Georgia Highlands College complies with all University System of Georgia Board of Regents the mandated policy for verifying the lawful U.S. presence: “Each University System institution shall verify the lawful presence in the United States of every successfully admitted person applying for resident tuition status, as defined in Section 7.3 of this Policy Manual, and of every person admitted to an institution referenced in Section 4.1.6 of this Policy Manual.”

Below is a list of acceptable documentation to prove lawful presence in Georgia:

• Completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA) with confirmed citizenship.
• An unexpired driver’s license (or state ID) issued by the State of Georgia with the REAL ID symbol.
  • A limited term license is not acceptable.
• An original and certified U.S. Birth Certificate showing the student was born in the U.S. or a U.S. territory bearing an official seal (clear and complete copies of original and certified US birth certificates may be accepted by mail, sent electronically to admitme@highlands.edu, or delivered to a GHC campus)
• A U.S. Certificate of Naturalization (USCIS form N-550 or N-570)
• A U.S. Certificate of Citizenship (USCIS form N-560 or N-561)
• A U.S Certificate of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State (DS-1350) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240)
• An unexpired U.S. Passport

Applicants who are not United States citizens must provide one of the following:

• A copy of an unexpired Permanent Resident Alien Card (USCIS form I-151 or I-551)
• A current copy of the applicant’s visa and I-94 form

Applicants who do not provide proof of lawful presence:

Applicants who do not provide proof of lawful presence in the U.S. are eligible to attend GHC, if academically admissible, but will be charged out-of-state tuition rates.

Questions?

All applicants who are accepted for admission or readmission to Georgia Highlands and who seek to be classified as in-state for tuition purposes will be required to provide validation of residency and lawful presence in both the State of Georgia and the United States. Questions or need for additional assistance should be directed to: admitme@highlands.edu