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.
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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.