Residency for Tuition Purposes: Active Military Servicemembers & Veteran Policies
Military Service and Veterans Residency Exceptions
Read on to learn about residency requirements, deadlines, and everything you need to know about residency for tuition purposes for military servicemembers, veterans and their family member students here at the U.
If you are classified as a nonresident but meet the requirements for a policy or exception for resident status, you may apply to change your status by means of a residency addendum, see details here.
If you have recently been granted a U.S. permanent resident card, asylum status, refugee status, special immigrant visa, humanitarian parole, temporary protection status, or if you have good faith evidence of a pending application for one of these statuses, please see details about House Bill 102 addenda here.
Mandatory Reading for All Residency for Tuition Purpose Applicants
The resources listed here describe the various ways in which you may be eligible for in-state (resident) tuition under the provisions of Utah state law and University of Utah Institutional Policy. Review these materials carefully.
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.”
Residency for Tuition Purposes Calendar
These exceptions apply to active military and veterans and their immediate family members (dependent spouses or children). To apply for an active military or veteran exception, please fill out a Military Service Exception Form and submit all required documentation.
Please check the applicable sections below to see if you qualify under any of the following military exceptions, then complete the Application for In-State Tuition Based Upon Military Service Exceptions. The sections below list the required documents to verify military exceptions. Upload these supporting documents with your application.
In all cases, the Residency section of the University of Utah Admissions Department is the determining body for all military residency exceptions.
Residency Citizenship and Immigration Requirements
See Mandatory Reading:
Military Service, Veterans, & Military Dependent Residency Exceptions
For a veteran student who is applying, the following criteria is required:
- Military Service Exception Form application
- Copy of proof of service as evidenced by providing one or more of the following:
- DD Form 214 long form, Service 2 copy and Member 4 copy, proving honorable or general discharge
- DD Form 256 Discharge Certificate, for Guard and Reserve members
- NGB Form 22, proof of service for National Guard members
- Note: These forms must indicate:
- Proof of honorable or general discharge
- At least 180 days of active service (see 3.5.1) (see also Utah Code 68-3-12.5 (37)(a)(i)(A))
- If less than 180 days of honorable or general discharge, veteran’s who incurred an actual service-related injury or disability while in the United States Armed Forces (see 3.5.2) may provide documentation in addition to their DD-214 of the service-related injuries and/or disability
- Note: These forms must indicate:
- Objective evidence of intent to establish residency in Utah; any one of the following:
- Utah voter registration card
- Utah driver’s license or identification card
- Utah vehicle registration
- Evidence of employment in Utah
- Rental agreement showing the requesting student’s name and Utah address
- Utility bills showing the requesting student’s name and Utah address
- Department of Defense form DD-2058 State of Legal Residence Certificate
See Domiciliary Tie Deadlines here
For the immediate family member (Spouse or Dependent Child) of a U.S. Military Veteran who is applying, the following criteria is required:
- Military Service Exception Form application
- Copy of proof of service as evidenced by providing one or more of the following:
- DD Form 214
- DD Form 256 Discharge Certificate, for Guard and Reserve members
- NGB Form 22, proof of service for National Guard members
- Note: These forms must indicate:
- Proof of honorable or general discharge
- At least 180 days of active service (see 3.5.1) (see also Utah Code 68-3-12.5 (37)(a)(i)(A))
- If less than 180 days of honorable or general discharge, veteran’s who incurred an actual service-related injury or disability while in the United States Armed Forces (see 3.5.2) may provide documentation in addition to their DD-214 of the service-related injuries and/or disability
- Note: These forms must indicate:
- Copy of the military service member’s most recent federal tax return 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.
- Objective evidence of intent to establish residency in Utah; any one of the following:
- Utah voter registration card
- Utah driver’s license or identification card
- Utah vehicle registration
- Evidence of employment in Utah
- Rental agreement showing the requesting student’s name and Utah address
- Utility bills showing the requesting student’s name and Utah address
- Department of Defense form DD-2058 State of Legal Residence Certificate
The following criteria is required:
- Military Service Exception Form application
- Evidence of eligibility under Title 38 United States Code – VA educational benefits:
- Note: Students may obtain verification from the VA or online through their eBenefits account. Link: Home – VA/DoD eBenefits
- If you have questions on how to go about this, the University of Utah Office of the Registrar Veteran Services can assist with this process.
