Tuition Eligibility

Resident Status

Student residency is determined at the time of application according to Department of Higher Education rules. The tuition structure of the College differentiates between in-state, out-of-state and international students. Under tuition reciprocity agreements currently in force, the following geographic definitions apply:

• In-State Status: Residents of Ohio (88 counties) or residents of Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, or Wetzel Counties of West Virginia receive Belmont in-state tuition rates.
• Out-of-State Status: Residents of any other county in West Virginia, or residents of any other U.S. state, The District of Columbia, or any U.S. territory receive out-of-state tuition rates. Out-of-state students who feel that they have achieved in-state residency status requirements may apply for a change of residency status with the Registrar. All applications for change of residency status will be reviewed by the Registrar.

In-State Tuition for Qualified Veterans from Across the Country

Upon moving to Ohio, veterans with one year of honorable service (and their dependents) are immediately considered in-state residents (with appropriate documentation) for the purposes of tuition, state educational subsidies and financial aid. Active duty, guard, reserve service members, and their families are also eligible for this educational benefit.

On June 26, 2012, Governor John R. Kasich signed into law House Bill 490, a bill that includes provisions which expands the in-state tuition benefit to the spouse or dependents of a deceased veteran regardless of the location of the death or the veteran’s residence at the time of death.