Washington Higher Education Residency Affidavit
Residency Affidavit requirements
Students may qualify for residency, using the affidavit, if ALL the following conditions are met:
- Student received a high school diploma (or equivalent).
- Student maintained their primary residence in Washington for at least 12 consecutive months immediately before their first term at the college determining residency. The Washington residence must be for purposes other than college.
- Students who take any courses at another Washington college during the prior 12 months cannot have taken more than six credits in any given term. Students who exceed that limit must prove that they have a Washington residence for non-college reasons.
- Student will affirm they are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or that they will file an application to become a permanent resident of the United States as soon as they are eligible to apply.
Students who meet all the stated requirements can use the updated Washington Higher Education Residency Affidavit [PDF] to request a change in residency status.
WAFSA: Students who applied or will apply for state financial aid using the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WAFSA), do not need to submit the affidavit form. The affidavit is part of the WAFSA.
Submit the Residency Affidavit
- Residency Affidavits are only submitted online based on the specific quarter of application.
- Residency Affidavits may only be submitted during the corresponding Application period.
- Residency Affidavits may not be submitted via email, fax, postal mail, in-person, or other method.
University of Washington Bothell and University of Washington Tacoma students should review submission instructions for their respective campus. Students who apply to multiple campuses must submit an affidavit to each campus.
DISCLAIMER: The information on this webpage is current as of 06/02/2022. The University of Washington reserves the right to update or remove this page as necessary for clarity and/or to reflect changes to residency law or university policies. This website is intended as guidance only and students are advised to refer to the Washington state laws on residency for current statutes and additional information. Review RCW Chapter 28B.15, WAC Chapter 250-18, and WAC Chapter 478-161. The UW Residency Classification Office will administer residency determinations in accordance with the current law at the time of application.