Texas Residency Determination

TMDSAS makes residency determinations for admission purposes only, not for tuition, which is reviewed at the time of matriculation on the school's end. 

How you’re classified is important because it determines eligibility to be included in the Texas Residents applicant pool. Texas state law requires that no more than 10% of the entering classes of dental, medical, podiatric, and veterinary schools can be made up of non-Texas residents.

Texas law classifies each person who applies for admission to a Texas public college or university as: 

• A resident of Texas; 
• A nonresident; or 
• A foreign (international) student. 

There are two options in which you can establish Texas Residency.

 

Option 1: Residency through High School Graduation

This option for establishing Texas residency is available to citizens or permanent residents of the US and to international students (with certain eligible visa types). 

To establish residency through high school graduation, you must have: 

• Graduated from a Texas high school or receive a GED in Texas; and 
• Lived in Texas for the 36 months immediately before high school graduation; and 
• Lived in Texas continuously for the 12 consecutive months by the application deadline

 

Option 2: Residency by Establishing Domicile

This option for establishing Texas residency is available to: 

• Citizens or permanent residents of the US  
• Non-citizens and non-permanent residents may also use this option if they have an application for permanent residency on file with the US Citizenship and Immigration Service. 
• International students who hold an eligible visa. 

To establish domicile, you must meet the following criteria:

1. 1. Live in Texas for 12 consecutive months by the application deadline; and
   2. Establish and maintain domicile for 12 consecutive months prior to the application deadline, by doing one of the following:
      • Be gainfully employed in Texas
      • Sole or joint marital ownership of residential real property in Texas by the person seeking to enroll or the dependent's parent, having established and maintained a domicile at the residence
      • Own and operate a business in Texas
      • Be married for one year to a person who has established domicile in Texas

 

 

A Note About Etiquette

TMDSAS expects all applicants to exhibit professionalism when contacting TMDSAS. Current and prospective applicants must contact TMDSAS and identify themselves properly and honestly, as information cannot be provided to parents, spouses, family members, or friends. This is to maintain the integrity of the application process and to provide better support and to abide by state and national student privacy laws. Misrepresentation of identity and/or dishonest, threatening, or offensive communication will not be tolerated.