Certificate of Residence

The community college program in the State of New York was intended to permit students who are State residents to pay a reduced tuition rate. Each community college has a local sponsor, generally a county, that provides a share of the costs allocable to resident students. A student who attends a community college outside their county of residence must obtain a Certificate of Residence In order to be eligible for the lower in-state tuition rate. The local sponsor then reimburses its share of the costs of the students tuition to the community college.

Qualifications:

Resident of New York State for at least one (1) full year immediately preceding the date the application/affidavit.

Resident of Nassau County for at least six (6) months immediately preceding the date of the application/affidavit.

US Citizen or Permanent Resident Alien for at least one (1) full year Immediately preceding the date of the application/affidavit.

Aliens with Pending Permanent Resident Status, Temporary Protected Status, refugees, asylees and DACA recipients with eligible EAD (see FAQ tab for list of eligible EAD types).

Valid visa holder (see FAQ ta

b for list of eligible visa types).

Undocumented non-U.S. citizens must have attended at least two (2) years and graduated from a public high school in the United States within the past five (5) years.

Timeline Requirements:

Submit your application no sooner than 60-days prior to the official commencement date of class, and once approved, submit your valid Certificate of Residence to your school no later than 30-days after the official commencement date to receive the resident-tuition discount for any given term/semester.
Once activated, by attending and completing the school term, the Certificate is then valid for one full year from the date it was issued.
The Certificate must still be valid on the official start date of any future semesters to be able to use it for that semester.
Certificates are based on your 6-months of Residence immediately preceding the date of application. Students who have moved from one county to another within that 6-month period will receive a partial Certificate for the number of months (rounded up) you resided in Nassau County. In that case you may also need a Certificate from your other county of residence to cover the remainder of the time you lived there.

PROOF #1 New York State Residence:

In order to prove that you have been a resident of New York State for at least one (1) year, you must submit one of the following suggested forms of documentation with an issue-date that is at least one (1) year prior to the date of your application, but not older than two (2) years prior:

Drivers license
Learners permit
Auto registration
Selective service card
Voter registration ID card
High school report card or official transcript
New York State income tax return (IT-150 or IT-201 - first page only)**
Any of the documents listed under PROOF #2 if dated 12-24 months prior to application.

** Federal 1040 income tax returns are only acceptable when using parents return listing student as a dependent. A copy of the parents NYS return must also accompany their 1040 when being used in this manner.

PROOF #2 Nassau County Residence:

In order to prove that you are a current resident of Nassau County, you must submit one of the following suggested forms of documentation with an issue-date that is within six (6) months of the date of your application:

Bank Statement
Student loan
Credit card statement
Cell phone bill
Utility bill
W-2 form (only accepted for this purpose January through June)
TAP award or any financial aid
Any of the documents listed under PROOF#1 if dated within the past 6 months.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING FROM ANY COLLEGE AS PROOF OF RESIDENCE

ALL PERSONAL ACCOUNT INFORMATION OTHER THAN NAME, ADDRESS AND DATES MAY BE REDACTED PRIOR TO SUBMITTING

STATUS	PROOF REQUIRED
First Time Applicant	PROOF #1 PROOF #2 Photo I.D.
Certificate on file from Previous Year	PROOF #2 Photo I.D.
First Time Applicant (PROOF #1 not a Nassau County Address)	PROOF #1 PROOF #2 **Must be dated back six (6) months from date of the application. If student cannot prove Nassau County Residence six months back, will receive a partial certificate for however many months they can show proof (the remaining months must be picked up by their other county of residence). Photo I.D.

Which colleges require a Nassau County Certificate of Residence?

Only New York State community colleges participate in the Certificate of Residence program (and F.I.T.). Nassau County residents do not need a Nassau County COR to attend Nassau Community College.

Adirondack Community College
Borough of Manhattan Community College
Bronx Community College
Broome Community College
Cayuga County Community College
Clinton Community College
Columbia-Greene Community College
Corning Community College
Dutchess Community College
Erie Community College
Fashion Institute of Technology
Finger Lakes Community College
Fulton Montgomery Community College
Genesee Community College
Guttman Community College
Herkimer County Community College
Hostos Community College
Hudson Valley Community College
Jamestown Community College
Jefferson Community College
Kingsborough Community College
Laguardia Community College
Medgar Evers College
Mohawk Valley Community College
Monroe Community College
New York City College of Technology
Niagra County Community College
North Country Community College
Onondaga Community College
Orange County Community College
Queensborough Community College
Rockland Community College
Schenectady Community College
Suffolk County Community College
Sullivan County Community College
Tompkins-Cortland Community College
Ulster County Community College
Westchester Community College

Why do I need a Certificate of Residence?

Because without it, you will be billed as an out-of state resident, which means a higher tuition rate (double in some cases) than if you had a Certificate of Residence on file with your school. This allows them to bill your County of Residence to subsidize your tuition.

Do I need to send anything else other than the affidavit?

Yes. The Treasurer will not issue a Certificate of Residence without copies of both a photo id and proof of residence for the student. Please refer to the Certificate of Residence Guidelines for more information on exactly what you need, you may need more than just 1 (one) form of proof.

What are considered acceptable forms of photo ID and proof of residence?

Photo ID can be any of the following. All forms of ID must be valid at the time of application. Make sure copies are clear:

Drivers License or Learners Permit *
School Issued Photo ID
Passport
Leisure Pass
Work ID
Permanent Resident Card
Visa

A1
A2
A3
E1
E2
G1
G2
G3
G4
G5
H1B
H1C
H4
I
K1
K2
K3
K4
L1
L2
N8
N9
O1
O3
S5
S6
S7
T1
T2
U1
U2
V1
V2
V3

Employment Authorization Document

A10
A12
A3
A5
C19
C24
C33
C8
C9

Proof of residence can be any of the following in the student's name. Address and date of issue must be visible. Please refer to the Certificate of Residence Guidelines for more info on the dates necessary on your proofs:

Bank Statement
Drivers License or Learners Permit
Utility Bill (cell phone, electric, cable etc.)
Credit Card Bill
NYS Income Tax Return (current year only. If student does not file then use parent's NYS tax return if student is itemized as a dependent)
Anything with New York State letterhead (TAP award paperwork etc.)
High School report card or Official Transcript (Report cards good for the date of issue, Official Transcripts prove Residence for full attendance periods reflected in transcript.)

My school says I need to get a new Certificate of Residence each semester. Is this true?

No. Once activated a certificate is valid for 365 days from the date it is issued. (For example: if you received a Certificate of Residence on 2-15-10 and attend the 2010 Spring term, it will still be valid for the 2010 Fall term) Nassau County will not issue a certificate of Residence to a student with a valid certificate on file unless it is within 60-days of expiration.

How do I activate a Certificate of Residence?

Your COR will activate once you are fully enrolled in class(es) during the target term/semester for which you obtain your COR.

If I attend multiple colleges, do I need to get another Certificate of Residence?

No. You can log in to your account, update the application to add another school, then request a new copy to be sent by contacting the Nassau County Treasurer's Office.

Can I get a Certificate of Residence for a class I took last semester?

No. Nassau County will not honor certificates retroactively. A valid Certificate of Residence must be submitted to your school no later than 30-days after the first day of class to receive the resident-tuition discount for any given term/semester.

Does the Certificate of Residence cost anything?

No, its free.

If my application is denied for any reason, can I appeal?

Yes, you can write to the Chancellor of Community Colleges to file a Certificate of Residence appeal at the State University of New York, State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246.