Tuition Waivers and Residency Classifications

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This site provides information about tuition waivers and residency classifications including definitions, statutory references and links to other supporting documentation. Also available is a summary document formatted for ease of printing and intended as a quick reference guide. Following are some important facts about the waiver programs and residency classifications described here:

• The waivers described here are all of the waiver programs available for use by the colleges.
• Colleges have discretion in whether to participate in optional waiver programs and how much to waive.
• Optional waiver programs offered by a college, must be offered equally to students meeting the eligibility criteria as established by the waiver. This requirement does not limit a college’s ability when adopting optional waivers to limit the total number of enrollments in a particular waiver. Colleges may also establish preferential enrollment status to distinct classes of students within these waivers.
• Upper division enrollments: Tuition waivers applicable for lower division students are applicable to upper division students at community and technical colleges as well. For example, colleges that waive the out-of-state tuition differential for lower division students must also waive the differential for upper division students.
• Colleges have no authority to adopt waiver programs not described here.
• Residency classifications are not discretionary.

Mandatory Waivers

• Children and Spouse of Totally Disabled or POW/MIA or Deceased Eligible Veterans or National Guard Members
• Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Law Enforcement Officers or Firefighters

SBCTC Mandatory Waivers

• Adult Basic Education, English As A Second Language, and GED Preparation
• Apprenticeship

Optional Waivers

• Athletic Waivers – Resident/Nonresident
• Eligible Veterans or National Guard Members
• High School Completion
• Other Military or Naval Veterans
• Natural Resource - Resident and Nonresident
• Needy

Waiver of Nonresident Tuition Differential

• Congressional Dependents
• Deaf Students
• Higher Education Employees
• High School Completion - Nonresident
• International Student Exchange
• Nonresident-Operating Fees Only
• Reciprocity-Oregon
• Refugee

Space Available Waivers

• Senior Citizens - Audit/Credit
• State Employees
• Unemployed/Underemployed

Ungraded/Course Based Waivers

• Adult Basic Education, English As A Second Language, and GED Preparation
• Ungraded Courses - Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic Continuing Education, Farm Management and Small Business Management, First Aid, Journeyperson, Parenting Education, and Retirement

Other Waivers

• Concurrent Enrollment
• Over 18 Credit Exemption for Vocational Students - Resident and Nonresident
• Running Start

Residency Classifications

• Active Duty Military and Dependents; Washington National Guard and Dependents who live in Washington
• American Indian
• Border County
• High School Graduates Seeking Permanent Residency
• In-State High School Graduates
• Spouses and Dependents of Active Duty Military Transferred Out-of- State
• Foreign Nationals with an E-3, H-1 or L Visa and Family Members

Inactive Waivers

• Reciprocity-Idaho

Summary – Tuition Waivers and Residency Classifications

• Summary Document

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