SF4036

Purpose

This bill changes who can qualify for resident tuition at Minnesota state universities and colleges. It aims to expand access to lower tuition rates for people who move to Minnesota for work, and for their spouses or dependents, while still requiring certain legal and schooling criteria. It also asks the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents to set up a policy to implement these changes.

Main Provisions

• Amends Minnesota Statutes 2024 § 135A.043 to define who qualifies for a resident tuition rate at state universities and colleges.
• Eligibility paths to resident tuition:
  • Path A (in-state residency criteria): The student must be not a nonimmigrant alien (as defined by federal law) and must meet all of the following:
  • a) Attend Minnesota high school for at least three years.
  • b) Graduate from a Minnesota high school or obtain the equivalent in Minnesota.
  • c) If the student does not have lawful immigration status, provide documentation that they have registered with Selective Service, and if there is a federal process to obtain lawful status, provide documentation that they have filed an application to obtain status.
  • Path B (employment-based eligibility): The student must have moved to Minnesota for employment purposes and, before moving and before applying for admission to a public postsecondary institution, have accepted a full-time job in the state, or be the spouse or dependent of a person meeting this employment requirement.
• Section notes:
  • This resident tuition provision is a minimum requirement in addition to any other statute, rule, or policy that already provides or could provide resident tuition eligibility; it does not restrict other expansions of eligibility.
  • The Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota is requested to adopt a policy implementing this section.
• Scope: Applies to state universities and colleges (public postsecondary institutions).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces a new employment-based pathway and a new in-state schooling-based pathway for qualifying for resident tuition, expanding who can receive lower tuition beyond traditional adult in-state residents.
• Incorporates immigration-status considerations for students without lawful status, including selective service requirements and status-application documentation.
• Delegates implementation to the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents, requiring an official policy to enforce the new rules.

Implementation and Administration

• University of Minnesota Board of Regents is tasked with adopting a policy to implement the new residency tuition provisions.
• The changes affect eligibility for resident tuition at public postsecondary institutions within Minnesota, i.e., state universities and colleges.

Relevant Terms - resident tuition - state universities and colleges - public postsecondary institution - Minnesota high school - three years of high school attendance - graduation from Minnesota high school or equivalent - nonimmigrant alien (USC 8 1101(a)(15)) - Selective Service registration - lawful immigration status - federal process to obtain lawful status - filed an application to obtain lawful status - moved to Minnesota for employment purposes - full-time job - spouse or dependent - Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota - policy implementing this section - minimum requirement - Minnesota Statutes 2024 § 135A.043