Residency for Tuition Purposes: Undergraduate Policies
Spring 2024 applications are open from September 15, 2023 to January 5, 2024
Read on to learn about residency requirements, deadlines, and everything you need to know about on-campus living at the U.
Residency Reclassification Application Deadline by Semester
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Summer Semester
Domiciliary Tie Establishment Deadline by Semester
Spring Semester
Summer Semester
Fall Semester
Undergraduate Policy (the One Year Rule)
The Undergraduate Policy applies to most students looking to reclassify their residency status at the University of Utah.
Students must meet ALL of the following requirements and submit an application and all necessary documentation by the specified deadlines.
- Students must hold
- U.S. citizenship
- Granted permanent residency
- Granted asylum or refugee status
- Special Immigrant Visa
- Humanitarian Parole
- Temporary Protected Status
- Or good faith evidence of a submitted application for refugee status, humanitarian parole, temporary protected status, or asylum under United States immigration law
- Status cannot be expired, or removed.
- “Good Faith Evidence” requires verified documentation
- Students with granted permanent residency, granted asylum or granted refugee status must submit valid and unexpired documentation.
- Students on other types of visas not listed above are ineligible for residency reclassification but may qualify for a tuition waiver if they have 3 years and completed graduation in a Utah high school.
- Students must relinquish domiciliary ties (driver’s license, voter registration, and vehicle registration) held in any other state and establish them in Utah by the Utah tie deadline.
- Students must submit a valid Utah driver’s license.
- Students must submit proof of active Utah voter registration via their voter registration card or a certified letter from the County Clerk’s office.
- Students with granted permanent resident status are exempt from this requirement and can submit a secondary Utah tie.
- If the student has a vehicle registered in their name, it must be registered in Utah and the student must submit valid and unexpired vehicle registration.
- Students must submit verification of tax independence showing that they are not claimed as a dependent on the federal tax return of any person who is not a resident of Utah.
- Students who are under the age of 24 and not married must submit the first two pages of their federal tax return for the most recent tax year verifying that they were not claimed as a tax dependent by out of state parents/guardians.
- Students who did not file their own federal taxes must submit a copy of their out of state parents’ or guardians’ federal tax return(s) for the most recent tax year verifying that they did not claim the student as a dependent.
- Students must submit proof of their physical presence in the state of Utah for at least the 12 continuous months immediately prior to the first day of class for the academic term they wish to be considered a resident student, with fewer than 29 days total unproven/out-of-state.
- Accepted methods of proof include the following:
- In-person enrollment at the University of Utah or another Utah institution through transcripts
- Employment with a Utah employer through dated pay stubs for each date range the student wishes to prove, or through a signed and dated employer letter on letterhead specifying the dates of employment
- Bank or credit card statements in the student’s name only showing a purchase made in person, in the state of Utah, every six days or fewer for the date range the student wishes to prove
- Physical Presence Check-Ins at the Residency office once every six days or fewer for the date range the student wishes to prove, during Office of Admissions business hours only
- For this method, the student must be admitted and eligible to enroll
- The student requesting resident status must bring two forms of photo ID
- The first form of ID must be a UCard with the requesting student’s name, photo and UNID
- The second form of ID can be one of the following provided that it has the requesting student’s name and photo:
- Valid and unexpired driver’s license
- Valid and unexpired state ID
- Valid and unexpired permanent resident card
- Valid and unexpired passport
- Gym records in the student’s name and with the name and contact information for the gym, showing visits to a Utah gym in person every six days or fewer for the date range the student wishes to prove
- University of Utah-sponsored programs that are organized or sanctioned by the University of Utah with supporting documentation and institutional verification through a signed and dated letter on letterhead from the organizing department
- In some cases, a signed and dated letter on letterhead from a religious, volunteer, or educational leader or a coach, doctor or therapist specifying the dates of presence in Utah may be used (subject to review)
- 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
- Any form of proof of physical presence in Utah submitted is subject to review; acceptance is not guaranteed.
- Students are expected to report any days they leave the state of Utah.
- Any days that a student cannot prove their presence in Utah by one of the accepted methods will count against the 29 day total.
- Accepted methods of proof include the following:
Late Submissions
An application is considered late if it is submitted after the deadline.
The hard late deadline for application submission is the Friday prior to the start of the requested term of reclassification (for example, the hard late deadline for Fall 2023 residency reclassification applications is Friday 08/18/2023.)
Late applications must be submitted with a late petition explaining why you did not submit by the deadline, and there is no guarantee of application acceptance nor a decision by the tuition deadline for the requested term of reclassification.
