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    • Proof of Lawful Presence (EVEA)

    Registration & Records

    Under the Tennessee Eligibility Verification for Entitlements Act (EVEA), UT Knoxville must verify that any student receiving certain state or institutional benefits is a US citizen or lawfully present in the United States. This verification affects your eligibility for: 

    • In-state tuition and fees AND
    • State- or institutionally funded scholarships, grants, loans, or tuition/fee waivers.

    Most students are verified automatically through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If your status cannot be confirmed, UT will request documentation from you. You may be asked to submit Proof of Lawful Presence if you: 

    • Request reclassification as an in-state student after enrolling.
    • Apply for in-state tuition when confirming enrollment.
    • Receive state- or institutionally funded financial assistance. 

    Acceptable Documentation

    Use the section that best matches your residency status. All documents must be valid, unexpired, and issued by an appropriate government authority.

    US Citizens

    You may submit one of the following: 

    • Valid Tennessee driver license or photo identification license issued after 2001
    • Valid driver license or photo identification license from another state (except Utah and New Mexico)
    • Certified US birth certificate issued by a state, jurisdiction, or territory (except Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010)
    • US government-issued certified birth certificate
    • Valid, unexpired US passport
    • US Certificate of Birth Abroad (DS-1350 or FS-545) or Report of Birth Abroad of a US Citizen (FS-240)
    • Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 or N-561)
    • Certificate of Naturalization (N-550, N-570, or N-578)
    • US Citizen Identification Card (I-198 or I-179)
    • US military ID or military dependent ID

    Eligible Non-Citizens / Permanent Residents

    If you are a member of this group, you may also see your status referred to as “Alien Status” under EVEA. You must submit one of the following: 

    • Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) 
    • Unexpired Re-Entry Permit (Form I-327)
    • Refugee Travel Document (Form I-571)
    • Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94) indicating lawful status with one of the following annotations:
      • Refugee
      • Asylum Granted
      • Indefinite Parole
      • Cuban-Haitian Entrant
      • Conditional Entrant (prior to April 1, 1980) 
    • Unexpired Employment Authorization Document (EAD) showing “C09” or other eligible non-citizen category
    • Any other DHS-issued evidence of lawful presence

    International Students / Visa Holders

    Students on certain visas (F-1, J-1) may already be verified through SEVIS and do not need to submit additional documents unless requested. Others must provide: 

    • Current visa documentation
    • Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94) showing visa classification and lawful presence
    • DHS-issued evidence of lawful presence (such as an unexpired EAD or other status documentation)

    Note: Some nonimmigrant visa types do not qualify for in-state tuition or certain benefits. Check with the Center for Global Engagement for guidance on your visa classification. 

    Exemptions

    You may be exempt from submitting separate documentation if: 

    • You are verified through the FAFSA as a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
    • You are a UT student employee verified through E-Verify.
    • You are an international student already verified through SEVIS. 

    Document Submission

    Submit your documents to the office handling your admission.

    Undergraduate Admissions

    Hand-deliver your documents to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (320 Students Services Building), OR submit your EVEA documentation to Undergraduate Admissions at utkapplications@utk.edu. 

    Graduate Admissions

    Upload your EVEA documentation to your applicant status portal under EVEA documentation, OR bring your documents in person to the Office of Graduate Admissions (201 Student Services Building).

    Frank Winston College of Law

    Law students should send their documents to lawadmit@utk.edu, OR hand-deliver your documents to the Frank Winston College of Law Office of Admissions & Financial Aid (College of Law Bldg., Suite #161).

    Submission Deadlines

    Verification must be completed before your aid can be released or your tuition rate adjusted to in-state. Missing deadlines can result in out-of-state tuition charges and delays in financial aid disbursement. 

    UT’s Retention of Documentation

    UT retains copies of all verification documents for as long as related in-state tuition or financial aid applications are on file.

    Unverified Student Status

    If final verification shows that an applicant is not a US citizen or not lawfully present in the United States, the university is required to terminate any ongoing state- or institutionally funded benefits. 

    The university must also notify the Office of the General Counsel in writing if it has a good-faith belief that: 

    • Someone has conspired to defraud the university by helping an applicant obtain benefits based on false information.
    • An applicant has knowingly and willfully provided false or fraudulent information about their citizenship or lawful presence in the US, OR
    • Someone has conspired to defraud the university by helping an applicant obtain benefits based on false information.