EVEA Information

What is EVEA?

The State of Tennessee Eligibility Verification for Entitlements Act (EVEA) requires state institutions of higher education to verify that anyone seeking a "state public benefit" is either a "United States citizen", a "qualified alien", or otherwise "lawfully present" in the United States. A state public benefit includes in-state tuition, lottery scholarships, academic scholarships, common market, or any other form of tuition assistance or waiver supported with funds from a Tennessee government entity. State public benefits do not include tuition assistance funded privately, such as a scholarship from the institution's foundation or a privately endowed scholarship. In short, if you do not verify your residency, you will not be eligible to receive in-state tuition rate, Graduate Assistantships, Tuition Scholarships, or most ETSU scholarships.

How does Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals affect EVEA?

Those who are granted "deferred action" status are eligible for work authorization. They can also obtain social security cards, work authorization cards, and, in some states, driver licenses. This deferred action status does NOT confer "lawful presence" status under federal law or Tennessee state law. Specifically, "deferred action status" does NOT satisfy the requirement of "lawful presence" under the EVEA.

What students are not subject to EVEA verification?

ETSU does not have to verify citizenship or lawful presence of students who:

  • Are under 18 years of age and have not graduated from high school and are applying as dual enrollment students, joint enrollment students, or academically gifted and talented students.
  • Have not applied to receive in-state tuition, a scholarship, grant, loans, tuition or fee waiver, or other financial assistance which is subsidized or paid in whole or in part with state funds.

Verification Procedures

For US citizens, one of the following is needed:

  • FAFSA.
  • A valid Tennessee driver’s license or photo identification issued by the Department of Safety.
  • A valid driver’s license or photo identification license from another state where the issuance requirements are at least as strict as those in Tennessee, as determined by the Department of Safety(except for the states of  New Mexico and Utah).
  • An official birth certificate issued by a state, jurisdiction, or territory of the United States, including Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Island, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, or Guam (except that Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010, shall not be recognized).
  • A United States government-issued certified birth certificate.
  • A valid, unexpired United States passport.
  • A United States certificate of birth abroad (DS-1350 or FS-545).
  • A report of birth abroad of a citizen of the United States (FS-240).
  • A certificate of citizenship (N560 or N561).
  • A certificate of naturalization (N5550, N570, or N578).
  • A United States citizen identification card (I-197, I-179).

For non-citizens, two of the following are needed:

  • I-327 (Reentry permit);
  • I-551 (Permanent Resident Card);
  • I-571 (Refugee Travel Document);
  • I-766 (Employment Authorization Card);
  • Certificate of Citizenship;
  • Naturalization Certificate;
  • Machine Readable Immigrant Visa (with Temporary I-551 Language);
  • Temporary I-551 Stamp (on passport or I-94);
  • Unexpired foreign passport; · WT/WB Admission Stamp in unexpired foreign passport;
  • I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status);
  • DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status); or
  • Any other document determined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to be acceptable through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program created pursuant to the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
  • Note: Neither a driver’s license nor a social security number or card are acceptable forms of documentation.

Submission Procedures:

Documents can be received through a Dynamic Form. If it's an item with an expiration date, it must currently be valid. 

For more detailed information, please contact your Graduate Program Specialist.