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Residency guidelines

The State of Washington has established specific criteria for students to qualify as residents for tuition-paying purposes. Pierce College offers credit classes at three different tuition rates.

Washington state resident rates

  • Residents of Washington state: US citizen or permanent resident (immigrant) who has lived continuously in WA for at least 12 months, prior to the start of a quarter, AND who does not maintain attachments to another state, such as driver’s license, vehicle registration, etc.
  • Students classified as refugees. Proper ID required.
  • Students who meet certain criteria are eligible to pay resident tuition rates, if they meet certain criteria. See the Washington Higher Education Residency Affidavit/Declaration/Certification.
  • Members of the military and their families as described below.

Military qualification for resident rates

Proper ID required to qualify for resident rates.

  • Active duty military personnel physically stationed in Washington and their spouses and dependents.
  • Spouses and dependents of active duty military whose sponsor has been re-assigned out of state.
  • Washington National Guard members, regardless of where they are stationed.
  • Spouses and dependents of Washington Guard members, if they reside in the state.

Non-resident (US citizens or immigrants) rates

  • Students who have not lived continuously in the State of Washington for the past 12 months, prior to the start of a quarter, AND who are US citizens or immigrants.

Other non-residents rates

  • Students on non-immigrant visas
  • Non-US citizens without immigration documentation (who do not meet any of the above criteria)

Determining residency

A number of factors are used to determine residency. All residency determinations are based upon State of Washington guidelines which Pierce College is required to follow.

Download residency questionnaire forms. Paper copies of the questionnaire and other information about establishing residency are available in the Admissions Office at Fort Steilacoom or the Registration Office at Puyallup.

Questionnaires and documentation to change residency status for the current quarter will be accepted up to the 30 th calendar day of the instructional quarter. All information received after the 30th calendar day will be reviewed for the next quarter. Materials should be submitted to the college at which you have applied. Please note: All handwritten or typed statements submitted must be notarized. (There are notaries in the Admissions Offices at Fort Steilacoom and at Puyallup.)

  • Fort Steilacoom (253) 964-6501
  • Admissions Office, 9401 Farwest Drive SW, Lakewood WA 98498-1999
  • Puyallup (253) 840-8400
  • Registration Office, 1601 39th Avenue SE, Puyallup WA 98374-2222