Required documentation (proof of physical presence, submission of Utah ties, etc) will be accepted through the Friday of the first week of classes of the requested term of reclassification at the latest (for example, the hard documentation submission deadline for Fall 2023 residency reclassification is Friday 08/25/2023).
Documentation should be submitted as soon as possible prior to this deadline.
Students submitting documentation must have a residency reclassification application on file that was submitted by the hard application deadline.
No documentation will be accepted after the first week of classes of the requested term of reclassification.
Spring Semester Tax Exception
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.
Non-Resident Tuition Waiver Specifications
Please note that per the Board of Regents and University of Utah Institutional Policy, no time spent on the following programs can be used towards residency reclassification requirements:
- Western Undergraduate Exchange
- Western Regional Graduate Program
- Professional Student Exchange Program
- Utah Tech Good Neighbor Program
- International Student Exchange
- Alumni Legacy Scholarships
- Other programs as specified by the state or institution
- More information can be found in the mandatory reading of the University of Utah Institutional Policy and the Board of Regents Policies, R512.
Other Policies
Most of these exceptions are for qualifying students who have not met the requirements of the Undergraduate Policy.
You will need to show eligibility under the Undergraduate Policy if you:
- Are an undergraduate student or incoming graduate student
- Have completed at least a 12 month period of residence in Utah
- Are requesting to reclassify
The requirements for each policy or exception are listed, and you must meet ALL requirements and submit the documentation by the term deadline.
To qualify for this policy, the spouse of the requesting student must have been a Utah resident for at least 12 continuous months prior to the date of the marriage.
Accepted methods of proof include the following:
- Copies of the requesting student’s valid Utah driver’s license, active voter registration, and, if applicable, valid vehicle registration
- Copy of the student’s marriage certificate verifying the date of the marriage
- Copy of the Utah resident spouse’s Utah state income tax return for the tax year prior to the year of the marriage
- If the spouse did not file state tax return because their parent(s) claimed the individual as a tax dependent, provide a copy of the spouse’s parents’ federal and state tax return(s) for the tax year prior to the year of marriage.
- Copy of the Utah spouse’s valid Utah driver’s license
Accepted methods of proof include the following:
- Copy of the parents’ federal tax return for the most recent tax year showing the requesting student as a tax dependent of one of their parents (claiming parent does not need to be the Utah parent)
- Proof of Utah parents physical presence in Utah using a copy of their full-year Utah state tax return for the most recent tax year
- For parent’s with partial-year Utah state tax returns for the most recent tax year, additional documents proving the parents presence in Utah for a full 12 month period, with fewer than 29 days total unproven/out-of-state, will be required in combination with the state tax return, including:
- Evidence of employment with a Utah employer through dated pay stubs for each date range the parent wishes to prove, or through a signed and dated employer letter on letterhead specifying the dates of employment
- Bank or credit card statements in the parents’ names only showing a purchase made in person, in the state of Utah, every six days or fewer for the date range the student wishes to prove
- Physical Presence Check-Ins at the Residency office once every six days or fewer for the date range the parents wish to prove, during Office of Admissions business hours only
- Gym records in the parents’ names and with the name and contact information for the gym, showing visits to a Utah gym in person every six days or fewer for the date range the student wishes to prove
- In some cases, a signed and dated letter on letterhead from a religious, volunteer, or educational leader or a coach, doctor or therapist specifying the dates of presence in Utah may be used (subject to review)
- For parent’s with partial-year Utah state tax returns for the most recent tax year, additional documents proving the parents presence in Utah for a full 12 month period, with fewer than 29 days total unproven/out-of-state, will be required in combination with the state tax return, including:
- Copy of the Utah parent’s Utah valid driver’s license
- Copy of the Utah parent’s Utah valid vehicle registration
To qualify for this policy, the Residency office must see that the offer of Utah employment came four months or more prior to the requesting student’s admissions application to the University of Utah.
Accepted methods of proof include the following:
- Copies of the requesting student’s valid Utah driver’s license, active voter registration and, if applicable, valid vehicle registration
- Signed and dated letter on company letterhead from the Utah employer verifying the full-time employment, including hire date and verification of employer-requested job transfer or recruitment
- If the requesting student is single and 23 years of age or younger, they must provide proof that you were not claimed as a tax dependent by out of state parents or guardians on their federal tax return for the most recent tax year
- For parent employment, the requesting student must provide a copy of their parents’ or guardians’ federal tax return for the most recent tax year verifying they were claimed as a dependent
Accepted methods of proof include the following:
- Copies of the requesting student’s valid Utah driver’s license, active voter registration, and, if applicable, valid vehicle registration
- Documentation of the extenuating circumstance
- Specific circumstances that qualify are listed in R512, Determination of Resident Status.
