Students applying for state-sponsored financial assistance from the state of Delaware must be legal residents of Delaware and U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens. Applicants must have resided in Delaware for at least one year (12 consecutive months) immediately prior to the program application deadline for the financial assistance program to which they are applying.

The place of residence of an independent student is the legal residence of the student. The place of residence of a dependent student is the legal residence of the student's parent or guardian.

Whether a student is considered independent or dependent is determined on the basis of the federal government's definition of an independent student. Students who are in any one of the following categories are considered independent:

• are 24 years of age or older
• are enrolled in a graduate-level program of study
• are married
• have children or dependents who receive more than half of their support from them
• are orphans
• are or were wards of the court until age 18
• are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces

All other students are considered dependent.

If requested, you must provide verification of your legal residency in Delaware to the Higher Education Commission. Independent students must verify their place of residence. Dependent students must verify the residency of their parents. In addition to submitting a copy of the Delaware Resident Individual Tax Return for the prior year, you will need to provide copies of two (2) of the following:

• Delaware driver's license,
• Delaware vehicle registration, or
• Delaware voter registration card

The Higher Education Commission may require additional information to verify your residency in Delaware. Failure to provide the necessary documentation will invalidate your application for state-sponsored student assistance.

An out-of-state student who comes to Delaware for the principal purpose of enrollment in a postsecondary program does not establish Delaware residency during the period of enrollment.

Delaware residence shall be considered terminated twelve (12) months after a move from the State of Delaware.