Residency for tuition purposes can be a complex issue and is governed by a Wisconsin state statute.
Not all Wisconsin residents are eligible for resident tuition. In general, you must be a bona fide resident of Wisconsin for at least 12 months prior to enrollment to be eligible for in-state tuition. If you do not qualify as a Wisconsin resident, you will be assessed nonresident tuition. In determining residence status for tuition purposes, different standards are used than those which may be used for voting, paying taxes, etc. Individuals who come to Wisconsin primarily for educational purposes do not automatically qualify as Wisconsin residents for tuition purposes even after living in Wisconsin a year or more.
For more information, on the application of the Wisconsin Statutes 36.27(2) governing residence status for tuition purposes and an extract of the statutes, link to the Registrar's Residence for Tuition Purposes Page or contact the Office of the Registrar's Residency Counselors at (608) 262-1355.