BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Beginning this spring, CU students will have to show more proof that they are legally and financially independent from their parents or others to receive in-state tuition based on emancipation.

The Daily Camera reports the university has beefed up the petition process for students who claim they are independent from their parents, relatives and friends in order to become residents and receive much cheaper in-state tuition rates.

A student who successfully establishes emancipation and earns residency pays about 67 percent less in tuition than an out-of-state student. Emancipated minors are younger than 22 and have been independent from their parents or guardians for at least a year.

Although the guideline changes were made throughout the university system, the issue was most prevalent at the Boulder campus, which has high numbers of out-of-state students, CU system spokesman Ken McConnellogue said.

“Frankly, what was happening was we had people who were emancipated who said a family friend would pay the tuition or grandparents or things like that,” he said. “We saw a lot of Colorado residents driving cars with California license plates.”

An email sent to students this fall from the CU-Boulder registrar’s office explains that the modified guidelines “look more closely at any outside support provided to the student, including support from parents, grandparents, friends, etc.”

From 2010 to 2012, the number of students petitioning for emancipation and in-state tuition rates at the Boulder campus increased 35 percent, and the number of students who successfully established emancipation increased 40 percent.

Last fall, 221 students established emancipation out of 272 who applied.

Because out-of-state students subsidize tuition for in-state students, CU officials wanted to make sure only eligible students were receiving in-state rates, said Board of Regents chairman Michael Carrigan, a Denver Democrat.