Residency Status

Resident Status and the impact on a student’s bill

As a state institution, Springfield Technical Community College sets tuition and fees based on residency classification regulations from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and the New England Board of Higher Education.

The amount of tuition a student is charged per credit depends on the student’s resident status. In-state (Massachusetts) students are charged a lower rate of tuition than out-of-state students (see Determination of Resident Status below and schedule of tuition and fees).

If you are an in-state student, it is very important that you complete the In-State Tuition Eligibility Form with the Admissions Office at the time you apply to STCC. If you do not complete the form, you will be automatically charged out-of-state tuition, even if you are an in-state student. The burden of proof of in-state resident status rests on the student seeking classification as a Massachusetts resident.

A student may at any time request STCC to reclassify him or her as a Massachusetts resident if the factual basis for his or her classification as a non-resident has changed. However, any change in a student’s classification as the result of a request for reclassification or an appeal approval will be retroactive only to the beginning of the semester during which STCC makes the final decision to reclassify the student.

Determination of Resident Status

An in-state student is defined as an American citizen or a permanent resident alien who has resided in Massachusetts, for purposes other than attending an educational institution, for at least six months immediately preceding the student's entry or re-entry as a student. For more details and information, contact the STCC Admissions Office at (413) 755-3333 or admissions@stcc.edu.

A number of factors will be considered to determine the intention of an individual to maintain permanent residence in Massachusetts. No single factor will be considered decisive. Each case will be decided on the basis of all facts submitted by the student. The burden of proof rests with the student seeking in-state classification. The following indicators could be considered in determination of resident status.

  1. Copies of federal and state income tax forms
  2. Documentation of Massachusetts voter registration
  3. Copies of valid Massachusetts driver's license and automobile registration
  4. Permanent employment in a position not normally filled by a student
  5. Continuous physical presence in Massachusetts during periods when not an enrolled student
  6. All other materials of whatever kind or source which may have a bearing on residency

Residency Reclassification

Students seeking to reclassify themselves as a Massachusetts resident after their classification on file as a non-resident has changed should complete the Residency Change E-Form. The Residency Change form will be reviewed and the student will be notified of a decision.

A student or applicant may appeal the institution’s decision to deny his or her classification (or reclassification) as a non-resident by filing an appeal. The decision on appeal is final and may not be appealed further. To learn about the appeal process please contact the Registrar's office at registrar@stcc.edu.

Any change in a student’s classification as the result of a request for reclassification or an appeal will be retroactive only to the beginning of the semester during which the institution makes the final decision to reclassify the student.

Reciprocal Tuition / The New England Regional Student Program

Reciprocal tuition: The New England Regional Student Program enables New England residents to enroll in out-of-state public colleges and universities in the six-state region (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) at reduced tuition rates, for certain degree programs that are not offered by their home-state public institutions or when the out-of-state college is closer to their home than the in-state college offering the same program. For detailed information, contact the STCC Admissions Office at (413) 755-3333 or admissions@stcc.edu.