Resources English and education
What college costs at your immigration status
A college charges different amounts for the same semester depending on whether it counts you as a resident of New York State or City. What you pay at CUNY and SUNY at your status, which documents to show, by when, and what to do if the college says no.
Colleges publish these rules themselves, and they change. Ask an immigration lawyer about your status and deadlines, and the college's office about your bill. Get answers in writing and keep copies.
Start here
- Ask for the resident rate in writing, with documents, by the last day of finals; colleges don't recalculate or refund afterward.
- CUNY gives asylum applicants the resident rate with an unexpired (c)(8) work permit (EAD) and 12 months in New York State.
- The U.S. Department of Justice sued New York in August 2026 over resident rates for students without lawful status; no ruling has been reported yet.
A semester bill is tuition, which depends on whether the college counts you as a resident, plus fees everyone pays. CUNY treats 12 or more credits a semester as full-time.
CUNY undergraduate tuition. At a senior college a resident means a New York State resident; at a community college it means a New York City resident.
| Resident rate | Non-resident rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Senior college (four-year), full-time | $3,465 per semester | $620 per credit, which is $7,440 for 12 credits |
| Senior college, part-time (fewer than 12 credits) | $305 per credit | $620 per credit |
| Community college (two-year), full-time | $2,400 per semester | $320 per credit, which is $3,840 for 12 credits |
| Community college, part-time | $210 per credit | $320 per credit |
Every student pays these fees, residents and non-residents alike, in the same amounts.
CUNY undergraduate fees
| Per semester | What it pays for | |
|---|---|---|
| Technology fee | $125 for full-time students, $62.50 for part-time students | Improving computer services at the colleges |
| Activity fees | Roughly $60 to $180 for full-time students; part-time students pay less | Student clubs, student government, campus services and student activities |
| Consolidated service fee | $15 | — |
A college counts you as a resident when three conditions are met at once: your status is on its list, you lived in New York State for 12 consecutive months immediately before the first day of classes, and you intend to stay in the state permanently. Statuses are named as in CUNY's University Tuition and Fee Manual, and in the last column as in SUNY's list for the community college certificate of residence. Ask the college's office in writing whether months before you got your status count.
Statuses and the resident rate
| CUNY: do you pay as a resident | What to show at CUNY | SUNY community colleges (certificate of residence) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asylum granted, refugee status, or withholding of removal | Yes, with 12 months in the state. You stay eligible even if the document that shows your status has expired. | USCIS or immigration judge decision granting asylum or withholding of removal; a Refugee Travel Document; an I-94 (entry record) marked “Asylum granted” or “Refugee granted”; an EAD with the code (A)(3), (A)(5) or (A)(10). | On the list: Asylum/Refugee (both current and pending status). |
| Asylum application filed, with an unexpired work permit (EAD) with the code (c)(8) | Yes, with 12 months in the state. | An unexpired EAD with the code (c)(8). | The Asylum/Refugee line includes pending status. |
| Asylum application filed, no work permit yet | CUNY's list has no such status: it names people who have filed and have been granted employment authorization. Ask the college's office in writing. | Ask the college which document to show. | The same Asylum/Refugee line with pending status. |
| Arrived, no asylum application filed | No status on the list. The New York State high school or GED rule may apply. | Part B of the form (a notarized affidavit) and the New York State high school diploma or GED. | The high school or GED rule applies here too, with the same affidavit. |
| Permanent resident (green card) | Yes, with 12 months in the state. | A Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551, or the older I-151); an expired card may be accepted; an I-551 stamp in the passport; or a receipt for Form I-751 (removal of conditions on the card). | On the list: Current/Pending Permanent Resident Status. |
| Application for permanent residence filed (Form I-485) | Yes while the application is pending, with 12 months in the state. A petition from a relative (Form I-130) or an employer (Form I-140) without a Form I-485 does not qualify. | A USCIS receipt notice for Form I-485 (I-797C) or an EAD with the code (c)(9) or (c)(24). | On the list: Current/Pending Permanent Resident Status. |
