Media Contact: Fred Lewis (202) 412-2167; [email protected]
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is reviewing its guidance for determining eligibility of students applying for the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG), a unique program that provides funding of up to $10,000 to cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for eligible, college-bound DC residents. This is the first step in expanding access to the program for students with special circumstances. OSSE is considering other policy options as well.
OSSE plans to update the guidance to provide additional clarity for students with special circumstances related to citizenship or immigration issues when attempting to prove residency and domicile in the District of Columbia, to ensure only DC residents receive funding under DCTAG.
According to the legislation that created the program, DCTAG applicants must be either United States citizens or eligible noncitizens, and must be domiciled in the District for 12 months prior to their initial postsecondary enrollment.
The updates OSSE plans to incorporate add Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to the list of acceptable designations for which parents of applicants who are minors can claim legal domicile in DC.
Furthermore, applicants over the age of 18 will be able to establish domicile in the District separately from their parent, regardless of financial dependency. In order to establish domicile separately, the applicant must reside in the District of Columbia, and provide documentation that establishes a present intent to reside indefinitely in the District, such as a DC voter registration card or DC driver’s license.
“OSSE’s intention has always been to extend the reach of DCTAG to help make college affordable for as many District residents as possible, and we believe that these updates will assist us in accomplishing this goal,” said State Superintendent Hanseul Kang.
For more information about DCTAG, including eligibility criteria and award amounts, visit OSSE’s website.
