Tuition to transfer to massachusetts during a degree My husband is currently in the middle of his degree in chemistry (we are both independent adults without links or support to parents/family). I am the main wage earner for our household and we currently live in Colorado.

I want to move to Massachusetts for a new job and my husband wishes to come with me. He had good luck so far talking to a number of schools there about transfering.

However we are struggling to find out if he will have to pay in or out of state tuition after we move as the difference in cost is very substantial. Does this depend on the school or just on the state? Unfortunately we have got mixed and ambiguous information from the schools in question so are extremely unsure on how this works.
Based on this document, I see a chance (slim, but not zero) that you could move to MA together, he would pay out-of-state tuition for a year, and then he could apply for reclassification.  (Please keep in mind I am NOT a lawyer, nor anyone in the college admission pipeline; I am hoping to provide you with a question you can ask of someone who is one of the two.)  Here's my reasoning:

From part 2, section 2


  Physical presence for this entire twelve-month or six-month period need not be required as long as the conduct of an individual, taken in total, manifests an intention to make Massachusetts his or her permanent dwelling place. However, residency is not acquired by mere physical presence in Massachusetts while the person is enrolled in an institution of higher education.


and from part 3, section 2


  The spouse of any person who is classified or is eligible for classification
  as a Massachusetts resident is likewise eligible for classification as a
  Massachusetts resident.


Your husband would be able to make the case to be reclassified after 12 months on the basis of "he followed you for your job."  I think that, even if he took classes full time, he could still apply for the reclassification, but that reclassification will not be retroactive to the year paid as out-of-state.  (section 4.4)   

Here's the catch: If I am right, it's not a guarantee that he'd be reclassified; it's a thing he can apply for.  So, by continuing classes in that 12 month period, he is not only going to be paying full out-of-state tuition, but he runs the risk of being 'locked in' as an out-of-state student for the duration of his program.  

The other option, which is much more of a certainty, is that he puts his education on hold for a year to let the residency sort itself out.  

I strongly suggest that you just ask the folks at the college he is trying to transfer to.  Certainly the admission people have had to deal with this before.