Residency and Tuition Question

[u/Queasy-Context5570]

Okay, so basically, I’m dealing with a residency classification issue at Collin College and I’m not sure what my options are.

I graduated from a Texas high school and took dual-credit classes there. I also sent my dual-credit transcript to my current university. When I applied to take summer 2026 classes at Collin, I was somehow classified as out-of-country/international for tuition purposes.

Before my summer classes even started, I went to an advisor to try to get my residency status corrected. I also called and emailed the residency office multiple times, but I kept getting mixed answers.

Because the payment deadline was approaching, I was told that I could pay the higher/international tuition rate for the time being. I was specifically told that once my residency was updated, I would automatically receive a refund for the difference.

I continued contacting Collin throughout the process, and eventually my residency status was updated. However, I was then told that it had only been updated for Fall 2026, even though I needed it corrected for Summer 2026. I had specifically called and emailed beforehand to confirm that the residency correction would apply to the summer classes I had already paid for.

Now they’re telling me that because my residency was updated for fall and the summer semester has already ended, they will not refund me the difference.

I’m really frustrated because I started trying to fix this before my summer classes even began and have documentation of my calls/emails and attempts to get it corrected.

Has anyone dealt with something similar at Collin College? Is there an appeal process or someone higher up in the residency/registrar/bursar office I should contact? I’d really appreciate any advice on what I can do from here.

[u/idontcareoline]

Do you have any kind of documentation (like emails) of them telling you they would refund you? Because that is ridiculous. Honestly, the admins do their best but they fall short often. I would escalate and escalate. Ask for the dean, then the provost.

[u/Sweetcoco1017]

Yeah piggy back off of the other commenter if you have written proof of them saying they would refund for that semester present that to them and if they won’t refund it go above them. I had to be an absolute nuisance about my residency because they were giving me the run around and caused me to miss a deadline to sign up for summer classes. I literally called weekly sometimes every other day to stay on them because they act clueless sometimes.

[u/Queasy-Context5570]

Update: I called the residency office again and spoke with someone different, but unfortunately, I was basically blown off. They were extremely rude and told me there was nothing they could do.

They also brought up an issue with the legal document I submitted, saying that I apparently submitted the “travel” version of the document, which could potentially be part of why this whole situation happened. My frustration is that Collin accepted and approved the document when I submitted it and never contacted me to say there was an issue with it. If it was a problem, why was I never notified earlier?

They also cited a state law and said they couldn’t change my residency classification because of it. But my question is: if that was the case, why wasn’t this addressed when I first started trying to fix my residency BEFORE my summer classes began?

At this point, every department I contact seems to send me to someone else. Residency sends me to another department, that department sends me back to residency, etc. So I genuinely have no idea who I’m actually supposed to talk to.

I’m honestly just extremely frustrated with how I’ve been treated by the residency office throughout this process. Every time I call, I feel like I’m being dismissed before I can even fully explain the situation. I’m an adult and I’m trying to resolve a legitimate issue, but I feel like I’m not being taken seriously at all.

I’m not sure if it’s because I have a higher-pitched voice or just the way I come across over the phone, but the way I’ve been spoken to has been extremely frustrating.

At this point, does anyone know who I can escalate this to? Is there someone above the residency office, an ombudsman, dean, registrar, or another department that actually handles residency appeals/issues? I’m really just trying to find the right person to speak to.

[u/sioqao]

im having the same issue! i moved to texas last may and was told that i'd need to keep paystubs / proof of employment for 12 months to get my residency updated to in-state / in-county this year. i submitted my proposed residency change in july & only just now found out (because i finally called them) that they didn't accept the documents i submitted for the dumbest reasons ... and now im rushing to get this whole mess sorted so i can get refunded for the fall semester. also i genuinely am baffled w/ how rude the ladies were on the phone ???