Military Exception

1. Active-duty members of the armed forces of the United States and Canada on either PCS or TDY orders in Colorado and their dependents (as defined by military regulations) are eligible for in-state status, regardless of domicile or length of residence in Colorado. A dependent of a member of the armed forces is eligible for in-state tuition classification when the member moves to Colorado on a PCS basis, regardless of the length of the member’s or dependents residency in Colorado. After qualifying as an in-state student, a member of the armed forces or the member’s dependent shall not lose his or her eligibility for in-state tuition status if the member retires or separates from the military. Dependent means a spouse of a member of the armed services who was the member’s spouse at the time that the member was stationed in Colorado and at the time the spouse is requesting in-state tuition classification and any child under twenty-two years of age born to or legally adopted by the member of the armed forces who enrolls in a public institution of higher education within ten years after the member was stationed in Colorado.
2. Members of the Colorado National Guard who maintain their sole legal residence in Colorado and their dependents also qualify for in-state tuition exception regardless of length of residence. This includes having Colorado state taxes withheld from wages, leasing or owning property in Colorado, having a valid Colorado driver’s license, maintaining Colorado vehicle registration and Colorado voter’s registration.
3. Military dependents continuously enrolled in a Colorado college continue to qualify for in-state tuition if the military member is transferred outside Colorado or retires and remains in Colorado.

Contact Admissions for required documentation and forms.

Military Members Domiciled in Colorado

To retain domicile during an absence from Colorado due to military orders, military personnel must maintain Colorado as their state of legal residence for tax purposes, and voters must maintain Colorado voter registration.

Military personnel may retain legal residence in their original state, or they may establish a new legal residence in a state in which they reside due to military orders. They may not establish domicile in Colorado while residing elsewhere or while being physically present in the State only on a temporary basis. Persons domiciled in Colorado for one year who enter active duty military service, and who return permanently to Colorado within 6 months of discharge, and their dependents, qualify for in-state tuition regardless of changes of domicile while on active duty.