- Objective evidence of intent to establish residency in Utah; any one of the following:
- Utah voter registration card
- Utah driver’s license or identification card
- Utah vehicle registration
- Evidence of employment in Utah
- Rental agreement showing the requesting student’s name and Utah address
- Utility bills showing the requesting student’s name and Utah address
- Department of Defense form DD-2058 State of Legal Residence Certificate
For service member students on duty in Utah, the following criteria is required:
- Military Service Exception Form application
- Copy of the military orders placing you in Utah on active-duty assignment (see 3.4)
- Copy of your current military ID card
For immediate family members (Spouse or Dependent Child) of service member students on duty in Utah, the following criteria is required:
- Military Service Exception Form application
- Copy of the military orders placing service member in Utah on active-duty assignment (see 3.4), or military documents for reservists or National Guard members.
- Copy of military service member’s current military ID card
- Proof of immediate family connection to service member:
- A copy of your military dependent card;
- Or a copy of the military service member’s most recent federal tax return verifying they claimed you as a married joint tax co-signee or tax 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:
- Military Service Exception Form application
- A copy of the military service member’s current military ID card
- For immediate family members:
- A copy of dependent’s military identification card;
- Or the military service member’s most recent federal tax return verifying they claimed you as a married joint tax co-signee or tax dependent
- For immediate family members:
- A copy of the military service member’s most recent official military orders placing the service member outside of Utah
- Objective evidence that the military service member has not relinquished residency ties to Utah, which may include any one of the following:
- Utah voter registration card
- Utah driver’s license or identification card
- Utah vehicle registration
- Copy of a Utah income tax return in the requesting student/active military service member’s name and/or their current spouse’s name, filed as a Utah resident
- Department of Defense form DD-2058 State of Legal Residence Certificate
- Proof that the requesting student/active military service member and/or their current spouse owns a home in Utah, including a property tax notice for property owned in Utah by the requesting student/active military service member and/or their current spouse.
Ready to apply?
Post Submission Form
If you have already submitted your residency application form and have additional documents you wish to turn in for evaluation, please attach the documents using the:
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
- 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
- §701. Official badges, identification cards, other insignia
- 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
- (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.
- (b) The guidelines and restrictions of this paragraph apply to all forms of DoD ID cards.
- 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
- (a) a military service member, if the military service member provides:
- (8) Notwithstanding Subsection (3), an institution within the state system of higher education shall grant resident student status for tuition purposes to:
- Utah Code 53B-8-102 says:
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 most recent tax filing 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 most recent tax filing 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.
“Military Veteran” is defined by Utah law as:
- R512-3 Definitions
- 3.5 “Military Veteran”:
- 3.5.1 Has served in the United States Armed Forces for at least 180 days: (1) on active duty;
or (2) in a reserve component, to include the National Guard; or - 3.5.2 Has incurred an actual service-related injury or disability while in the United States
Armed Forces regardless of whether the individual completed 180 days and was separated or
retired under conditions characterized as honorable or general.
- 3.5.1 Has served in the United States Armed Forces for at least 180 days: (1) on active duty;
- 3.5 “Military Veteran”:
“Immediate family member” is defined as
- R512-3 Definitions
- 3.3 …the current spouse or unmarried dependent child of the U.S. military veteran [or Active Duty Military Service Member]
GI Bill® “Eligible Person” is defined by Utah law as:
- R512-3 Definitions
- 3.7 “Eligible Person” means an individual entitled to benefits under Title 38 United States
Code – Veterans’ Benefits.
- 3.7 “Eligible Person” means an individual entitled to benefits under Title 38 United States
“Military Service Member” assigned to duty in Utah is defined by Utah law as:
- R512-3 Definitions
- 3.4 “Military Service member”:
- 3.4.1 Serving active duty in the United States Armed Forces within the state of Utah;
- 3.4.2 A member of a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces assigned in
Utah; - 3.4.3 A member of the Utah National Guard
- 3.4 “Military Service member”:
“Military Service Member” who maintains residency in Utah:
- R512-3 Definitions
- 3.4.4 Maintaining domicile in Utah, as described in subsection 5.3.2.6, but is assigned outside of Utah pursuant to federal permanent change of station orders.
Have Questions?
Visit us at:
201 S 1460 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Office Hours (All times are Mountain Time Zone):
- Monday – 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
- Tuesday – 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (Staff Meetings every Tuesday morning 8:00 to 10:00 A.M.)
- Wednesday – 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
- Thursday – 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
- Friday – 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
2024-2025 Holiday Schedule
Call us:
801-581-8761, Option 5 to speak with a Residency staff member