| Temporary Protected Status (TPS, temporary protection from removal for nationals of designated countries) | Yes, with 12 months in the state, both for people who applied and for people who have been granted TPS. | A receipt for Form I-821, a USCIS letter granting TPS, or an EAD with the code (a)(12) or (c)(19). | On the list: TPS. |
| Parole (permission to be in the United States for a time for humanitarian or other reasons) | Yes, with 12 months in the state; the status must appear on an unexpired document. | A USCIS decision granting parole, or an I-94 with a USCIS stamp from entry. | Not on the list. |
| Deferred action (a temporary reprieve from removal), Deferred Enforced Departure (DED, a temporary reprieve for nationals of designated countries), or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA, for people who came as children) | Yes, with 12 months in the state. | Form I-797 granting the status, or an unexpired EAD with the code (c)(14) for deferred action, (a)(11) for DED, or (c)(33) for DACA. | Not on the list. |
| Visas A, E, G, H-1B, H-1C, H-4 (family of an H-1B or H-1C holder), I, K, L, N, O, R, S, T, U, V | They can, with 12 months in the state and the intent to stay permanently. If you filed to extend your stay (Form I-539) before your authorized stay ended, you stay eligible. | An I-94 (arrival/departure record) marked “Duration of Status” (D/S) or with an expiration date not yet reached. | The same visas are on the list. |
| Visas B, C, D, F, H-2, H-3, H-4 (family of an H-2 or H-3 holder), J, M, P, Q, TN | No. Students on F-1 and J-1 visas pay the New York State non-resident rate. | CUNY lists these visas as not giving access to the resident rate. | Not on the list. |
Find out where your college takes the documents
Each CUNY college decides which rate to charge and takes documents in its own office, usually the Registrar's Office (student records) or the Bursar's Office (billing). Look for the college's "residency" page. A college reviews students that CUNY's central admissions office (UAPC) flagged as questionable, everyone who is not a citizen or permanent resident, and anyone who asks for a review. For example, the City College of New York (CCNY) accepts documents at residency@ccny.cuny.edu or in person at the Registrar Office and the One Stop Student Service Center.
Fill in the City University Residency Form
Everyone fills in Part A: name, CUNYfirst ID, contact details, and answers about citizenship, visa, a New York State high school or GED, and U.S. military service. Part B is only for people with no lawful status asking for the resident rate under the New York State high school or GED rule. Part C is for everyone asking to be counted as a resident of New York State (and, at community colleges, New York City): all your addresses in the last 12 months, jobs, source of support, whether you filed tax returns, why you live in New York and whether you intend to stay. CUNY doesn't consider the form until every question that applies to you is answered. Your signature certifies that everything is true: for false information a college may cancel its decision and charge you the difference for every semester you attended. A sample form and the document list are on CCNY's website.
Attach proof of your status
Attach a copy of the document that proves your status. If you're not sure it fits, ask the college's office before you submit.
Attach two documents that show 12 months in the state
You need two documents from CUNY's list, each covering the 12 months immediately before the first day of classes. An IDNYC or New York State ID counts only if issued at least a year before the first day of classes; if it is newer, use other documents that cover the whole year.
Submit everything in writing and before the semester ends
A college looks at the question only if you ask in writing and hand in all documents by the last day of finals of the semester you want the resident rate for. It doesn't decide retroactively or refund money, even if you would have qualified. If you are already paying the non-resident rate, the college won't switch you on its own after 12 months: ask for a review yourself, each semester, until you get a positive decision.
Wait for the answer and keep copies
The college should try to decide by the first day of classes. If you handed in everything and there is no decision by then, the college should defer the difference between the resident and non-resident rates until it decides. It should tell you its decision in writing. Keep copies of everything and proof the college received it.
If you are refused, appeal within 10 days
A refusal should come with CUNY's appeal procedure. Within 10 days of the notice, tell the Registrar's Office (or the office named in the refusal) that you disagree, with a written explanation. You get a copy of your appeal stamped as received and dated. The Registrar sends your form, documents and statement, with the college's decision, to CUNY's legal office (the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel), which decides finally. While the appeal is pending, you pay the non-resident rate.
