Residency
Your residency status determines what you pay in tuition. Understand what your residency status is and learn what rate you are eligible to pay and any forms you may need to provide.
Residency Status Categories
To be considered an in-district student:
- You must physically reside within the boundaries of the San Jac taxing district. This generally includes Channelview, Deer Park, Galena Park, La Porte, Pasadena, and Sheldon school districts. You also must meet the state’s residency requirement, as defined in Section 54.052 of the Education Code, OR
- If you reside outside of the district, you must either own property subject to ad valorem taxation by the district or be a dependent of someone who does.
To be considered an in-district student:
- You must physically reside within the boundaries of the San Jac taxing district. This generally includes Channelview, Deer Park, Galena Park, La Porte, Pasadena, and Sheldon school districts. You also must meet the state’s residency requirement, as defined in Section 54.052 of the Education Code, OR
- If you reside outside of the district, you must either own property subject to ad valorem taxation by the district or be a dependent of someone who does.
To be considered an out-of-district student, you must:
- Be a Texas resident, AND
- Physically reside outside of the geographic boundaries of the district when your registration is complete.
To be considered an out-of-state student, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old, live out of state, and have not been a Texas resident during the 12 months before your registration date, OR
- Be either younger than 18 years old or a dependent, as defined by Section 54.052 of the Education Code, and live away from your family if your family resides in another state, or you must not have resided in Texas during the 12 months leading up to your registration.
To be considered an international (out-of-country) student, you must:
- Not be a permanent U.S. resident, as defined in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations, OR
- Not have not been permitted by Congress to adopt the U.S. as your domicile while in this country.
Residency FAQ's
You must be able to provide documentation to show that you are lawfully present in the United States. Examples of these documents may include:
- U.S. Passport
- Permanent Residency Card
- Unexpired Employment Authorization Document Card
- I-797 Notice of Approval
- Valid I-94 card (Arrival/Departure Record)
- I-485 Receipt Notice
- Other document(s) showing valid status
- If you have other evidence of lawful presence, please provide to us for evaluation.
San Jacinto College will review the documents for validity and make a determination whether any additional information is needed. Your submitted documents will be treated as confidential under college policy and the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act.
Although you may not be eligible for federal financial aid, including Pell Grants and federal loans, you may still qualify for other forms of financial assistance. Scholarships are available through the San Jac Foundation for those who meet the eligibility requirements. Private scholarships are also available.
The Promise Scholarship covers an amount equivalent to in-district tuition charges once any other aid has been applied. Students will be responsible for the difference if their status is coded anything other than in-district.
No, this change has no impact on the FAST program for dual credit students.
You can view your current residency status in SOS under your student profile. The information is listed under general information and residency.
Students with additional questions should contact the San Jac admissions office at admissions@sjcd.edu.
No. This change has no impact on the tuition rates of international students holding an F-1 Visa. International students pay the non-Texas resident/international tuition rate.
Tuition, Rates, and Aid
Learn the tuition rates for each residency status, as well as details on our simplified tuition model which means:
- No lab fees
- No distance learning fees
- No technology fees
- No general service or incidental fees
Some students are eligible for tuition exemptions and waivers, including:
- Veterans
- Deaf and blind students
- Students who were adopted or formerly in foster care
Do you qualify for any type of financial aid? There’s only one way to find out! We offer the following types of aid:
