Factors Considered in Determining Residency Eligibility

Emancipation: The applicable statutes defines this as “a person who has attained the age of eighteen years, and whose parents have entirely surrendered the right to the care, custody and earnings of such person and who no longer is under any legal obligation to support or maintain such person. If any of the aforesaid tests are not met, such person shall be deemed an ‘unemancipated person.” One specific means of determining emancipation is whether your parents are entitled to claim you as a dependency exemption on their federal tax form. If the primary financial support you receive from your parents or guardians entitles them to make this dependency tax exemption, then this may indicate that you are not fully emancipated from them.

Domicile: The applicable statute defines domicile as “a person's true, fixed and permanent home and place of habitation. It is the place where he intends to remain, and to which he expects to return when he leaves without intending to establish a new domicile elsewhere.” Domicile is determined by looking to whether or not the person is emancipated (independent). The statute defines an emancipated person as “a person who has attained the age of eighteen years, and whose parents have entirely surrendered the right to the care, custody and earnings of such person and who no longer are under any legal obligation to support or maintain such person. If any of the aforesaid tests are not met, such person shall be deemed an ‘unemancipated person.’" The domicile of an unemancipated person is that of their parent. An emancipated person applying with their own information must illustrate that they have resided in Connecticut continuously and permanently for 12 months before the start of the Year 2 fall term. Lease agreements with a start date of September 1st in Year 1 are acceptable. The domicile of an emancipated person receiving regular financial assistance from their parent, or whose parent's income was taken into account by any private or governmental agency furnishing financial educational assistance to such person, including scholarships, loans or otherwise, is that of their parent.

Financial Independence: Financial independence is determined by looking at the amount of financial resources an emancipated person receives for a 12-month period from a parent, guardian, or legal custodian as self-reported by the student on the application. In cases where the applicant cannot illustrate emancipation by way of tax filings, bank statements for a 12-month period must be submitted illustrating financial independence was established by July before the start of academic year 1 and halfway through the tax filing year.