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. If you are deemed a nonresident when you enroll in the Law School, you will remain a nonresident for all three years. The university does not grant resident status after the first year of enrollment.
For more information about the Wisconsin state statutes that govern residence status for tuition purposes, please visit the Registrar's Residence for Tuition Purposes page or contact the Office of the Registrar's Residency Counselors at (608) 262-1355.