You need two documents from this list, each covering the 12 months before the first day of classes. Two documents of the same category for the first and last months of that year also work if they show the same address. A college may consider other documents at its discretion; the form asks about them. The list has no shelter letter: if you live in a shelter or with acquaintances without a lease, ask the office in writing what it will accept. The sample Alternate Lease Statement on CCNY's site has a line for a Social Security number; if you have none, ask the office what to write.
Documents CUNY accepts as proof of 12 months in the state (items a to n of the manual)
| What it is | CUNY's condition | |
|---|---|---|
| a. Lease, deed or rent registration form | A rental contract, a deed to the property, or the rent registration form used for rent-stabilized apartments | Signed by a landlord that is a public or private agency, and by you or your parent with the same surname |
| b. Letter on Social Security or New York City Public Assistance | A letter from the federal Social Security Administration or New York City Public Assistance about your eligibility or payments | With your name and New York address, covering the 12 months before the first day of classes |
| c. Tax returns | Your most recent complete federal and New York State returns with the W-2 form (the earnings statement from an employer) | A tax agency's response to Form 4506 is also accepted if it confirms you filed a return from that address |
| d. New York State driver's license or non-driver license | A document issued by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles | With your name and an issue date at least one year before the first day of classes |
| e. IDNYC | The New York City municipal identification card | Issued at least one year before the first day of classes |
| f. Homeowner's or renter's insurance | A policy insuring a home or rented apartment | Your name listed as insured |
| g. Automobile registration | The car's registration | Your name on it |
| h. Automobile insurance certificate | A certificate of car insurance | Your name listed as insured |
| i. Voter registration | A voter registration certificate or card | With your name |
| j. Bills for phone, utilities, cable TV or other home services | Bills or other evidence that these services were provided to you | In your name, covering a period of 12 months |
| k. Bank or credit card statements | Monthly statements | With your name, covering 12 months; the dollar amounts may be blocked out |
| l. Jury attendance | Proof that you served as a juror in New York State | With your name |
| m. Lease signed with an individual landlord | A lease signed by you and a landlord who is an individual, not an agency | If your name is not on the lease, an Alternate Lease Statement notarized by both you and the leaseholder may be substituted; the leaseholder must attach proof of living at that address for the previous 12 months |
| n. Postmarked mail | Postmarked mail addressed to you at a New York address | Postmarked at least 12 months before the first day of classes; a P.O. Box does not count |
A 2001 state law lets people pay the resident rate even if they don't qualify by status and 12 months, if they meet one of three conditions.
Check the three conditions
First: you attended an approved New York State high school for two or more years, graduated, and applied to CUNY within five years of receiving the New York State diploma. Second: you attended an approved New York State program preparing for the General Educational Development (GED) exam, received a GED from New York State, and applied to CUNY within five years. Third: you were enrolled in CUNY in the fall 2001 semester and paid the resident rate.
The limit for people who already have a school diploma
CUNY doesn't recognize a New York State GED for anyone who already has a high school diploma or equivalent from elsewhere, and says GED holders who graduated from high school in the United States or overseas are not eligible for this benefit. If you have a school certificate from another country, this route may be closed. More on the GED: “The High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma: how to earn it in New York State”.
Part B: the affidavit for people without lawful status
Part B of the form is an affidavit (a sworn written statement) you sign before a notary public. It states that you have no lawful immigration status now but have applied to legalize your status or will as soon as you are eligible. Ask an immigration lawyer what such a statement means in your case before you sign.
No need to prove 12 months
If you meet one of the three conditions, you don't need Part C: you can even live in another state, such as Connecticut or New Jersey. You stay eligible even if you leave and come back more than five years later, or return for a second degree.
On top of 12 months in the state, community colleges look at where exactly you live. CUNY's and SUNY's conditions differ.
If a SUNY community college denies the certificate
A denial can be appealed by email to cclegalliaison@suny.edu, but only if the county or college failed to follow the regulations; missing the deadline is not a ground for appeal.
