Residency
Residency Information for Future and Current Students
Colorado residents pay in-state tuition rates. If you’re planning to become a CU Denver student, don’t wait! Learn what future students need to do to confirm Colorado residency right from the time they’re admitted to CU Denver.
If you’re a current student and don’t have Colorado residency, find out how to change your residency status to become a Colorado resident.
If you’re under the age of 23, you must use the domicile information of a parent, or court-appointed legal guardian, to determine your residency status.
An emancipated minor is an individual under 23 who’s no longer considered a dependent and isn’t supported by their parent(s) or any other individual.
The College Opportunity Fund (COF), created by the Colorado Legislature, provides a stipend to eligible undergraduate students paying in-state tuition.
Establishing Domicile
Domicile is used to describe the place where an individual has demonstrated intent to make a permanent home and legal residence. Colorado residency requires a domicile in Colorado for 12 continuous months on or prior to the first day of classes of each semester.
In order to demonstrate Colorado Domicile, you first must demonstrate physical presence in the state. Physical presence refers to the place where a person lives. There are several ways to provide proof of your physical presence.
- Homeownership
- A lease agreement
- Rent receipts
- A notarized statement from a landlord
Having a domicile in Colorado involves more than mere physical presence in the state. In addition to demonstrating physical presence, you must also demonstrate intent to make Colorado your permanent home.
Evidence of intent to make Colorado your permanent home and legal residence is demonstrated by giving up all your legal ties with any prior state and establishing them with Colorado for at least 12 continuous months. Intent is demonstrated by completing all applicable actions to legally tie yourself to the State as would be expected of any other Colorado resident.
There is no formula or checklist to follow in establishing domicile. Generally, physical presence plus one connection with the state will not be sufficient to establish domicile. Several kinds of connections are necessary, and the more connections that are made, the more assurance a person has of qualifying for residency.
- Colorado driver’s license or valid Colorado ID
- Colorado motor vehicle registration
- Colorado voter registration
- Permanent employment in Colorado
- Permanent, full-time, off-campus employment and payment of Colorado State income taxes are considered highly persuasive evidence of intent to make Colorado one’s permanent home. Student employment or temporary work is not considered persuasive. It is the actual official acceptance of employment that forms the connection with the state.
- Payment of Colorado state income taxes as a Colorado resident
- Ownership of, and residence in, a residential property in Colorado
- Graduation from a Colorado high school and/or continued presence in Colorado during periods when not enrolled in college, or during periods between academic sessions
- Failure to pay Colorado state income tax (if your income is sufficient to be taxed)
- Filing a Colorado state income tax return as a non-resident or filing with an out-of-state address
- Failure to obtain a Colorado driver’s license or Colorado ID
- Residing in another state between academic terms or when not enrolled as a student
- Maintenance of a home in another state
- Prolonged absence from Colorado, except for military or civilian government service or for temporary absences required by an employer
- Being registered to vote in another state
- Any other factor particular to your situation that indicates non-Colorado domicile
Proof that demonstrates evidence of intent includes:
Bank accounts, seeking dental or medical care, and marrying or divorcing in the state are matters of convenience because one happens to be present in the state and are therefore not the kinds of connections with the state that show intent to make Colorado one’s permanent home.
Any connections maintained with any other state during the 12-month period for establishing domicile may be viewed as negative intent to make Colorado one’s permanent home.
The requirements for establishing residency for tuition purposes are defined by Colorado law (Colorado Revised Statutes 23-7-101 et. Seq), and the tuition classification statutes apply to all state-funded institutions in Colorado. Institutions are bound by the provisions of this statute and are not free to make exceptions to the rules.The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) also has information regarding the residency classification rules.