The Residency Determination Service (RDS) is the centralized system in North Carolina for determining residency for students.

​The state of North Carolina substantially subsidizes the cost of tuition for all students whose domicile, or permanent legal residence, is in North Carolina.

• You may qualify as a resident for tuition purposes if:

  • you and/or your parent(s) / legal guardian have established and maintained legal residence (or domicile) in North Carolina for at least 12 consecutive months before you claimed residency,
  • ​your intent is to make North Carolina your home indefinitely, and
  • you came to North Carolina for reasons other than to attend college

• For detailed policy information, visit the Residency Determination Service website.

For help navigating the residency process at UNC Charlotte, view the online handbook.