The Newmark J-School may, upon review of a student’s application for admission or other available data, determine that a student does not qualify for the University’s resident tuition rate. If any of the conditions below exist, the student’s residency is questionable and will require the student to complete the City University Residency Form if the they believe they qualify for the New York State tuition rate:

• The student’s records indicate that the last high school or college attended was outside the State of New York
• For dependent students, both of the student’s parents, or legal guardians reside outside the State of New York
• The last residency determination which had been made with respect to the student resulted in his/her classification as a non-resident (a non-resident student does not qualify automatically as a resident student simply because he/she has been attending a New York college for the previous twelve months)
• A college official determines that there is reason to believe that the student may not be a resident of the State of New York
• The student is not a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident (resident alien)

The student must submit two of items “a” through “n”

All items must document residency for the 12-month period immediately preceding the first day of classes. Documents in the same category covering the first and last months of the previous twelve month period are acceptable provided that they show the student living at the same address.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please redact personal information from any documents, including social security number, dollar amounts on taxes and/or statements, account numbers, etc. Do not send any documents or pieces of information that are not listed in this list, unless the J-School or Graduate Center requests it. 

a. Lease, deed or rent registration form (used for rent stabilized apartments) signed by the landlord, which is either a public or private agency, and the student or parent of the student with the same surname

b. Letter showing eligibility or disbursement of Social Security or New York City Public Assistance with the student’s New York address covering the 12-month period immediately preceding the first day of classes and including the student’s name

c. Copies of the most recent complete Federal and New York State tax returns and the corresponding W-2 form. Responses to Federal form 4506 and New York State form 4506 requesting Federal and State tax information is acceptable if the Federal and State governments acknowledge that the party in question has in fact filed a tax return from the address noted

d. A valid New York State driver’s license or a “non-driver license” issued by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles with the student’s name, showing the date of issuance at least one year prior to the first day of classes

e. IDNYC New York City municipal identification card, showing the date of issuance at least one year prior to the first day of classes

f. Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy with the student’s name listed as insured

g. Automobile registration with the student’s name listed

h. Automobile insurance certificate with the student’s name listed as insured

i. Voter registration certificate or card with the student’s name

j. Bills for telephone, utility, cable TV or other home services, in the student’s name, or other evidence of telephone, utility, cable TV or other home services provided to the student covering a period of 12 months

k. Monthly bank or credit card statements, with the student’s name, covering a period of 12 months (dollar amounts may be blocked out)

l. Attendance as a juror in New York State with the student’s name

m. Housing lease signed by the landlord (who is an individual and is not a public or private agency) and the student. If the student’s name does not appear on the lease, the “Alternate Lease Statement” may be substituted. The “Alternate Lease Statement” must be completed and notarized by both the person whose name appears on the lease/contract and the student. The person whose name appears on the lease/contract must also submit proof (i.e., lease, telephone, utility, or similar type bills) of residency at his/her current address for the previous 12 months

n. Postmarked mail addressed to a student at a New York address at least 12 months immediately preceding the first day of classes (a P.O Box is not acceptable). In addition to the items indicated above, the college may at its discretion consider additional documentation from a student if it believes that an accurate residency determination may be rendered through the additional documentation

IMPORTANT NOTE: The J-School/Graduate Center may, at its discretion, consider additional documentation from a student if it believes that an accurate residency determination may be provided by submitting additional documentation. 

New incoming students requesting a change of residency status prior to their first semester must submit a completed CUNY Residency Application along with sufficient supporting documentation to the Newmark J-School’s Office of Admissions before the first day of classes. Students may submit the completed residency form and supporting documents by visiting the Office of Admissions or emailing admissions@journalism.cuny.edu. Decisions may take up to 7 business days.

New incoming and continuing students requesting a change of residency status after the start of classes must submit a completed CUNY Residency Application along with sufficient supporting documentation to the Graduate Center’s Registrar’s Office. Refer to the Graduate Center’s Policies and Procedure’s page to learn more about the deadlines, policies and procedures.

The Newmark J-School and CUNY Graduate Center will not review any residency determination unless the request for the review is made in writing, and all required documentation is submitted on or before the last day of finals in the semester for which resident tuition is being sought.

The Newmark J-School and CUNY Graduate Center will not make residency determinations retroactively and will not issue refunds to students even in cases where they would have qualified for the resident rate if they had submitted timely documentation.

Any student who receives a negative residency determination must, at the same time, receive a copy of the University’s appeal procedures. If the student believes that he/she meets requirements for resident tuition, he or she may appeal by notifying the Registrar’s Office (if it is after the start of classes) or the J-School’s Office of Admissions (if you are a new incoming student and it is before the start of your first semester), within ten days of notification that he/she has been determined to be a non-resident. At that time, the student must submit a statement to the office indicating why he/she disagrees with the college’s decision.

Upon submission of an appeal, the student will be provided with a copy, stamped “received” and dated, or some other dated proof of the college’s receipt of the appeal. The Registrar (or other designated official) will submit the City University Residency Form, copies of all documentation provided by the student and any statement made by the student, along with the college’s determination and the reasons for the College’s determination, to the University’s Office of the Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, which will make a final determination regarding the student’s residency status.