- All relevant evidence concerning the motivation for the move shall be considered on a case-by-case basis. Documentation should support and verify that the student’s relocation to Utah is for reasons other than higher education.
- Proof of refugee status for refugees placed directly in Utah (INS Document Number I-94) and written confirmation from the agency that assisted their move to Utah, such as the International Rescue Committee or Catholic Community Services of Utah
To qualify for this policy, the requesting student must have been a resident of Utah for at least 12 continuous months prior to leaving the state for educational purposes.
Accepted methods of proof include the following:
- Copies of the requesting student’s valid Utah driver’s license, active voter registration, and, if applicable, valid vehicle registration
- Verification of the requesting student’s residency status at the out-of-state school and payment of non-resident tuition
- Copy of the requesting student’s Utah state tax return for the most recent tax year and for all years that the requesting student resided out of state
- If the requesting student was required to complete Form TC40-B, they must provide a copy of it.
- If applicable, a student who is a tax dependent of Utah parents, the student must provide copies of their Utah parents’ federal tax return proving they are a tax dependent, and Utah parents’ state tax returns for the most recent tax year and for all years that the requesting student resided out of state
To qualify for this policy, the requesting student must have been a resident of Utah for at least 12 continuous months prior to leaving the state for ecclesiastical volunteer purposes.
Accepted methods of proof include the following:
- Copies of the requesting student’s valid Utah driver’s license, active voter registration, and, if applicable, valid vehicle registration
- Letter verifying the requesting student’s dates of service from:
- The student’s local ecclesiastical leader
- Or from the returning student’s ecclesiastical mission organization leadership
- Copy of the requesting student’s Utah state tax return for the most recent tax year and for all years that the requesting student resided out of state.
- If the requesting student was required to complete Form TC40-B, they must provide a copy of it
- If applicable, a student who is a tax dependent of Utah parents, the student must provide copies of their Utah parents’ federal tax return proving they are a tax dependent, and Utah parents’ state tax returns for the most recent tax year and for all years that the requesting student resided out of state
To qualify for this policy, the requesting student must have been a resident of Utah for at least 12 continuous months prior to leaving the state for volunteer purposes.
Accepted methods of proof include the following:
- Copies of the requesting student’s valid Utah driver’s license, active voter registration, and, if applicable, valid vehicle registration
- Letter verifying the requesting student’s dates of service from the government organization.
- Copy of the requesting student’s Utah state tax return for the most recent tax year and for all years that the requesting student resided out of state.
- If the requesting student was required to complete Form TC40-B, they must provide a copy of it
- If applicable, a student who is a tax dependent of Utah parents, the student must provide copies of their Utah parents’ federal tax return proving they are a tax dependent, and Utah parents’ state tax returns for the most recent tax year and for all years that the requesting student resided out of state
To qualify for this policy, the requesting student must have been a resident of Utah for at least 12 continuous months prior to leaving the state for temporary employment.
Accepted methods of proof include the following:
- Copies of the requesting student’s valid Utah driver’s license, active voter registration, and, if applicable, valid vehicle registration
- Letter from the requesting student explaining the nature of the temporary employment and reason for doing this employment out of Utah (additional documentation may be requested)
- Copy of the requesting student’s most Utah state tax return for the most recent tax year and for all years that the requesting student resided out of state.
- If the requesting student was required to complete Form TC40-B, they must provide a copy of it
- If applicable, a student who is a tax dependent of Utah parents, the student must provide copies of their Utah parents’ federal tax return proving they are a tax dependent, and Utah parents’ state tax returns for the most recent tax year and for all years that the requesting student resided out of state
Already Applied for Residency?
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 Post Submission form.
Residency for Non-citizens
Non-citizens that have been granted permanent U.S. resident status or have obtained asylum or refugee status under U.S. immigration law are classified for purposes of resident status according to the same criteria as U.S. citizens.
These students must submit verification of status with their residency application.
Residency reclassification will not be granted to non-citizens without proof of permanent resident, asylum, or refugee status in the United States.
Tuition Waivers for Non-residents
Information on special tuition waivers for non-citizens and other non-residents can be found in Board of Regents Policy R513.
- The House Bill 144 Non-Resident Tuition Waiver is explained in R513-13 Exemption for Certain Students with Utah High School Graduation. .
- The House Bill 118 Non-Resident Tuition Waiver is explained in R513-14 Exemption of Nonresident Tuition for Certain Foreign Nationals.
Information on House Bill 144 & House Bill 118 is available here.
Have Questions?
Residency Office Contact Information
(801) 581-8761, Option 5
residency@utah.edu