Residency Requirements
Why am I being charged non-resident tuition?
All students are initially charged non-resident tuition. Students must meet certain eligibility and proof requirements to have that charge removed.
Most students qualify for NY resident tuition rates if they maintained a permanent residence in NY State for one year and in their county for six months immediately preceding the first day of the semester. All students who do not prove their residency will be charged as a non-resident. Proof of residency must be submitted periodically.
If you are a resident and you plan on proving your residency or you have already submitted your residency paperwork, you do not need to wait for the non-resident charges to be removed in order to make a payment and protect your seat(s) in your class(es). Please submit payment by subtracting the non-resident tuition amount from your balance due and paying or setting up a payment plan for the difference (the resident tuition rate). See below for more detailed information and necessary forms.
Once you have submitted the appropriate forms, please make sure you monitor your myDCC student email for notifications in case we need additional information to complete your proof of residency. You are responsible for the non-resident charge if you do not prove residency by the appropriate deadline.
DEADLINES: Please see “Additional Residency Links” in sidebar for appropriate deadlines for your semester.
How do I submit proof of residency?
If we are currently requesting residency documentation, you will find a link to the submission form here:
If you are being charged as a nonresident (viewable through your QuikPay Account) for a particular semester and do not see a link listed after logging into your myDCC account using the link above, please email us at financialservices@sunydutchess.edu or schedule an appointment to see if documentation is necessary and for instructions on how to prove residency if so. Please be sure to include your name and ID number (A number) in any correspondence.
Dutchess County Residents
Students are eligible for in-state tuition rates if they are a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident (meaning they have a permanent resident card, commonly known as a “green card”), or an otherwise eligible individual and can provide appropriate proof. For more detail, please review our information pages Proving Dutchess County Residency at DCC. Proof must show a residential street address; Post Office Box addresses are not acceptable. Proof must be legible. All documentation is subject to review and can be submitted to our office, Student Financial Services, via the above missing documentation link(s) (see “How do I submit proof of residency?”). Certificates are typically valid for one academic year.
Undocumented Students and Other Non-Residents: Please see the section below titled “Undocumented Students and Other Non-Residents.”
Out-of-County Residents
A student from a New York county other than Dutchess is required to submit a Certificate of Residence from their county of permanent residence covering 6 months prior to their first day of the semester. Most students must have resided in New York State for 1 year. To secure the required Certificate, follow the procedures below:
(A) Visit the website of your home county’s Treasurer’s Office or Chief Fiscal Officer for information on how to apply, including applications and lists of acceptable forms of proof. Click here for more detailed county information.
(B) Once accepted, your home county will issue you a Certificate of Residence. The Certificate must be submitted to the DCC Student Financial Services Office by the appropriate deadline.
(C) To submit your proof of residency for a NY county other than Dutchess County, please visit the above missing documentation link(s) (see “How do I submit proof of residency?”) to upload your certificate.
*Please note that per New York State Education Law, Certificates cannot be dated more than 60 days before the start of the semester and 30 days after the start of the semester. Certificates are typically valid for one year but vary by county.**
Undocumented Students and Other Non-Residents
Some undocumented and other non-resident students may be eligible for the resident tuition rate if any of the following applies:
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The student attended a New York State (NYS) high school for two or more years, graduated, and applied to attend a SUNY institution within five years of receiving a New York State diploma; or
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The student attended an approved New York State program for the High School Equivalency, received a HSE from New York State, and applied to attend a SUNY institution within five years of receiving the New York State HSE.
Individuals qualifying under these conditions are eligible for resident tuition even if they have not resided in New York State for one year.
In order for undocumented and other out-of-status students residing in Dutchess County to have the non-resident charges removed, they must submit the application for the appropriate semester (See “Dutchess County Residents”) with their official final high school transcript or HSE showing they meet the criteria listed above. On their residency application, students should select the category “Other” in addition to any other category that applies to them (e.g. visa holder, U.S. citizen, etc.) to start this review process. If Student Financial Services (SFS) staff determine that you meet the criteria as an out-of-status student who is also undocumented, we additionally require a notarized affidavit (a sworn, written statement signed by the applicant) stating that you will apply to legalize your status as soon as you are eligible. SFS will email you the affidavit if appropriate, and it must be returned by mail.
For students that reside in a county other than Dutchess, they must visit their County Treasurer’s Office to obtain a Certificate of Residence (See section “Out-of-County Residents”).
If you still have questions about eligibility, please contact the office to determine if you are eligible and to determine what forms and/or proofs are needed to prove residency.
Veterans
Out of respect for our nation's veterans, we will not have them bear the cost of non-resident tuition charges while attending our institution. Some family members may be eligible as well. Please see our Veterans Resources Coordinator, Stewart Dawes, to discover how we can remove the non-resident tuition charge. Please see our veteran services page here.
Contact Information
Dutchess Community College
Student Financial Services
Orcutt Student Services Center, Room 202
53 Pendell Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone: (845) 431-8060 / Fax: (845) 431-8603
Email: financialservices@sunydutchess.edu