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Home Information & Resources Residency for Tuition Purposes Military/Veteran Residency Exceptions

Active Military Servicemembers & Veteran Policies

Apply for Fall 2025 residency NOW, by or before July 1!

Even if you don't have all your required documents, APPLY TODAY!

These exceptions apply to active military and veterans and their immediate family members (dependent spouses or children).  These are the requirements and deadlines for military servicemembers, veterans, and/or their immediate family members to receive resident student status here at the U.

The requirements for each military or veteran exception are listed, and the student must meet ALL requirements.  In all cases, the Residency Division of the University of Utah Admissions Department is the determining body for all military residency exceptions.

Follow all the steps in “Steps to Apply” found below.

Military/Veteran residency exception policies are for:

  • Active duty servicemember students and/or their immediate family members
  • Veteran students and/or their immediate family members
  • Students eligible for Veteran Affairs Education Benefits (G.I. Bill Education Benefits)

Other types of Residency exceptions:

  • American Indian exceptions
  • Olympic exceptions
  • USHE transfer student exceptions
  • State or Federal exceptions
  • House Bill 118
  • House Bill 144

Please note that retroactive residency for past semesters is not granted,

“R512-5.2.1 Application Deadline: Students must meet institutional application deadlines for each term…institutions may not accept applications for resident student status or supporting documentation after the third week of the semester or term for which the student seeks resident student status.”

Steps to Apply

  • Step 1: Read

    Utah state law (USHE R512, Resident Student Status 5.2.3) says:

    “The burden is on the student to prove that they are eligible for [residency]…“,

    …and as such, we expect all students to learn about their options, and make choices based on that learning.  Please learn your obligations regarding residency:

    1. Please read the “Mandatory Reading” to learn about the legal rules regarding residency in Utah.
    2. Please read through the different residency options, including:
      • Reclassification policies for Undergraduate or Graduate students
      • Military Exceptions
      • American Indian Exceptions
      • Olympics Exceptions
      • Transfer Students from other Utah schools
      • State and Federal Exceptions
      • Tuition Waivers

  • Step 2: Choose

    Choose the residency application policy that best meets your personal situation. You must meet ALL of the criteria for the policy you choose, so choose the right one for you!

    These policies are explained in the“Military Service, Veterans, & Military Dependent Residency Exceptions” section below, which include:

    • U.S. Military Veteran and/or their immediate family members
    • Eligible Military Members, Veterans, or Dependents using Veteran's Affairs (VA) Education Benefits
    • U.S. Military Service Member and/or their Immediate Family Member (Spouse or Dependent Child)

    Download the Military and Veterans Residency Exceptions Postcard

  • Step 3: Apply

    Apply for the semester you want to become a resident student as soon as you can.

    You don’t need to have all the required documents at the time you apply.  You can submit those documents once you have them ready, up until the Census Deadline.

    • Work on your residency reclassification only begins with an application, so submit one as soon as possible.
    • Applications received* by the submission deadlines listed above will be first priority.
    • Applications that are submitted* by the submission deadline and are later on completed are guaranteed a decision by the first day of the semester.

    *Please note: Successful submission of the reclassification application will return you to the Main Residency webpage. Once your application has loaded into our system, you will receive a confirmation email with additional instructions. Please allow up to two business days for this process to occur.

    Residency Military Exception Application

    APPLY EARLY FOR FIRST PRIORITY. APPLY ON TIME BEFORE THE APPLICATIONS CLOSE.

  • Step 4: Submit Required Documents

    Once your application is submitted, submit all the required documents that your application needs. You can do this with the link below, the Document Submission Form.

    You can send those in as soon as you have them ready, up until the last day to work on applications, Census Deadline.

    CLICK HERE – DOCUMENT SUBMISSION

    YOU MUST COMPLETE ALL THE CRITERIA, INCLUDING ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION.