Extra conditions at community colleges
| What you need | Deadline and procedure | |
|---|---|---|
| CUNY community college, you live in New York City | Live continuously in New York City for at least the last 6 months before the first day of classes, on top of 12 months in the state | The same City University Residency Form and documents |
| CUNY community college, you live in New York State but outside the city | A certificate of residence from your home county, presented to the community college | Submit a Certificate of Residency Form to the Bursar's Office by a date the college sets |
| SUNY community college outside your home county | A certificate of residence from your home county; otherwise the out-of-state charge stays on your bill | Obtain it no later than 30 days after the first day of classes and send it to the college promptly |
SUNY is the State's public college system, separate from CUNY. Each SUNY campus decides residency itself, and its decision is final.
SUNY State-operated campuses (University Centers, University Colleges, Technology Colleges)
Any status
SUNY's guide says that at State-operated campuses a person is generally a resident if their domicile has been in New York State for at least 12 months before the last day of a term's registration period; someone who came to the state mainly to attend college doesn't qualify. It calls people immigrants if they hold a valid Permanent Resident Card, and doesn't count people admitted on visas that prohibit establishing U.S. residence. Asylum applicants aren't mentioned, so ask the Student Accounts Office of your campus and get the answer in writing. A person who can't document lawful status but attended a New York State high school for at least two years and graduated may qualify for the resident rate; the request goes to the campus Student Accounts Office (Bursar).
SUNY certificate of residence for community colleges
Any status
Statuses that can get a certificate of residence: citizens, current or pending permanent residents, asylum or refugee status (current and pending), Temporary Protected Status, certain temporary visas, and the New York State high school or GED rule. People without lawful status using that rule submit a notarized affidavit that they have applied to legalize their status or will as soon as they are eligible.
CUNY counts an asylum applicant with an unexpired (c)(8) EAD as a resident, so the card's expiry date affects your bill. The renewal rules have changed.
Check the expiry date on your card
Find the expiration date and code on your EAD. If it has expired, the college may not count you as a resident until you show a new card.
There is no automatic extension any more
USCIS says people who apply to renew their EAD on or after October 30, 2025 no longer get an automatic extension of the card; the exceptions are extensions by law or by a Federal Register notice (the federal government's official journal) for TPS-related documents. A final rule published October 14, 2026 reaffirms this, and USCIS recommends filing a renewal no earlier than 180 days before expiry. Asylum applicants' EADs are affected.
Ask the college what it accepts while a renewal is pending
The CUNY manual says a timely filed extension of stay (Form I-539) keeps some visa holders eligible, but has no such rule for asylum applicants with the code (c)(8). Ask the college's office in writing whether it will accept the USCIS receipt for your EAD renewal (Form I-797C) while you wait for the new card.
File the renewal early and talk to a lawyer
Renewal timing depends on your case: ask an immigration lawyer.
What happened
News reports say that on August 10, 2026 the U.S. Department of Justice sued New York State, Connecticut and Vermont, arguing that resident rates and aid for students without status discriminate against U.S. citizens. The case, United States of America v. State of New York, is in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. Immigrant rights groups filed an amicus curiae brief (an outside party's written opinion) asking the court to reject the government's request.
What is not known
As of November 2026 no court decision had been reported, so it is not known how it will affect resident-rate rules or which students. The case concerns students without status; whether it could affect asylum applicants with work permits or other statuses on CUNY's list is not known.
What to do now
Before each semester check the tuition table and the residency page on your college's website, keep copies of everything you submitted, and read emails from the college right away.
If paying for the whole semester at once is too much, CUNY lets you split the bill into monthly payments. The amount stays the same; you get longer to pay.
CUNY Tuition Payment Plan
Any status
A payment plan at any CUNY college: the semester's tuition is split into monthly installments with no interest. Each college sets its own enrollment dates each semester; check your college's Bursar page. Enroll and get details at mycollegepaymentplan.com.
Kingsborough Community College: NELNET Payment Plan
Any statusLow cost
At Kingsborough Community College the plan is called the NELNET Payment Plan: a $30 enrollment fee per semester and $30 for a returned payment. Earlier balances are included in the new plan. Other colleges may charge a different amount. Enroll online at mycollegepaymentplan.com.
Besides tuition and fees, the year costs money for books, transportation, food and housing. CUNY publishes nine-month budgets; the full cost of attendance is the budget plus tuition and fees.
CUNY nine-month budget 2026-2027, undergraduate student
| Living at home or with relatives | Living away from home | |
|---|---|---|
| Books and supplies | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Transportation | $1,190 | $1,190 |
| Lunch | $4,550 | $4,550 |
| Medical | Not in the budget | $2,335 |
| Personal expenses | $2,088 | $2,885 |
| Living expenses | $6,990 | Not in the budget |
| Housing | Not in the budget | $20,124 |
| Total | $16,318 | $32,583 |
Financial aid that depends on the resident rate: “How to pay for college: government aid and free programs”.
City College of New York (CCNY): New York State Residency Guidelines and City University Residency Form
Any statusFree
A sample form with Parts A, B and C, a sample Alternate Lease Statement, and the document lists for status and 12 months in the state. CCNY accepts documents at residency@ccny.cuny.edu or in person at the Registrar Office and the One Stop Student Service Center. Another CUNY college's form may look different.
CUNY Office of Undocumented and Immigrant Student Programs
Any statusFree
A central CUNY Student Affairs office for students of every status, including people seeking asylum; each of the 25 campuses has at least two Immigrant Success Liaisons. Through the intake form on the office's page you can ask for one-on-one support or referrals on legal aid, the CUNY application, scholarships and work. Expect a reply within two weeks; if none comes, email ImmigrantStudents@cuny.edu with “Delayed Intake” in the subject.
- Tuition
- The price of the classes themselves. Fees are charged on top of it.
- Resident rate and non-resident rate
- The resident rate (in CUNY documents in-state or in-city tuition) is lower and is charged to students the college counts as residents of New York State or City. Everyone else pays the non-resident rate.
- Credit
- A unit of course load by which the college calculates tuition. CUNY treats 12 or more credits in a semester as full-time and fewer than 12 as part-time.
- Domicile
- The place you consider your permanent home and return to. Being physically present in the state is not enough.
- City University Residency Form
- The CUNY form you fill in to receive the resident rate. Part A is for everyone, Part B is for people with no lawful status who ask for the rate under the New York State high school or GED rule, and Part C is for people asking to be counted as residents of New York State or City.
- Certificate of residence
- A document from your county saying that you live there. It is needed at community colleges outside your county or outside New York City.
- Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
- The work permit card issued by the federal U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It shows a category code, for example (c)(8) for asylum applicants.
- Form I-485
- The Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, filed with USCIS.
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
- Temporary protection from removal and permission to work for nationals of countries designated by the U.S. government.
- Parole
- Permission from USCIS to be in the United States for a time for humanitarian or other reasons.
- Deferred action, DED, DACA
- Decisions by the immigration authorities not to remove a person for a period. Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) is generally granted by the President to nationals of certain countries; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is for people who came to the United States as children.
- I-94
- The record of entry to the United States and of the authorized period of stay. CUNY asks for it from people whose status depends on a visa.
- Registrar's Office
- The college office that keeps student records and receives tuition-rate appeals.
- Bursar's Office
- The college's cashier's office, which issues tuition bills and takes payments.
- Affidavit and notary public
- An affidavit is a written statement made under oath. A notary public is a person the law authorizes to witness signatures; the statement is not accepted without the notary's seal.
- IDNYC
- The New York City municipal identification card. CUNY accepts it as proof of residence in the state if it was issued at least a year before the first day of classes.
This is general information, not legal advice: QARAVAN has no lawyers. QARAVAN does not help anyone enter the US and cannot arrange visas, invitations, sponsorship or evacuation. For your own case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice.
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Sources, checked November 2026
- cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/student-affairs/programs…
- ccny.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/2026-05/CCNYResidencyForm051…
- ccny.cuny.edu/we-are-one-ccny/qualifying-state-tuition
- cuny.edu/financial-aid/tuition-and-college-costs
- cuny.edu/financial-aid/tuition-and-college-costs/college-tuiti…
- kbcc.cuny.edu/administration/business_manager/bursar/nelnet.html
- suny.edu/smarttrack/residency
- suny.edu/smarttrack/residency/cc