Proving emancipation is rare for most undergraduate students. It is important you review the information below before petitioning.

To be eligible to petition for residency as an emancipated minor you must:

• AND show either a court decree of legal emancipation or marriage certificate.

Ineligible petitions would be:

• Failure of parental support due to economic hardships of the parent does not qualify a student as being emancipated. 
• If evidence shows ties to family/friends and there is support of any kind. Financial support or gifts of any kind (including PLUS loans, private loans, or monetary gifts), regardless of date, and regardless if it was from a parent, other relative, or even a friend does not qualify a student as being emancipated, pursuant to section 103(2)(i)(ll) of the Colorado tuition classification law.
• If you filed federal taxes in another state for the year you are claiming 12 months of domicile and intent in Colorado.
• If your license is registered in another state.
• If other evidence shows you have not fully severed ties from your former state. Although no single factor along is conclusive, there must be clear and convincing evidence a petitioner has severed all ties from their former state and established these ties in Colorado. These actions should be done as soon as a petitioner arrives to the state to meet the minimum 12 month requirement.

DACA students or non-citizen students on an eligible visa who meet the requirements to complete an emancipation petition will be required to provide their approved DACA status or their approved visa status. This status would need to be issued at least 12 months prior to the start of classes.

STUDENT EMANCIPATION PETITION.

To be eligible to petition for residency as an adult you must be:

• AND showing intent (legal ties) to the state of Colorado for a minimum of 12 months prior to the first day of classes.

You must also be one of the following:

• Undergraduate student at least 23 years of age prior to the first day of classes (adult petitioners can being 12 months of domicile and intent as soon as their 22nd birthday).

Ineligible petitions would be:

• If your license is registered in another state.
• If you filed federal taxes in another state the same year you are claiming 12 months of domicile and intent in Colorado..
• If other evidence shows you have not fully severed ties from your former state. Although no single factor along is conclusive, there must be clear and convincing evidence a petitioner has severed all ties from their former state and established these ties in Colorado. These actions should be done as soon as a petitioner arrives to the state to meet the minimum 12 month requirement.

DACA students or non-citizen students on an eligible visa who meet the requirements to complete an adult petition will be required to provide their approved DACA status or their approved visa status. This status would need to be issued at least 12 months prior to the start of classes.

If you believe you meet the requirements outlined above you can complete the ADULT STUDENT PETITION.

Graduate students can verify they qualify by clicking HERE. 

• The Admissions Office makes the initial determination of a student’s status based on what information is provided on their admissions application. Similar to a current student petitioning, a newly admitted student or their parent must meet State law requirements. An eligible student who is newly admitted must 1) meet the same criteria as an “Eligible Petitioner” AND 2) established a minimum of 12 months of domicile and intent prior to the start of classes.
• If the initial determination is non-resident and the student/parent meets the requirements to be classified as resident, they must complete the online Tuition Classification (TC) form.
• The TC form will appear on the student’s admissions portal once a student has accepted their offer of admission and have placed their deposit to enroll.
• Once the TC form is submitted it is reviewed by the Admissions Office. If additional documentation is needed the Admissions Office will email the student before making a final determination.
• If a student’s status is changed to resident they will be notified and their student record will be updated.
• If you experience issues finding the TC form or have further questions you must contact admissions@mines.edu. Graduate students must contact grad-admissions@mines.edu.

Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET) is a bill signed into law in 2013. Under the ASSET bill, U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents and students without lawful immigration status who meet admission requirements and the necessary qualifications outlined below are eligible for in-state tuition.

To be eligible to receive residency under ASSET you must:

• Have been physically present for the 12 months immediately prior to the start of the semester.
• Have attended a public or private high school in Colorado immediately before graduating high school or obtaining a GED.
• Transfer students who do not enroll in a Colorado institution of higher education within 12 months will be required to show they have completed 18 months of continuous physical presence.

Senate Bill 21-029 was signed into law in 2021. Under the bill, institutions of higher education are required to offer in-state tuition classification to students who would not otherwise qualify for in-state tuition if the student is a member of an American Indian tribe. If you are a member of an American Indian tribe and are not sure that you qualify, please contact residency@mines.edu. 

Having tribal membership does not guarantee in-state tuition. You must have proof of tribal membership (i.e. Tribal Enrollment Card). Your card or other evidence must be submitted to the Admissions Office at the time you are admitted to the university. If you are a current student, submit your proof of tribal membership to residency@mines.edu.