Native American Tribes

Review guidelines related to eligibility for resident tuition in Washington State for federally recognized tribes.

Students walk on BC's campus.

General Information

For a period of one year immediately prior to enrollment at a state institution of higher education, students must have been domiciled in one or a combination of the following states: Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington.

Students must be a member of one of the federally recognized Indian tribes, as determined under Title 25 of the Code of Federal Regulations (25CFR), whose traditional and customary tribal boundaries included portions of the state of Washington, or whose tribe was granted reserved lands within the state of Washington.

Please review https://wsac.wa.gov/sites/default/files/GOIA.Resident.Tuition.pdf for Federally Recognized Tribes Eligible for Resident Tuition in Washington State for a complete list of eligible tribes.

Residency Application Process for Native Americans

Members of Native American Tribes with traditional tribal boundaries that include parts of Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho may qualify for residency status by meeting both of the following conditions:

  • Live in one or a combination of states that include Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho for at least 12-months before you apply
  • Document membership in one of the federally recognized tribes, as determined under Title 25 of the Code of Federal Regulations, in which traditional and customary tribal boundaries included portions of Washington State, or your tribe holds reserved lands within Washington State.

Provide documentation of your membership in a federally recognized tribe as indicated above by mail to Student Central: Residency, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue, WA  98007.

Document Submission Deadlines

  • Submit required documents by the final admission deadline as indicated on the online academic calendar. Students who meet this deadline may be eligible for a tuition deferment, which holds students in their classes without payment until a decision is made.
  • Final Deadline – Apply by the 30th calendar day of the quarter. Students should check the online academic calendar for exact dates. By regulation, the college processes applications and documents received after the deadline for the next quarter.

If you submit your documents after the final deadline, you do not qualify for a tuition deferment. However, if you later qualify for residency status, you will receive a refund of the difference between non-resident and resident tuition.