guard, or any military reserve unit of any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States) you are considered in-state if you are assigned to serve in Arizona.
- I’m a legal alien residing in Arizona. What visa do I need to hold in order to be considered an in-state student?
- You may qualify as an alien in-state student if you are a refugee student and have been granted refugee status in accordance with all applicable laws of the United States and have met all other requirements for domicile.
- If you are not a citizen or legal resident of the United States, you cannot be classified as an in-state/in-county student.
- Your visa must not prohibit establishing a domicile in Arizona.
- If you are holding a valid, unexpired visa in the following categories you may be classified as in-state students:
- A=Foreign Government Official or Adopted Child of a Permanent Resident
- E=Treaty Traders
- G=Principal Resident Representative of Recognized Foreign Member Government to International Staff
- K=Spouse or Child of Spouse of a U.S. Citizen, Fiancé or Child of Fiancé of U.S. Citizen
- L=Intracompany Transferee, or Spouse or Child
- N6=NATO-6
- V=Spouses and Dependent Children of Lawful Permanent Residents
- If you hold a visa as listed above, or who were issued a visa of a type other than those listed above and have submitted an I-485 to Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS), you may establish residency if other domicile requirements have been met.
- Residency eligibility for I-485 applicants may be considered one year after the date on the CIS Notice of Action letter (I-797) confirming your approval of permanent resident status.
- You must provide the required residency documentation in addition to the Notice of Action for residency consideration.
- In establishing domicile, you must be in a status that does not prohibit establishing domicile in this state for at least one year immediately preceding the official starting date of the semester.
- In the event that your parents are domiciled in this state and are allowed to claim you as an exemption for state or federal tax purposes, your parents, in order to establish domicile, must hold a valid, unexpired visa in one of the categories listed above.
- What classes do I need to take to get my degree or certificate?
- Contact college advising for help determining what courses you need to meet your academic goals. Programs of study, certificates and other classes available are listed in the college catalog or on the college web site.
- I'm a new student, is there one place I can go to get set up at the college?
- Listed in the Service Directory are links to the colleges' iStartSmart programs (if they have one). iStartSmart programs have been developed to help new students navigate successfully through the enrollment process and to prepare them for future success.
- Am I eligible for financial aid?
- Contact the college financial aid office for help in determining your need and eligibility status. You may also go directly to the FAFSA web site. The college may need additional documentation from you in addition to a completed FAFSA application so be sure to check the To Do section of your Student Center in my.maricopa.edu periodically until your award has been disbursed.
- I received notification that I am eligible for financial aid (after completing and submitting my FAFSA application) but I haven't received my money. What do I need to do?
- It's likely the college needs additional documentation from you (i.e., copies of tax forms, income verification forms, dependency status claims, etc.). Be sure to check the To Do section of your Student Center in my.maricopa.edu because this is where a list of needed items will be located. You can monitor the status of your application via your Student Center account. You may also contact a financial aid technician at the college for help.
- How do I know what I need to do to complete my financial aid file so I can receive my money?
- Same as above--check the To Do section of your Student Center in my.maricopa.edu periodically for notifications of any additional information needed. You may also contact a financial aid technician at the college for help.
- Why does it take so long to get my financial aid?
- Many factors contribute to the length of time it takes for financial aid disbursement including external factors that may involve the lending institution.
- The time to process an application from start to finish is about 4-6 weeks but may take longer during peak processing periods.
- More time may be needed if additional documentation is requested from the college financial aid office (i.e., copies of tax forms, income verification forms, dependency status claims, etc.)
- You also need to go through online counseling and sign off on any promissory notes.
- Your file will be held until the needed documentation has been provided. Please do speak with a financial aid technician at the college and make sure that the documentation you provide is received by the appropriate party and logged in.
- NOTE: Students must give the college permission to release their FERPA-protected information to anyone, including their parents/guardians. If you want your parent(s) or guardian(s) to be able to speak with the financial aid office on your behalf, you will have to give the college permission to do so. Ask for the appropriate form from the college financial aid office when you begin the financial aid process.
- What is satisfactory academic progress (SAP)?
- Satisfactory academic progress is is a federal requirement. Students who wish to receive financial aid must make satisfactory progress toward completing their degree. There are three components to SAP:
- You must keep your cumulative GPA above the scholastic standards listed in the college catalog.
- You must complete at least 2/3 of all the credits you attempt.
- You must complete your program within 150% of the allotted time frame (i.e., if you are in a 60 credit hour AA program you must finish by the time you have attempted 90 credits).
- SAP is monitored for all periods of attendance at each college, including times that you have not received financial aid.
- Students who do not meet the minimum standards may petition to be reinstated.
- For additional information, please check out the entire SAP policy at your college. Your questions may also be answered here.
- Where's my check?
- Once you have received notification that funds have been released to the college, the college will process any payments that are pending (tuition fees, books, etc.) After those fees have been paid, balance checks will be system generated and disbursed by the colleges to the student. Please Note: Notification that funds have been dispersed to the college does not mean that the money will be automatically and immediately available to you.
- I was expecting $X and only got $Y ... what happened?
- Once funds have been released to the college, the college will process any payments that are pending (tuition fees, books, etc.) After those fees have been paid, balance checks will be system generated and disbursed by the colleges to the student.
- The total aid you are eligible for per academic year is alotted when you submit your application but it will be dispersed per semester. That means that the total will be split between fall and spring semesters.
- How do I pay for classes?
- You may pay online via my.maricopa.edu, by phone, or in person at the college location.
