Many terms associated with applying for residency to be assessed in-state tuition rates at the University of Washington. If after reviewing the following glossary of terms, you still have questions on their meaning, contact the Residency Team.

How to Contact the Residency Team

There are two ways to contact the Residency Team at UW Seattle. Our goal is to respond to email inquiries within 5 business days. For pressing or complicated advising questions, please schedule an appointment.

Glossary

– B –

Bona Fide Domicile

An individual’s true home and intended permanent living space, in which the individual has established valid legal ties.

Break Enrollment

An absence of more than one quarter (excluding summer quarter).

– C –

Calendar Year

January 1 through December 31 of a specific year.

– D –

Dependent Funds

Funds or financial assistance either provided by, or due to a relationship with, someone other than their spouse or registered domestic partner.

Domicile-eligible Immigration Status

An immigration or visa status that allows an individual to establish domicile in the United States.

– E –

EAD – Employment Authorization Document

A document demonstrating that an individual is authorized to work in the United States. An individual’s EAD code can impact whether they are eligible to establish domicile in the United States.

Educational Presumption

Presumption by law that an individual has moved to Washington state for education purposes, rather than with intent of establishing bona fide domicile.

– F –

Financial Assistance

Financial support provided to an individual from someone other than their spouse or state registered domestic partner. Examples include, providing funds to an individual that were not earned as income from employment, directly paying an individual’s rent or tuition, gifting property, providing housing at a significantly reduced rate, etc.

First Admitted Quarter

A student’s first term at an institution at a specific level (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, professional).

– I –

Independent Funds

Funds or financial resources that can be documented as being an independent resource earned or made available to an individual, or their spouse or state registered domestic partner of at least one year.

– L –

Legal Ties

Legal credentials or relationships that an individual establishes or holds with a state or country, that may be indicative of domicile. Examples: Voter Registration, Vehicle Registration, and Driver’s License.

– N –

Non-Resident

A student who either does not meet, or has not sufficiently proved that they meet, the residency requirements for Washington state. If a student is classified as a non-resident then they will be charged the non-resident tuition rate.

Notarize

A process by which an individual verifies that they witnessed a document be signed, and authenticates the identity of the signee of a document.

Notary Public

An individual who is authorized to officially notarize a document.

– P –

Permanent Resident

An individual who has been authorized to live and work permanently in the United States. Individuals with this status will have a permanent resident card (also known as a green card).

Physical Presence

Being physically present in a location.

Primary Residence

A living space and a mailing address that is an individual’s predominant residence.

– R –

RCW – Revised Code of Washington State

The RCW contains the laws as passed by the Washington State Legislature.

Reciprocity Exchange Program

An agreement between two (or more) states, or academic programs, to offer resident tuition rates, or a tuition reduction, to residents of these states.

Redacted/Redaction

Edits that revise, remove, censor, or obscure information.

Resident

A student who has been determined to meet the residency requirement for Washington state. If a student is classified as a resident then they are eligible to pay the resident tuition rate.

– S –

Spouse

A partner in marriage.

State Registered Domestic Partnership

A partnership that has met the specific requirements outlined by a state, and that has officially been registered with a state.

Statutory Deadline

A deadline established by state or federal statute.

– T –

Trust

An account created by a grantor that holds funds or resources for a beneficiary or beneficiaries, and that may have guidelines or restrictions regarding how the assets in the trust may be used.

Tuition Reduction

A reduction to a student’s tuition by way of waiver. Tuition reductions do not grant bona fide Washington residency; however, they do reduce the amount of the non-resident portion of tuition.

– W –

WAC – Washington Administrative Code

The WAC sections that pertain to residency for tuition purposes are written and managed by the Washington Student Achievement Council and help to expand upon and clarify what is written in the RCW.

Absence Due to Military/Civil Service

Washington residents, who enter the military/civil service while domiciled in Washington or established a domicile while stationed in Washington for a period of at least one year, will maintain resident status while being stationed outside of Washington if they:

• Return within one year (12 months) of discharge/end of service with the intent to be domiciled in Washington.
• Maintain all legal ties in Washington.

Please reference Military Personnel page for more details.

Absence for Educational Purposes Only

Students who are Washington residents and have been absent due to attending an out-of-state college/university will need to complete the Residence Questionnaire process.

Documentation to provide along with the Residence Questionnaire:

1. Proof that student has maintained all Washington legal ties and did not take steps to establish domicile in another state. Review Residency Requirements for details.
2. Verification that student resided in Washington for a minimum of one year (12 months) prior to leaving the state for educational purposes.
3. Documentation from the out-of-state college/university verifying student’s continuous enrollment as a non-resident, paying non-resident tuition. If the student attended a private college/university, only verification of continuous enrollment is required.

A student who is financially dependent upon parent(s)/legal guardian(s) or others should refer to Financially Dependent Students.

As part of the admissions process, the UW School of Medicine Admissions Office requires some applicants to verify their Washington residency through our office.

Residency Affidavit

School of Medicine applicants who meet the following requirements are eligible to submit the Washington Higher Education Residency Affidavit to verify residency status.

1. You must have received a high school diploma (or equivalent).
2. You must have maintained a primary residence in Washington for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to your first admitted quarter at the University of Washington Seattle. The Washington residence must be for purposes primarily other than postsecondary education. If you take any courses at another Washington college during the prior 12 months, you cannot have taken more than six credits in any given term. If you exceed that limit you must prove that you have a Washington residence for reasons other than postsecondary education. For 2026 Medical School applicants, this means you must have established your primary residence in Washington on or before June 22, 2025.
3. You must affirm that you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or that you will file an application to become a permanent resident of the United States as soon as you are eligible to apply.

If you meet the preceding requirements, download the Washington Higher Education Residency Affidavit [PDF], fill in the applicant information and sign the form, then submit it to us via the special Residency Application and Document Upload for Medical School students.

Residence Questionnaire

School of Medicine applicants who do not meet the requirements of the affidavit can submit a Residence Questionnaire. There are two ways to verify residency using the Residence Questionnaire:

1. If you are claiming residency because you are financially dependent on a parent or court-appointed legal guardian who is a resident of Washington State, please go to our page for Financially Dependent Students for information about how to complete the Residence Questionnaire as a financially-dependent student, and what information and documentation you will need to provide.
2. If you are claiming residency because you are a current resident of Washington State who is financially independent and attending school or working out-of-state, please go to our pages for Financially Independent Students and Washington Residents Absent from State for information about how to complete the Residence Questionnaire as a financially-independent student, and what information and documentation you will need to provide.

To verify residency using the Residence Questionnaire, the completed questionnaire, documentation checklist, and copies of all required supporting documentation must be submitted via the special Residency Application and Document Upload for Medical School students.

When completing the questionnaire, the term of application is summer quarter of the year you will begin medical school (current year +1). Applicants should mark the categories “New,” and “Professional,” and enter “UWSOM” in the blank line next to “School.” In the “ID number” field, applicants should provide their AMCAS number. Please provide a valid and legible email address as this is the only form of communication between the applicant and the Residency Classification Office.

The information on this page is for applicants verifying their legal residency; not the School of Medicine Residency and Clinical Fellowship Programs.