Washington residents include anyone who was born and raised within the state. In addition, for tuition and financial aid purposes, you will be considered a resident if you have lived within the state for a full 12 months before your first day of class.
It is important to understand that simply living in Washington is not enough, under the law, to qualify you as a resident. Indeed, your reason for living in the state was not related to education or attending school. To establish permanent residency you must show that you are planning on living in the state on a long-term basis. This can be accomplished by obtaining a Washington state driver's license or ID, registering to vote and voting within the state, renting or buying a home or apartment.
The law allows dependent children and teenagers to establish state residency if one or both parents are a resident of the state or have maintained a home or apartment within the state for the 12 months before the first day of classes.
If you cannot qualify for in-state tuition and financial aid as a resident, you still may qualify under an exemption. Under the law, active members of the armed forces and stationed in the state, immigrant refugees and people who live in the state and work at least 20 hours per week for a state institution may receive in-state tuition and financial aid without establishing residency.
Non-U.S. citizens may also qualify for in-state tuition and financial aid provided that they satisfying the following circumstances: (1) complete their senior year at a high school within the state or obtain the equivalent of a high school degree; (2) live continuously in the state while obtaining their high school diploma or equivalent degree; (3) live in the state for three years before receiving their diploma and (4) apply for U.S. citizenship as soon as they are eligible to apply.