Initial residence determinations for tuition purposes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are made by the Office of the Registrar based on the provisions of Wisconsin Statutes 36.27(2) which governs residence status for tuition purposes. 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 still have questions about your residence classification after reading the extract of Wisconsin Statutes 36.27(2), or you feel that your classification is incorrect or that you have important extenuating or mitigating factors, you may contact a Tuition Residency Counselor and/or submit an Appeal for Exemption from Nonresident Tuition form by the appropriate deadline.
It is our goal to make students residents whenever possible in accordance with the State law. While every student has the right to submit an appeal, a consultation with a Residence Counselor can help you determine whether moving forward with an appeal is a prudent decision. The Counselor will provide guidance and will give a professional opinion about the likelihood of a successful appeal based on the circumstances of your situation. Having a clear understanding of the law and the appeals process could save you a good deal of time and energy.
You must be enrolled for classes in the term for which you are appealing; if you are not enrolled, your appeal will not be heard.
The Application for Appeal from Nonresident Tuition form will be available on this page during the “appeals can begin” and “deadline for submitting appeals” dates for each term. Please talk with a Residence Counselor before you begin completing the form. Information about how to have your form notarized and submitted by the deadline is included on the form.
IMPORTANT: COVID-19 IMPACTS ON RESIDENCY APPEALS
Residency appeals hearings are normally held in person in the Office of the Registrar. Due to the COVID-19 circumstance, the Summer 2020 appeals hearings will likely not be held in person. As the situation develops, there may be limitations on appeals hearings in future semesters as well.
The Office of the Registrar is currently working on developing an alternative appeal hearing plan during the COVID-19 situation, but the plan has not yet been finalized. While the nature of appeals hearings during the COVID-19 outbreak is uncertain, the Office of the Registrar is committed to ensuring that appeals cases for impacted semesters will be heard.
Due to social distancing policies, you will likely need to submit your appeals form by postal mail or email. Please see the instructions on the appeals form. The form does not need to be notarized for a Summer 2020 appeal.
Please contact a residence counselor about your appeal prior to completing the form. Residence counselors can provide guidance about how to complete the form, and can provide any updates related to how the COVID-19 situation has impacted residency appeals.
While the Office of the Registrar is examining all ways to avoid this outcome, it is possible that students electing in-person appeals for the Summer 2020 term may have their cases heard during a later semester when in-person hearings are possible again. If this is the case, any change to your residence status would be effective starting with the term for which you submitted the appeal.
Please note that all information is subject to change due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 situation. We will communicate changes to appeals practices on this website and will contact you directly if a change impacts an appeal for which you have already applied.
We appreciate your understanding during this uncertain time.