Special Situation

Special Situation - County charge backs at Community Colleges

As a condition for registration, community colleges require that every New York state resident who resides outside of New York City present a certificate of residence issued no earlier than two months before the first day of classes. The Certificate is valid for a period of one year. If the county of residence declines to issue the Certificate on the basis that the student is not a county resident, the student may appeal to the New York Secretary of State. Students verifying residency must complete the City University Residency Form. The form can be picked up at the Admissions and Recruitment Office located at 500 Grand Concourse. Any student who receives a negative residency determination must receive, along with this determination, a copy of the college's appeal procedures. Students wishing to appeal a negative residency determination must notify the Office of Admissions and Recruitment within ten days of notification that they have been deemed a non-resident. A student appeal form will be submitted to the University's Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel.

Time Frame for College Review
Hostos Community College will make every effort to complete all residency determinations by the first day of classes. If resident tuition is denied and the student subsequently files an appeal under the procedures described below, the student is responsible for paying out-of-state tuition while the appeal is pending.

Hostos Community College will not review any residency determination unless the request for the review is made in writing and all required documentation is submitted on or before the last day of finals in the semester for which resident tuition is being sought. The colleges will not make residency determinations retroactively and will not issue refunds to students even in cases where they would have qualified for the resident rate if they had submitted timely documentation.

Appeal Process
Any student who receives a negative residency determination must, at the same time, receive a copy of the University’s appeal procedures. If the student believes that he/she meets the requirements for resident tuition, he or she may appeal by notifying the Hostos Office of Admissions and Recruitment within ten days of notification that he/she has been determined to be a non-resident. At that time, the student must submit a statement to the Registrar (or other designated official) indicating why he/she disagrees with the college’s decision.

Upon submission of an appeal, the student will be provided with a copy, stamped “received” and dated, or some other dated proof of the college’s receipt of the appeal. The Registrar (or other designated official) will submit the City University Residency Form, copies of all documentation provided by the student, and any statement made by the student, along with the college’s determination and the reasons for the College’s determination, to the University’s Office of the Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, which will make a final determination regarding the student’s residency status.

For more information about the residency verification process, contact:

Carlos Rivera, Director
Office of Admissions and Recruitment
Building B, First Floor
Telephone: (718) 319-7900
Email: admissions@hostos.cuny.edu