  • Step 5: Follow Up

    The Residency evaluator working on your application will be emailing you about additional steps needed, such as to remind you of what documents are still needed.

    Check your UMail account often to find out what your application status is.

    If you’re not receiving Residency emails, contact us to update your email addresses for Residency communications.

    Visit us:

    Student Services Building,
    201 S 1460 E,
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    Office Hours (All times are Mountain Time Zone):
    Monday through Friday – 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
    Closed Tuesday from 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. for Staff Meetings

    Call us: 801-581-8761, Option 5
    Email us: residency@utah.edu

    Join us on Zoom

the Utah U patch on an ROTC student's uniform
many ROTC students during an event in the stadium
a large group poses around the block U, which has been wrapped with camo and USA flag colors

Military Service, Veterans, & Military Dependent Residency Exceptions

  • For a veteran student who is applying, the following criteria is required:

    1. Military Service Exception Form application
    2. Copy of proof of service as evidenced by providing one or more of the following:
      1. DD Form 214 long form, Service 2 copy and Member 4 copy, proving honorable or general discharge
      2. DD Form 256 Discharge Certificate, for Guard and Reserve members
      3. NGB Form 22, proof of service for National Guard members

    For the immediate family member (Spouse or Dependent Child) of a U.S. Military Veteran who is applying, the following criteria is required:

    1. Military Service Exception Form application
    2. Copy of proof of service as evidenced by providing one or more of the following:
      1. DD Form 214
      2. DD Form 256 Discharge Certificate, for Guard and Reserve members
      3. NGB Form 22, proof of service for National Guard members
    3. Copy of the veteran's 1040 filing* from most recently completed tax year verifying they claimed you as a tax co-signee or dependent (*Note: Other forms of official documentation of immediate family member of a U.S. veteran may be considered on a case by case basis.)

  • The following criteria is required:

    1. Military Service Exception Form application
    2. Evidence of eligibility under Title 38 United States Code – VA educational benefits:

  • For service member students, the following criteria is required:

    1. Military Service Exception Form application
    2. Copy of your current military ID card
    3. Copy of your leave and earning statement
    4. Copy of your military orders
    5. Either one of the following:
      1. Copy of your enlistment documentation; OR
      2. Written statement from your current commanding officer that you are serving in the military

    For immediate family members (Spouse or Dependent Child) of service member, the following criteria is required:

    • Military Service Exception Form application
    • Either one of the following:
      1. The following documentation:
        1. Copy of the service member’s current military ID card
        2. Copy of the service member’s leave and earning statement
        3. Copy of the service member’s military orders
        4. Either one of the following:
          • Copy of the service member’s enlistment documentation; OR
          • Written statement from the service member’s current commanding officer that you are serving in the military
        5. Copy of the military service member’s 1040 filing* from most recently completed tax year verifying they claimed you as a tax co-signee or dependent (*Note: Other forms of official documentation of immediate family member of a U.S. veteran may be considered on a case by case basis.)
      2. The immediate family member’s current United States military identification card.

Residency Military/Veteran Exceptions Application Deadlines

  • Starting Summer Semester 2024 onward, all Exception and Addendum applications for Residency  (Military/Veteran, American Indian, Olympic Athlete, USHE Transfer Student, and State of Utah Exceptions, Addendum) will have the same deadlines as all Residency Reclassification applications for the following dates:

    • Application Open
    • Domiciliary Tie Establishment Deadline
    • On-Time Application Deadline
    • Application Closes
    • Document Submission Deadline
    • Incomplete Applications Removed

    See Residency Calendar for details.

