Residency Requirements
Students enrolling at Rock Valley College are classified as resident, non-resident, out-of-district, or out-of-state for tuition and fee purposes. The college’s Board of Trustees established the following guidelines:
Residency Status
Resident
A student, who has resided within Illinois and the Rock Valley College District 511, 30 days immediately prior to the start of the term, is eligible to be classified as a resident student for tuition calculation purposes.
Communities that comprise District 511 include: Belvidere, Blaine, Byron, Caledonia, Capron, Cherry Valley, Davis Junction, Durand, Garden Prairie, Harrison, Hunter, Loves Park, Machesney Park, Monroe Center, Morristown, New Milford, +Oregon, Pecatonica, Poplar Grove, Rockford, Rockton, Roscoe, Seward, Shirland, South Beloit, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago.
+Portions of these communities are included in the district
Out-of-District
A student who resides in Illinois, but outside the Rock Valley College district for 30 days immediately prior to the start of the term shall be classified as an out-of-district student. A change in residency status may be requested by providing the appropriate documentation to the Records and Registration office on the top floor of the Student Center.
Out-of-State
A student who resides in Illinois less than 30 days immediately prior to the start of the term shall be classified as an out-of-state student. Students who move from outside the state or district and who obtain residence in the state or Rock Valley College district for reasons other than attending the community college shall be exempt from the 30 day requirement if they demonstrate through documentation a verifiable interest in establishing permanent residency. The Records and Registration office shall make the final determination of residency status for tuition purposes.
International
A student whose permanent residence is outside of the United States and is attending Rock Valley College on a visa shall be classified as an out-of-state student for tuition purposes, unless the student is a live-In guest with a resident of District 511. For details see our International Student Admission page.
Undocumented
An undocumented student refers to students who were born outside the United States, but have lived in the country for a significant portion of their lives, and who reside here with no documentation stating U.S. citizenship or legal residency.
House Bill 60-In-State Tuition for Undocumented Students (Signed into law as Public Act 093-0007) states that undocumented students in Illinois may receive in-state tuition if they meet certain conditions. For details on the conditions please see our Undocumented Student Admissions page for more information.
RVC District Map
Residency requirements may differ for limited enrollment programs admission. Proof of residency status is required at the time of registration. Proof of residence can include driver's license, voter's registration card, notarized and dated lease agreement, and/or utility bill.