When making the decision of which higher education institution to attend, the cost of tuition is sure to be a primary deciding factor. The unfortunate reality is that if you wish to go to a college in a state of which you are not a resident, you may have to pay out-of-state tuition that can be up to twice the amount or more than what students from within that state pay.
While the concept of out-of-state tuition often stems from matters of paying state taxes, it remains the case that universities might unfairly charge certain students with out-of-state tuition. If you wish to challenge a college’s unfair decision to charge out-of-state tuition, it is important to understand the next best steps.
When is out-of-state tuition unfair?
Even when a college has a wide-sweeping policy of charging out-of-state tuition to students from beyond state lines, there are typically exceptions to those policies. For example, many schools have tuition reciprocity agreements with neighboring states.
How can you challenge a college’s decision to charge out-of-state tuition?
In addition to the presence of a tuition reciprocity agreement, you might have the right to pay in-state tuition if you meet the school’s residency rules, if you have certain financial aid benefits or if you meet other exception criteria such as if your parent is an active military member. If you believe you qualify for such an exception, then you likely have solid ground from which to build a defense and challenge the university’s decision.
When colleges attempt to charge an unfair amount of out-of-state tuition, students do not need to accept that number lying down. There is often room for negotiation, and the field of student defense law exists to protect a student’s best interests in such matters.