To be eligible for WSOS, a student must be a Washington resident. Students who are Washington residents pay resident (in-state) tuition and fees at all public colleges and universities, and in most cases, a Washington resident is someone who lives in the state for one year immediately prior to starting their college or program.
However, there are other ways to be considered a resident. Applicants with questions should consult their financial aid offices and review the definition of a Washington resident that is outlined in RCW 28B.15.012(2) (a) through (e) and summarized below:
(a) A financially independent student who has had a domicile in the state of Washington for reasons other than for educational purposes for at least one year immediately before the first day of the semester or quarter where the student has registered;
(b) A student who is financially dependent on their parents or legal guardians who have maintained a domicile in the state of Washington for at least one year immediately before the first day of the semester or quarter where the student has registered;
(c) A student classified as a resident based upon domicile by an institution on or before May 31, 1982, who was enrolled at a state institution during any term of the 1982-1983 academic year, so long as such student’s enrollment (excepting summer sessions) at an institution in this state is continuous;
(d) Any student who has spent at least 75% of both their junior and senior years of high school in Washington state, whose parents or legal guardians have been domiciled in the state for a period of at least one year within the five-year period before the student graduates from high school, and who enrolls in a public institution of higher education within six months of leaving high school, for as long as the student remains continuously enrolled for three quarters or two semesters in any calendar year;
(e) Any person who has obtained a high school diploma, or a person who has received the equivalent of a diploma; who has continuously lived in the state of Washington for at least a year primarily for purposes other than postsecondary education before the individual is admitted to an institution of higher education under subsection (1) of this section; and who provides to the institution an affidavit indicating that the individual will file an application to become a permanent resident at the earliest opportunity the individual is eligible to do so and a willingness to engage in any other activities necessary to acquire citizenship, including but not limited to citizenship or civics review courses;