Missouri teen’s college goal hinges on Hawaii residency

Question: My daughter, who is a junior in high school, would like to go to college in Hawaii. She is a bright student who does well in school and is very good with money as far as saving goes. Could someone from Missouri who isn’t wealthy live in Honolulu, getting an apartment with a roommate and going to community college while getting residency? She would get a job. Is that possible or not possible?

Answer: Yes, it is possible, if your daughter will be at least 18 and financially independent when she moves to Hawaii. Whether it’s feasible is a separate question, given Honolulu’s lack of affordable housing and high cost of living (130 percent higher than in Kansas City, Mo., according to bestplaces.net). Perhaps she could attend a University of Hawaii summer program before graduating from high school, to help guide her decision.

To answer your basic question: To qualify for resident tuition, your daughter must be a “bona fide” resident of Hawaii for at least one calendar year (365 days) prior to the desired semester. She must be able to document that she is making Hawaii her permanent home, which includes filing Hawaii income taxes and not being claimed as a dependent on your taxes or anyone else’s, said Steve Rola, residency officer for UH Manoa, the system’s flagship campus. She can take community college classes during that year but would be limited to five credits a semester. She cannot establish residency solely by enrolling in community college.

Rola encouraged your daughter or any other out-of-state student who needs information on this subject to call 956-8975 and ask to speak to a residency counselor.

It’s important to call before arriving. The 365-day countdown begins with a person’s first action to make Hawaii their permanent residence, such as starting a job, opening a bank account, registering to vote or buying or renting an apartment, he said.

Some students might not realize that they already qualify for in-state tuition, including Native Hawaiians living anywhere in the world and U.S. military personnel stationed in Hawaii, their spouses and dependents up to age 23.

For more information about establishing residency, see 808ne.ws/uhres.

As mentioned, UH has summer programs open to high school students from inside and outside the state. Go to summer.hawaii.edu and click on “high school student” for more information. Among the options are a weeklong, no-credit course that introduces students in grades 9-12 to medical science, and a six-week program that allows rising juniors and seniors to earn regular college credits. Housing is not provided with either program, and your daughter would need a responsible adult on island. If a friend or relative can fulfill that role, she could get a taste of college life in Hawaii before making a full-on move.

Wise planning should pay off, if your daughter ultimately becomes a full-time Hawaii student. For the 2018-19 academic year, the estimated cost of attendance for an undergraduate at UH Manoa is $20,700 for an Oahu resident who lives at home, $29,860 for a Hawaii resident who lives in a dorm or apartment (not with parents) and $51,890 for an out-of-state student, according to the UH website.

COA includes tuition (for 12 credits), fees, books and supplies, housing, meals and personal expenses. This is for one year, so an out-of-state student who doesn’t attain residency or obtain financial aid or scholarships faces a “sticker price” of about $208,000 for four years of undergraduate education, compared with about $83,000 for an Oahu resident living at home (neither estimate accounts for rising prices over the four years).

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.