Qualified person is a person who is eligible to establish their own domicile in Colorado for tuition classification purposes. A "qualified person" is considered to be:

• an adult (a person least 22 years of age at the beginning of the 12-month domicile period)
• a graduate student
• an emancipated minor
• a parent or court-appointed legal guardian for a student who is under 23 years of age

A student must be a qualified person before he/she can establish a domicile separate from the domicile of their parent or legal guardian.

Emancipated Minor

An emancipated minor is a person under the age of 23 years, who is no longer considered a dependent nor is supported by parent(s) or legal guardian. A minor can begin establishing their domicile on the date he/she becomes emancipated. Emancipation must be proven in the following way:

Parent or legal guardian must surrender any claim or right to the care, custody, and earnings of the minor, as well as the duty to support the minor. The minor must document that he/she is independently able to meet all financial obligations including the cost of education.

OR

Proof of marriage for one year

The 12-month domicile year begins only after the date of emancipation has been established. If you are granted in-state tuition classification as an emancipated minor, you are subject to reclassification as an out-of-state resident if you are no longer able to document that you can independently meet all your financial obligations including the cost of their education.

Unemancipated Minor

An Unemancipated minor's domicile is that of his parent or legal guardian. To qualified or in-state tuition classification an unemancipated minor must either become a "qualified person" or qualify for in-state tuition classification though his or her parent or court appointed legal guardian. If either parent, regardless of custody, has been domiciled in Colorado for the domicile year, and the parent-child or guardian-child relations existed for at least one year, then the unemancipated minor may be classified as in-state classification based on their parent or court-appointed legal guardian's Colorado domicile.

Court Appointed Legal Guardian

A Legal Guardian is a court appointed guardian who has legal custody of the unemancipated minor. The court appointing the guardianship must certify that the primary purpose of the appointment is not to qualify the student for in-state tuition. The court must also certify that the unemancipated minor's parents do not provide financial support. The legal guardianship must be in effect for one year to qualify you for in-state classification.

You are a qualified person if, at the beginning of the 12-month waiting period, you were: