Utah System of Higher Education Board Policy R512, of which we are legally bound by, says,

“3.1 “Continuous Utah Residency for One Full Year” means the student has resided in Utah for 12 continuous months prior to the term for which the student is seeking resident student status…

5.2.3 Determining Resident Student Status: The burden is on the student to prove that they are eligible for resident student status…

5.3.5 Student Who Has Come to Utah for the Purpose of Attending an Institution of Higher Education: A student who has come to Utah for the purpose of attending an institution of higher education may be granted resident student status if, prior to the first day of classes of the term for which the student seeks resident student status, the student has: (1) maintained continuous Utah residency for one full year…”

The applicant applying for the Undergraduate One Year Rule Policy is required to start their 12-month continuous timeline a minimum of 12 months immediately prior, within no more than 23 months (one year and 11 months) immediately prior, to the term the student is applying for resident student status.

For example, if a student wants to apply for resident student status for Fall 2026 (semester starts August 2026), they must have the requirements for a 12 continuous month period going back no farther than September 2024:

• September 2024 to September 2025 or
• April 2025 to April 2026 or
• December 2024 to December 2025
• etc.

The University of Utah Residency evaluator staff will default the processing of the application to a 12 continuous month period immediately prior to the term for which the student is seeking resident student status.  The student must request in writing if they would like a different 12 month period to prove their continuous Utah residency.

We only need one form of documentation to prove your physical presence for one period of time.  We do not need different documentation for the same time period.

• 1 Day – If you have a document that proves your physical presence for one day, then that will only prove one day out of 365 total.
• Every 7 Days or fewer – If you have repeating records from at least once every 7 days or fewer (Example calendar of every 7 days) from the same documentation (a bank statement for example), those will prove your presence for a full week (a year has 52 weeks).  We count week by week as proof of your physical presence in Utah so long as there is an accepted record in Utah every 7 days or fewer.  
• Pay Stubs – Most employers pay either every two weeks, some pay every month, some pay weekly.
  • If you use a pay stub for a two week pay period to prove you worked in Utah, that will prove your presence for up to two weeks (approximately 26 two-week pay stubs for a full year).
• University of Utah completed transcripts – If you took at least one class physically in person, and you complete the semester, your University of Utah transcripts will prove your physical presence from the first day of the semester until the last day of finals (see Registrar’s Calendar here).  

Proof of physical presence records MUST have all 3 of the following on them:

1. Student’s name
2. Exact dates
3. Proof of an event happening in Utah

We have a number of accepted methods for proof of physical presence including:

• Enrollment at the University of Utah or another Utah institution
• Employment with a Utah employer
• Bank or credit card statements showing purchases made in-person and in the state of Utah at least once every 7 days or fewer
• Gym punch-in records in the state of Utah at least once every 7 days or fewer
• etc.

The complete list of accepted methods can be found here.

Any form of proof of physical presence in Utah submitted is subject to review and acceptance is not guaranteed.

Yes, depending on the record, we can count a certain amount of total days towards your proof of physical presence.  For example:

• 1 Day – If you have a document that proves your physical presence for one day, then that will only prove one day out of 365 total.
• Every 7 Days or fewer – If you have repeating records for at least once every 7 days or fewer (Example calendar of every 7 days) from the same documentation (bank statement showing purchases made in person in Utah, gym records at a Utah gym, Office Check-ins at the Residency Office, etc.), those will prove your presence for a full week (a year has 52 weeks). 
  • We count week by week as proof of your physical presence in Utah so long as there is an accepted record in Utah every 7 days or fewer.  
    • For records that have 8 days or more in between the two records, we will only count each day on either end of the time gap, and the days in between will be unaccounted for.
• Pay Stubs – Most employers pay either every two weeks, some pay every month, some pay weekly.
  • If you use a pay stub for a two week pay period to prove you worked in Utah, that will prove your presence for up to two weeks (approximately 26 two-week pay stubs for a full year).
• University of Utah completed transcripts – If you took at least one class physically in person, and you complete the semester, your University of Utah transcripts will prove your physical presence from the first day of the semester until the last day of finals (see Registrar’s Calendar here).  
  • Each of your in-person class transcripts for all the semesters you attend during the 12 months prior to applying for resident student status will count as proof of physical presence for each of those semesters.

There is no minimum number of in-person credit hours.

As long as you are enrolled in one in-person course on campus, the dates of enrollment for the term you are enrolled in will count towards your proof of physical presence.

The applicant applying for the Undergraduate One Year Rule Policy is required to start their 12-month continuous timeline a minimum of 12 months immediately prior, within no more than 23 months (one year and 11 months) immediately prior, to the term the student is applying for resident student status.

The University of Utah Residency evaluator staff will default the processing of the application to a 12 continuous month period immediately prior to the term for which the student is seeking resident student status.  The student must request in writing if they would like a different 12 month period to prove their continuous Utah residency.

Proof of physical presence records MUST have all 3 of the following on them:

1. Student’s name
2. Exact dates
3. Proof of an event happening in Utah

Many records cannot prove that the student applying for resident student status was at an event in Utah, such as an in-person purchase in a store or an in-person class at the University of Utah for example.  Other records are not accepted due to their unreliability, such as cell phone records or social media records.

The following CANNOT be used to demonstrate proof of physical presence (this list is not exhaustive):

• Utah utility bills
• Utah leases or rental agreements
• W-2s
• Presence of Utah property
• Personal statements
• Letters from friends/parents/landlords
• Records from apps such as DoorDash, UberEats, Uber, Lyft, Venmo, Door Dash, GrubHub, etc
• Photographs or images of people/locations
• Social media posts such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, etc.
• Cell/Mobile phone records

Time spent on University of Utah-sponsored programs, that are out of state, but with supporting documentation and institutional verification, still count as proof of your physical presence in Utah.

In order for any time outside of the state of Utah to count as in-state, our office would need to see proof that it is a University-sponsored program:

• Submit a signed and dated letter on letterhead from the University of Utah organizing department
• Letter must have student’s name, the exact dates of the program, and where the program was physically located
• Programs MUST BE organized or sanctioned by the University of Utah
• Letter needs a U of U staff member contact information and signature

This pertains to internships, sports or study abroad sponsored by the University of Utah.

If it is not a University-sponsored program, then your internships, sports or study abroad would count as outside the state of Utah.  Programs from University of Utah affiliates are not accepted (clubs, faith groups, sororities/fraternities, etc.).

For the Undergraduate One Year Rule Policy, you must show proof of physical presence for 12 continuous months in Utah.

You may not have more than 29 days total with presence unaccounted for or outside of the state of Utah.

If you are unable to prove your presence for any days requested, those days will be listed as absences and will count against your 29 day total with presence unaccounted for or outside of the state of Utah.

You are expected to report any days you leave the state of Utah.  Records that prove you left the state of Utah for longer than 24 hours will be counted against the 29 days total with presence unaccounted for or outside of the state of Utah.

Any days you cannot prove your presence in Utah by one of the accepted methods will count against the 29 day total with presence unaccounted for or outside of the state of Utah.

Each time you visit the Residency window and request a Physical Presence Check-In, our staff will review your two forms of ID (University of Utah ID card and other photo ID required; the driver’s license or state ID can be from any location as long as it is valid) and record the timestamp of your visit in an internal log.

When you submit your Residency Reclassification Application, we will utilize your check-in records towards your proof of physical presence requirements.

Physical Presence Office Check-Ins at the Residency Office window, at least once every 7 days or fewer (Example calendar of every 7 days) will count one week (or less, whichever is counted first) towards the requirement.

• Example: if you do 52 office check-ins every Wednesday for a full year, and there are 52 weeks in the year, then your proof of physical presence requirement will be fully completed

Plan your check-ins at our office location using our office hours schedule:

• • The Residency Division is located in the Office of Admissions on the second floor of the Student Services Building (SSB).  You can walk up to our Residency window, ring the bell and request a Physical Presence Check-In with a member of Residency staff.
  • University of Utah Student Services Building, 201 S 1460 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (Click here to take a look at the Campus Map to find the Student Services Building)
    • SSB is conveniently located across from the Ray Olpin Student Union
  • Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain Time
    • Office of Admissions business hours only
    • Closed all holidays and University Office Closure days (click here to see our calendar)

No. Physical Presence Check-Ins cannot be completed after or before business hours, on weekends, or on any days during which the Office of Admissions is closed.

No. If you are the student requesting resident status for tuition purposes, you must show up in person to request a Physical Presence Check-In with your own identification.

No. Physical Presence Check-Ins can only be utilized towards proof of physical presence requirements.

You must still fulfill all requirements specified by the policy or exception you are using to request residency, such as financial independence on federal tax returns and establishment of Utah domiciliary ties.

We verify that all ties have been relinquished in any other state and established in Utah. If you have a driver’s license in another state, you will need to obtain a Utah driver’s license. If you do not have a driver’s license, you will need a Utah state ID and another Utah tie.

You must establish ties a minimum of 90 days prior to when you apply to reclassify.

Respective deadlines are:

• Fall – May 1
• Spring – Oct 1
• Summer – Feb 1

Find out more here on our Utah Domiciliary Ties page.

Yes, we will need to see that you have relinquished all ties and established all domiciliary ties in Utah.

If a car is registered in your name, it must be registered in Utah.

If you’re not eligible to vote, you may submit one additional tie to Utah, such as:

• Rental agreement
• Utility bill
• Evidence of employment in Utah
• Utah state taxes filed as a part or full year resident

PLEASE NOTE: If you are eligible to vote, you are expected to submit voter registration.

If your name is not listed on the out of state vehicle registration then it can remain out of state.

We will still request the vehicle registration be submitted with the application to verify that your name is not listed on an out of state vehicle registration.

No. If you are not employed or do not make enough to file, we can use your parent or guardian’s tax filing from the most recently completed tax year to determine if you are not claimed as a dependent on the federal taxes of a non-Utah resident.

If you made little or no income in the previous year, you may also qualify for free tax preparation assistance with the “Volunteer Income Tax Assistance”, or VITA, program; find out more here at the United Way of Salt Lake.

As stated in Utah state law, “A student who is claimed as a dependent on the tax returns of a person who is not a resident of Utah is not eligible to apply for resident student status.” (Utah Code 53B-8-102(3)(c))

We are unable to grant residency to any dependent who was claimed by parents or guardians outside of Utah.

Our office does, however, work with amended tax return filing from most recently completed tax year or signed letters on letterhead from licensed CPAs verifying that the tax filings from most recently completed tax year were amended, and the dependent is no longer being claimed, for the filing from most recently completed tax year.

Residency reclassification is a one-time process for attending students.

You are expected to maintain ties to Utah and financial independence throughout your programs, but do not need to follow the 29 day limit for future years.

Once reclassified, you hold your new residency status through the end of your current academic program.

Your residency will not be re-evaluated unless you submit a new application for admission to the university.

No. Utah addresses, rental or lease agreements cannot be used to demonstrate presence or residency in Utah.

No. You must reside in Utah and claim residency in Utah, regardless of where you or your parents work.

The application deadline is established to give our office enough time to process your application before the first day of school.

We accept late applications between the day after the application deadline and the semester’s tuition deadline. We will work on these applications until the semester’s census deadline.  Incomplete applications are removed after the census deadline. We cannot guarantee a decision for late applications by the first day of the semester.

If you have been classified as a resident for the semester you have already paid out of state tuition for, you are eligible for a refund.

Contact Income Accounting & Student Loan Services for details on how to receive your refund.

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.”

After the tuition deadline of the semester you’re applying for, you will be unable to apply for residency for that term.

Please contact the UOnline Office and/or the Bursar’s Office for questions regarding your online classes tuition.

Working remotely for an out of state company will not impact your residency status as long as you can provide proof of physical presence in Utah.  If your pay stubs show that your employer deducts Utah state income taxes for your work (see an example here and another example here), you can use those pay stubs as proof of physical presence in Utah.  If you don’t have proof like that, you can still use other forms of proof of physical presence in Utah to meet the requirement.

Please contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid for questions regarding your FAFSA form.

If you have been outside of Utah for more than 12 continuous months, but have maintained your Utah residency (Utah ties/paid Utah state taxes and paid non-resident tuition at your out of state college) you may be eligible to reclassify under the “Utah Resident Away for School” exception.  Learn more here: https://admissions.utah.edu/information-resources/residency/undergraduate-student/

If you are able to provide additional documentation to overcome the reason(s) for your denial, you may be able to appeal your denial.  Please contact our office and make an official request for an appeal via email at residency@utah.edu. This appeals meeting must be requested within ten business days of the date of your denial letter.

If a denial is upheld by the Residency Officer after your first appeal, and you wish to appeal further, you have a right to request a second appeal with the full Residency Appeals Committee.  Again, you must request a hearing with the committee within ten business days of the Residency Officer’s final appeal decision.

There is no appeal process for retroactive residency, for incomplete applications that were removed after the census deadline or applications submitted after the semester’s tuition deadline.

Reclassifying for the summer semester will not impact your tuition cost.

You may wish to reclassify for this semester based on your physical presence in Utah for the following year.

We get a significant amount of fall reclassification applications, so reclassifying for summer will likely take less time.

If a technical error prevents you from uploading your documents through the application process or through the Post Submission Form, please take screenshots of the error messages, and also let us know what internet browser you are using.  We can forward that information to our technical systems team to evaluate if there is a larger problem that needs to be fixed.

Please do not use a mobile device to submit an application, or to try to upload documents using the Post Submission Form; mobile devices are blocked from our document processing system.  You must use a desktop or laptop computer.

• For best results, please check that you are using a supported browser before starting to fill out your form, and only use:

We also accept documents via email to residency@utah.edu.  Please include your full name, date of birth, and UNID when submitting documents over email.  Our email server is not encrypted, and we strongly recommend using one of our encrypted, dual-factor authentication systems to submit documents to us.

If you will meet the 12 months of physical presence by the start of the semester that you are wishing to reclassify, please submit an application by the tuition deadline of that semester.

We will work with you to submit additional documents to complete your residency application and requirements.

Please Note: Applications submitted between the day after the application deadline to the tuition deadline are late. We will work on these applications until the census deadline.  Incomplete applications are removed after the census deadline. We cannot guarantee a decision by the first day of the semester for late applications.

Time spent on University of Utah-sponsored programs, that are out of state, but with supporting documentation and institutional verification, still count as proof of your physical presence in Utah.

If you must leave the state during the 12 months in which you are attempting to qualify for reclassification to satisfying the requirements for other internships, courses, study abroad programs, or athletic training, this time will count against the 29 days total with presence unaccounted for or outside of the state of Utah.

In general, residency is established by living in Utah for a consecutive year prior to your application.

Birthplace does not play a role in your classification.

Our office requires verification of independence/dependence through tax documents.

You can cross out any sensitive information as long as we are able to see who is claimed as a dependent or if you are able to be claimed as a dependent.

We also need to see that they the tax documents were submitted to the IRS.  Tax returns submitted must be signed by the taxpayer to verify submission to the IRS.  If the taxes were electronically filed, proof of an e-signature is required.  If tax returns do not have a signature, other means of verifying submission of the tax return to the IRS will be required

As long as there is permissible evidence that you are in Utah at some point in the day, it will count towards your proof of physical presence.  Records that show you were outside of Utah for longer than 24 hours will count against you after that.

Processing time depends on the time of year and our volume of applications, and if we need to reach out to you for more information.

We recommend you submit your application as soon as possible.  Applications submitted by the application deadline are guaranteed to receive a decision by the first day of the semester you are applying for residency.

Applications submitted between the day after the application deadline to the tuition deadline are late. We will work on these applications until the census deadline.  Incomplete applications are removed after the census deadline. We cannot guarantee a decision by the first day of the semester for late applications.

If you believe you were incorrectly coded a non-resident, please reach out to our office. We will take a closer look to determine why you were coded a non-resident and if we need clarifying information.

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:

• You MUST be starting your first semester of a new university program.  Addenda are not available to students after they complete their first new semester in their university program.
• You MUST request and complete an addendum.
• The addendum MUST be submitted to the Residency Office for review and approval.
• A residency addendum submitted with all supporting documentation by the application deadline is guaranteed to receive a decision by the first day of the semester.
  • Addenda submitted between the day after the application deadline and the tuition deadline are late.
  • We will work on these addenda until the census deadline.
  • Incomplete addenda are removed after the census deadline.
  • We cannot guarantee a decision by the first day of the semester for late addenda.

To qualify, the student must:

• Live in Utah for 12 continuous months or more
  • Not live outside of Utah for longer than 11 months continuously after they have lived over a year in Utah
• Have a Utah driver’s license
• Be independent on federal tax filings from most recently completed tax year if parents or guardians live outside of Utah
  • Or be a tax dependent of Utah parents or guardians living in Utah for longer than a year
    • We may require the student’s parents’ or guardians’ tax documents or proof of a Utah domiciliary tie, such as a Utah driver’s license or other

Please learn more here.

Yes, you can still be classified as a resident.

Please visit our Undergraduate page to research the Utah Resident – Away policies.

You can apply for residency once you’ve been formally admitted to the University of Utah.

Even if you qualify under an military or veteran exception, you will need to formally submit a residency military exception application to be reclassified as a resident.

Even if you qualify under an exception, you will need to formally submit a residency certification form application to be reclassified as a resident.

Our evaluators look for all of the following:

1. U.S. citizenship
   • Permanent residency ID card on file with your admissions paperwork
   • Granted asylum or refugee status on file with your admissions paperwork
   • Special Immigrant Visa on file with your admissions paperwork
   • Humanitarian Parole on file with your admissions paperwork
   • Temporary Protected Status on file with your admissions paperwork
   • Or good faith evidence of a submitted application for refugee status, humanitarian parole, temporary protected status, or asylum under United States immigration law on file with your admissions paperwork
2. A written declaration that the student has relinquished residency in any other state on the admissions application
3. Utah driver’s license
4. At least 12 continuous months of presence in Utah at the date of application
5. If under the age of 24 and not married, your parents or guardians live in Utah and have for at least 12 months
6. If your parents submitted a Utah income tax return TC-40 for the filing from most recently completed tax year

International students in the United States on visitor, student, or other visas authorizing temporary presence in the country cannot intend to reside in Utah for an indefinite period and are thereby classified as nonresidents.

The only exception is students who qualify for House Bill 118.

International students who have been granted permanent resident status, a refugee status, or an asylee in the United States are classified for purposes of resident student status according to the same criteria as citizens.

If you can demonstrate all of the following:

• You attended a Utah high school three years or more
• You graduated from a Utah high school or received the equivalent of a Utah diploma in Utah
• You did not attend college classes before Fall 2002

You may be able to qualify for House Bill 144 or House Bill 118 which is not residency but a tuition waiver for the non-resident portion of your tuition.

For residency purposes, immediate family is defined as either the parent of a dependent child or a spouse.

No. These companies do not withhold Utah state tax from your paychecks, therefore these paystubs cannot verify Utah employment.

No. Due to the nature and limitations of these documents, our office does not accept screen shots of delivery or purchase apps or any other app including but not limited to:

• Lyft
• Uber
• UberEats
• Door Dash
• Grubhub
• Postmates
• Instacart
• Venmo
• Cell/Mobile phone records
• Facebook
• Instagram

We will not request proof of physical presence for any time that school was not physically in session at the University of Utah due to COVID-19.

Outside of University-wide closures related to COVID-19, you are expected to provide proof of physical presence in Utah or use your 29 day out of state limit.

Once you have started a graduate program, you must reclassify under the Graduate Policy and obtain 40 graduate hours before being eligible for residency reclassification.

The only exceptions to this is students who meet the requirements for a military or American Indian exception, or meet the requirements for House Bill 144 or House Bill 118.

Do you meet the requirements of the Undergraduate Policy/One Year Rule?

If you have not started your graduate program, you are eligible to reclassify under any qualifying policy prior to starting your graduate program.

The only exceptions is students admitted by the School of Dentistry, College of Law and the School of Medicine as non-residents, as they are held to the policies of their respective schools.

Please see the Law Policy in the University of Utah institutional policy brochure for specific College of Law requirements.

Please see the Dental Policy in University of Utah institutional policy brochure for specific School of Dentistry requirements.

Please see the Medical Policy in University of Utah institutional policy brochure for specific School of Medicine requirements.

For the purposes of residency reclassification, you are allowed and approved to submit a copy of your Military ID.

Please visit the Department of Defense Common Access Card for more information on authorized photocopying.

In this case, you are able to apply for the open semester.

We will verify your current enrollment and manually update the semester that you are applying for.

No further action is needed.

Any dependent child or spouse of a military veteran can submit a Military Service Exception form to reclassify their residency.

This application requires a copy of military veteran’s DD-214, which includes proof of honorable or general discharge as well as 180 days of service.

Here are three recent updates to HB 45:

1. Change in eligible person definition

• This change simplifies the definition of an eligible person, making it more equitable while maintaining compliance with the Federal Choice Act of 2014.
• This item is designed to eliminate the inequities institutions face in awarding in-state tuition to only those discharged under Chapters 30 and 33 of the GI bill.

2. Elimination of five-year limit for veterans’ immediate family members

• This change eliminates the five-year limit since discharge for in-state tuition eligibility of immediate family members of veterans.
• This brings consistency between the definitions of immediate family member and eligible person, and it eliminates a seemingly arbitrary time limit.

3. Adjustment to Veterans Tuition Gap Program

• This change allows veterans using the Veterans Tuition Gap Program to receive funds for fees and books, as well as tuition.
• This allows institutions to better support veterans by using unspent funds that have been appropriated for the Veterans Tuition Gap Program.

No, it is an either/or choice.

WUE impacts your ability to gain residency.

You must be off of WUE for 12 continuous months immediately prior to the requested term of reclassification before being able to reclassify.

You can cancel WUE for your current term or decline it for future terms, but you may not pay it back or rescind WUE retroactively.

We encourage you to “run the numbers” and include any scholarships/aid calculations.

Please note that WUE does have a GPA requirement and is only available for 8 semesters, and some scholarship/aid programs have a resident or non-resident requirement.

No. Any time spent on WUE cannot be used towards residency reclassification requirements.

You would need to be off of WUE for twelve continuous months to be eligible for residency.