Residency Classifications
Vernon College (VC) is a public institution which draws a part of funding from the State of Texas. The Vernon College Board of Trustees recognizes the authority of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to set policy as authorized by the Texas Legislature. As a community college VC also draws funding from a local tax base (Wilbarger County), the legal residents of which pay a lower “In-District” tuition rate.
It is the responsibility of each student attending Vernon College to register under the proper residency classification and pay the correct tuition and fees. The THECB rule 21.731 requires that students sign a Certification of Residency at the time of application.
For tuition and fee purposes, students who enroll at VC will be classified as follows:
- In-District-Students who have been legal residents of Wilbarger County (for purposes of establishing permanent residency other than attending VC) for at least 3 months and legal residents of Texas for at least 12 months. Documents acceptable for this purpose may include, but are not limited to, Wilbarger County voter registration, permanent driver's license (at least 3 months old) with Wilbarger County address, proof of full-time employment for 3 months prior to registration in Wilbarger County, and/or other documents requested by Vernon College officials;
- Out-of-District-Students who are legal residents of Texas counties other than Wilbarger County for at least 12 months. See Documentation of Basis for Texas Residence Status on the following page;
- Out-of-State - Students whose legal residences are outside the State of Texas; and
- International - Students whose legal residences are outside of the U.S.A.
Note: Oklahoma residents are classified as out-of-state but are currently eligible to receive a waiver of nonresident tuition based on a current written reciprocity agreement. This program allows qualifying Oklahoma residents to be charged out-of-district rates.
Any questions concerning the student’s residency classification should be clarified prior to enrollment at VC. Changes of address affecting residency should be reported promptly to the Office of Admissions and Records. No refunds based on residency changes will be issued to a student after the current semester census date.
Military and their Families: Nonresident (out-of-state) members of the U.S. Armed Forces, members of Texas units of the Army or Air National Guard, Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserves and Commissioned Officers of the Public Health Service who are assigned to duty in Texas, and their spouses, or dependent children, shall pay resident (out-of-district) tuition. To qualify, the person shall submit during the first semester of enrollment in which the waiver program is used, a statement from an appropriately authorized officer in the service, certifying that the student (or parent) will be assigned to duty in Texas on the census date of the term he or she plans to enroll and that the student, if a member of the National Guard or Reserves, is not in Texas only to attend training with Texas units. Such persons shall pay resident tuition so long as they reside continuously in Texas or remain continuously enrolled in the same degree or certificate program. For purposes of this subsection, a person is not required to enroll in a summer semester to remain continuously enrolled.
Waiver for Ad Valorem Tax Payers: The Board of Trustees of Vernon College has elected to waive the out-of-district tuition rates for students who own property which is subject to ad valorem taxation by the VC taxing district (Wilbarger County). Thus, Texas residents (or their dependents) who move into the VC taxing district and who own property subject to ad valorem taxation by Wilbarger County shall be eligible to enroll at VC at the tuition rate for in-district students.