The Graduate School and the Department strongly encourage you to establish Washington residency as soon as possible. The amount of your tuition waiver, which is paid by the Graduate School, is calculated based on residency. In addition, if you are ever in a position of paying your own tuition the amount charged for non-residents is considerably higher.
The first step for establishing residency is to obtain a Washington Driver’s License. Before you can apply for residency you must hold a valid Washington Driver’s License for 12 months. You can see the residency requirements at http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/residency.html or contact the Residence Classification Office at 206-543-4188.