Admissions

Citizenship Verification Requirements

Effective January 1, 2009, USCA must verify the citizenship or lawful presence in the United States of every student before they may enroll. This policy has been adopted to comply with section 59-101-430 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, as amended, which requires that lawful presence in the United States is verified before enrollment at any public institution of higher education.

The University will do all it can to verify citizenship using other means. For example, a student's citizenship may be checked by the federal government when applying for financial aid. If a student's citizenship can not be verified through other means a citizenship verification form will be mailed to the student. It must be completed and returned with one of the following documents before the student can enroll. Documents that may be used to verify citizenship are:

• REAL ID issued by any of the United States of America or territories
• Copy of South Carolina driver's license (if the student was born after January 1, 1986)
• Certified Birth Certificate indicating the student was born in the United States or a territory of the United States.
• Current U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport that has not expired more than ten years.
• Certificate of Naturalization - USCIS Form (N-550 or N-570)
• U.S. government issued Consular Report of Birth Abroad
• Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 or N-561)
• Unexpired U.S. Active Duty/Retiree/Reservist Military ID Card (DOD DD-2)

NOTE: If a name has changed since birth, the student must present all legal documents (i.e., adoption records, marriage certificate, certificate of naturalization, and court-ordered name change) supporting all name changes from the name which appears on the birth certificate or proof of citizenship to the present.

The university can accept photocopies of birth certificates and other citizenship documents; however, we reserve the right to demand the production of the certified original if we have any questions about whether the copy is true and accurate or in the event any of the information on the copy is unreadable.

For more information about the citizenship verification process, contact the campus Citizenship Verification Coordinator at [email protected].

Download the Citizenship Verification Form

Legal Residency Requirements

The University of South Carolina Aiken has established a differential in tuition and fees between in-state residents and non-residents, and must therefore determine the resident classification of applicants and students in accordance with South Carolina Code of Laws (59-112-10 et seq.).

Determination of residency status occurs after admission to the university and after the student completes the Certification of South Carolina residency form in Pacer Portal.  The determination made at that time, and any determination made thereafter, prevails for each subsequent semester until information becomes available that would impact the existing residency status and the determination is successfully challenged.  Residing in South Carolina and being a resident for tuition purposes are separate issues.  The burden of proof rests with the student to show evidence as deemed necessary to establish and maintain their residency status.

How to Certify In-State Residency Status

All students wishing to pay in-state tuition will need to complete the online Residency Certification.

Once you have been admitted to USCA, complete the online residency form by signing into Pacer Portal.

After you sign into Pacer Portal, click on the box labeled admissions, then click on the box labeled South Carolina Residency Certification. Complete all sections and submit. If additional information is needed, an e-mail will be sent to your USCA email account.

Richmond and Columbia County Residents

Persons who are legal residents of Richmond County or Columbia County, Georgia, may qualify to pay in-state tuition.  Note: the reciprocal agreement for in-state tuition for Richmond County and Columbia County residents applies only to USCA undergraduate or graduate courses taken at the Aiken Campus.  If you believe you qualify for in-state based on your residence in  Richmond or Columbia county GA, follow the directions above (How to Certify In-State Residency Status) to certify your residency.

Contact Information

Inquiries regarding residency requirements and residency determinations should be directed to the USCA Legal Residency Officer at [email protected].

Appeals

Any person, following a decision on his or her resident classification, may appeal the decision to the USCA Legal Residency Appeals Committee. South Carolina residency at USCA is not retroactive. The Appeals Committee is bound by the same laws and regulations as the residency officer, so it's purpose is only to review the facts and details of any case and to evaluate the correctness of the decision made by the campus residency officer. Neither the committee nor the residency officer may waive the provisions of the law or regulations.

Persons wishing to appeal a residency decision must email [email protected] to request the SC Residency Appeal Form. Students will then email the completed SC Residency Appeal Form, any documentation that will help the student’s case, and a letter that includes a summary of the person's situation back to [email protected]. The residency officer will then schedule a meeting of the appeals committee as soon as possible to hear the appeal.

Additional Resources

University of South Carolina System Residency Process & Information

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about South Carolina Residency