Admissions
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Verification of Lawful Presence
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:
- Driver’s licenses & state-issued ID cards issued by the following states and meeting
the specified parameters may be accepted as evidence of U.S. lawful presence. The
driver’s license or state-issued ID card must be unexpired at the time the lawful
presence is verified. A copy of the front and back of the card is required. Only driver’s
licenses and state-issued ID cards with the REAL ID symbol may be accepted for lawful
presence verification.
- Licenses & state-issued ID cards marked "Not for REAL ID Purposes," "Federal Limits Apply," or similar may not be accepted for lawful presence verification.
- Temporary/interim licenses & state-issued ID cards may not be accepted for lawful presence verification.
- Only the driver’s licenses & state-issued IDs meeting the parameters listed below may be accepted.
- Licenses and state-issued ID cards from any state not listed below may not be accepted for lawful presence verification.
- If there is ever any question about whether a driver's license or state-issued ID card can be accepted for lawful presence verification, please contact us at (706) 507-8800 or at enroll@columbusstate.edu.
- While driver's licenses and state-issued ID cards that do not meet the parameters listed below cannot be accepted as evidence of U.S. lawful presence, individuals presenting a license/ID card that does not meet the specified parameters shouldn’t be assumed not to have U.S. lawful presence.
- A copy of the front and back of an unexpired Georgia Voter ID Card can also be accepted as evidence of lawful presence. The card must include the REAL ID symbol. Voter ID cards from other states cannot be accepted. An example of a Georgia Voter ID Card can be found at https://dds.georgia.gov/voter.
- 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 Driver’s Licenses and State-issued ID Cards
| State | Requirements for Acceptance |
|---|---|
| Alabama |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Alaska |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Arizona |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| California |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Colorado |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Delaware |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| District of Columbia |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Florida |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Georgia |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Idaho |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Iowa |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Kentucky |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Louisiana |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Maryland |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Missouri |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Montana |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Nevada |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| North Carolina |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Ohio |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Oklahoma |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Oregon |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| South Carolina |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Tennessee |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Texas |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Utah |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Vermont |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Virginia |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Wisconsin |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
| Wyoming |
The unexpired card must meet all of the following:
|
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 enroll@columbusstate.edu.
