Admissions
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Verification of Lawful Presence
Effective Fall 2011, upon acceptance to Columbus State University, all students seeking in-state tuition are required to verify their lawful presence in the United States. The following documents are acceptable:
- A photocopied image or photo of a current Driver‘s License issued after January 1,
2008. Only the Driver's License from these states is acceptable:
- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
- A limited term license--a license issued for a period of less than two years--is not acceptable.
- A current ID issued by the State of Georgia after January 1, 2008.
- A current U.S. Passport.
- A Certified U.S. Birth Certificate showing the student was born in the U.S. or a U.S. territory. A photocopy or faxed copy provided by the student is not acceptable.
- U.S. Certificate of Naturalization (USCIS form N - 550 or N - 570).
- U.S. Certificate of Citizenship (USCIS form N - 560 or N - 561).
- U.S. Certificate of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State (DS - 1350) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS - 240).
- A current, valid Permanent Resident Card (USCIS form I-151 or I-551).
Acceptable photocopies and photos of lawful presence may be submitted online via our admission document upload form.
Common Questions and Answers:
Does verifying my lawful presence allow me to pay in-state tuition?
No, you must submit the required documents to prove your residency in Georgia.
I am expecting to receive an out of state tuition waiver. Do I need to provide proof
of lawful presence?
Yes, the policy states that anyone receiving an out-of-state tuition waiver must provide proof of lawful presence.
I have been in Georgia my entire life; do I have to submit documentation to prove
my lawful presence?
Yes, all incoming students must provide documentation.
Can I get my certified Birth Certificate back if I mail it in once I have a proven
lawful presence?
The certified Birth Certificate will be held in your admission file and is unable to be returned to you.
Is a social security card an acceptable form of lawful presence?
While all U.S. citizen applicants are required to provide a social security number on their application, the card itself does not satisfy the lawful presence requirement.
How do I get this information to the Admissions Office?
You may mail or hand-deliver a copy of your acceptable documentation to our office (Birth Certificates must be the original). Please do not fax your driver's license or passport. You may also e-mail acceptable photocopied or photographed documents to Data_Entry@Columbusstate.edu.
Mailing Address:
Columbus State University
Office of Admissions
4225 University Ave
Columbus, GA 31907
If you have additional questions, please contact us at (706) 507-8800 or at admissions@columbusstate.edu.