    • United States Title 18 U.S.C. § 701 states:
      • §701. Official badges, identification cards, other insignia
        Whoever manufactures, sells, or possesses any badge, identification card, or other insignia, of the design prescribed by the head of any department or agency of the United States for use by any officer or employee thereof, or any colorable imitation thereof, or photographs, prints, or in any other manner makes or executes any engraving, photograph, print, or impression in the likeness of any such badge, identification card, or other insignia, or any colorable imitation thereof, except as authorized under regulations made pursuant to law (emphasis added), shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
        (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 731; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(E), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2146.)
        https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title18/part1/chapter33&edition=prelim
    • The copying of military ID cards is authorized by the regulations pursuant to law Title 32 Subtitle A Chapter I Subchapter F Part 161—Identification (ID) Cards for members of the Uniformed Services, their dependents, and other eligible individuals (B)(1):
      • (b) The guidelines and restrictions of this paragraph apply to all forms of DoD ID cards.
        • (1) Any person willfully altering, damaging, lending, counterfeiting, or using these cards in any unauthorized manner is subject to fine or imprisonment or both, as prescribed in 18 U.S.C. 499, 506, 509, 701, and 1001. Section 701 of 18 U.S.C. prohibits photographing or otherwise reproducing or possessing DoD ID cards in an unauthorized manner, under penalty of fine or imprisonment or both. Unauthorized or fraudulent use of ID cards would exist if bearers used the card to obtain benefits and privileges to which they are not entitled. Examples of authorized photocopying include photocopying of DoD ID cards to facilitate medical care processing, check cashing, voting, tax matters, compliance with 50 U.S.C. appendix 501 (emphasis added) (also known as “The Service member’s Civil Relief Act”), or administering other military-related benefits to eligible beneficiaries (emphasis added). When possible, the ID card will be electronically authenticated in lieu of photographing the card.
          https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-32/subtitle-A/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-161
    • Under Utah law we are required to photocopy military ID’s because we are administering military-related benefits of having Utah residency for tuition purposes under Utah state law.
      • Utah Code 53B-8-102 says:
        • (8) Notwithstanding Subsection (3), an institution within the state system of higher education shall grant resident student status for tuition purposes to:
          • (a) a military service member, if the military service member provides:
            • (i) the military service member’s current United States military identification card (emphasis added); and
            • (ii)(A) a statement from the military service member’s current commander, or equivalent, stating that the military service member is assigned in Utah; or
            • (B) evidence that the military service member is domiciled in Utah, as described in Subsection (9)(a);
              https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title53B/Chapter8/53B-8-S102.html?v=C53B-8-S102_2016051020160701

  • If you are requesting residency for a spring term, all of the above documentation is required.

    For the federal tax return requirement, the you can submit:

    • The first two pages of your federal tax return for the filing from the most recently completed tax year verifying that you were not claimed as a tax dependent by out-of-state parents or guardians.
    • Copy of your out of state parents’ or guardians’ federal tax return(s) for the filing from most recently completed tax year verifying that they did not claim you as a dependent.
    • A signed and dated letter on letterhead from a licensed CPA with contact information, verifying that you will not be claimed on federal taxes for the previous year as a dependent by out-of-state parents or guardians.
      • Example: If you are applying for residency for Spring 2024, you can submit either your or your parents’/guardians’ filed federal tax return for 2022 federal taxes verifying that you were not claimed as a dependent by out-of-state parents or guardians, or a signed and dated letter on letterhead from a licensed CPA with contact information, verifying that you will not be claimed on federal taxes for the 2022 tax year as a dependent by out-of-state parents or guardians.

  • Late Application Submissions

    An application is considered late if it is submitted after the deadline (see “Residency for Tuition Purposes Calendar” above).

    The hard late deadline for application submission is the tuition deadline. No application will be accepted after the tuition deadline for the requested term of reclassification.

    Late Documentation

    Required documentation (proof of physical presence documents, submission of Utah ties, proof of tax independence documents, etc.) will be accepted through the census deadline of the requested term of reclassification at the latest.  Documentation should be submitted as soon as possible prior to this deadline.  No documentation will be accepted after the census deadline for the requested term of reclassification.

    Students submitting documentation must have a residency reclassification application on file that was submitted by the hard application deadline.

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