Question: I appreciated your article about the Missouri teen who wants to attend college in Hawaii (808ne.ws/215kline). I realize this Missouri teen will have to pay out-of-state tuition until she receives residency. Did you know that undocumented students at the University of Hawaii do not pay out-of-state tuition, but are granted in-state tuition? Therefore these students are given in-state tuition whereas the Missouri teen and others like her have to pay out-of-state tuition until they have obtained residency — a full year. I do not understand this.
Answer: The University of Hawaii Board of Regents adopted a policy in 2013 granting residency status for tuition purposes to undocumented students who meet certain requirements. To be clear, the policy imposes the same Hawaii domicile rule as for other students. So an undocumented student living in California, for example, could not enroll at UH Manoa and immediately pay cheaper in-state tuition; he or she would face the same wait as the Missouri teen. Moreover, the policy is aimed at people who have lived in the United States for years before college and intend to stay here, not at international students seeking a tuition discount as temporary Hawaii residents. But as to your larger point, yes, undocumented students who meet the policy’s rules do qualify for in-state tuition, despite lacking legal U.S. status.
The policy, which you can read at 808ne.ws/borus, applies at all community colleges and universities in the UH system. It became effective Feb. 21, 2013, was re-codified on Oct. 31, 2014, and is due for review in August.
It defines undocumented students as those “who are not U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or non-immigrant aliens; and do not possess legal documentation of their status.” Under the policy, those who meet the following conditions are considered Hawaii residents for purposes of tuition, financial aid and program participation:
>> Establish residency by domiciling (conduct an overt action that demonstrates intent to make Hawaii the place of permanent residency) and being physically present in Hawaii for 12 months, as per Hawaii Administrative Rule 20-4 (which is the rule that applies to any student establishing Hawaii residency):
>> Attended high school in the United States for at least three years and either graduated or attained high school equivalency in the United States.
>> Filed for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); or has filed an application for legal immigration status; or has filed an affidavit with the university affirming intent to file as soon as the student is able.
Thirteen DACA students were enrolled for classes in fall 2017 at UH’s 10 campuses, according to a news release in September.
Mahalo
Recently, after my granddaughter’s dance performance, five of us decided to have lunch at a nearby restaurant. We ran into my son-in-law’s friend Mitch, who was dining there with his young family. After our meal we were shocked when our waitress said our lunch had already been taken care of! Thank you, Mitch, for your act of selfless giving. It made our day! — Grateful seniors
Mahalo
Many heartfelt thanks to a wonderful, kind and generous friend at the Salt Lake Subway the day before Valentine’s Day. While in line ahead of me, he paid for my special sandwiches without my knowledge. Luckily, I saw him outside and had the chance to express my gratitude — what a fantastic way to begin a Valentine’s Day celebration! He’s a government worker and retired from the military. Mahalo and be assured that your act of kindness will be passed on. — A fellow patron
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