Residency – Undergraduate Residency Reclassification

There are different tuition rates for Utah residents and for non-residents, based on Utah State Law, 53B-8-102 and Board of Regents R512 Policy. Your initial residency classification will be determined when your admissions application is reviewed. Once admitted, your official letter of acceptance will include your classification. If you are classified as a non-resident but meet the requirements of a policy or exception for resident status, you may apply to change your status.

The resources listed above describe the various ways in which students may be eligible for in-state (resident) tuition under the provisions of Utah state law. These documents explain the general rule of the law as well as exceptions that may make students eligible to waive the time requirement and apply for residency immediately. Review these materials carefully. Non-resident students who are eligible for reclassification of their residency status must submit a complete reclassification, certification, or military form by the applicable term deadline with all required supporting documentation.

Per University of Utah policy, incoming graduate students, including those in the Medical and Law programs, may apply under the Undergraduate policy or any other policy if they qualify prior to the start of their graduate studies. Graduate students who begin their graduate program as a non-resident are only eligible to reclassify under the Graduate policy, which includes completing 40 graduate-level semester hours prior to reclassification. Medical and Law students are ineligible to reclassify after beginning their program. Dental students admitted as non-residents are ineligible for reclassification at any time. The only exceptions to Graduate, Medical, Law, and Dental residency policy are for students proving eligibility through military or American Indian exceptions, or the House Bill 144 tuition waiver as described below.

If you are eligible for a military exception for residency reclassification, are attending fall 2020 semester, and have not submitted an application through our office, please email residency@utah.edu for additional instructions.

In response to COVID-19, the University of Utah has determined guidelines for the spring 2021 reclassification process. View the spring 2021 residency policy here.

View the previous fall 2020 policy here.

Fall 2020 winter break physical presence requirement:

In a continuing effort to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, the university announced fall 2020 classes will transition online after Thanksgiving break. As part of this decision, students’ time outside Utah will not count toward the 29 day limit from November 26, 2020 to January 18, 2021 for affected semesters.

In addition, students who are only enrolled in online classes for fall 2020 will be able to count the dates of enrollment toward the 12 months of proof of physical presence in Utah.

Please continue to monitor this page as additional policies may be published as more information becomes available.

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Guidelines are subject to change without notice.

Residency Reclassification Application

Please check the sections below to see which policy you qualify for and then complete the Residency Reclassification Application if you meet the requirements:

Residency Reclassification Application

Please note, most of the exceptions on this application are for qualifying students who have not met the general requirements of the One Year Rule. If you are an undergraduate student or incoming graduate student, have completed at least a 12 month period of residence in Utah, and need to reclassify, you will need to show eligibility under the Undergraduate policy.

Please make sure to also check the term deadlines below.

Undergraduate Policy (One Year Rule)

Evidence that you relinquished domiciliary ties (driver’s license, voter registration, and, if applicable, vehicle registration) held in any other state and established them in Utah by the Utah tie deadline.
Verification of financial independence showing that you are not claimed as a dependent on the federal tax return of any person who is not a resident of Utah.
- If you are single and 23 years of age or younger, provide a copy of the first two pages of your federal tax return (Form 1040) for the tax year prior to the academic year for which you wish to qualify for resident student status.
- If you did not file a federal return, provide a copy of your parent(s) federal tax return(s) for the tax year prior to the academic year for which you wish to qualify for resident tuition.
Proof of physical presence in Utah for at least the 12 continuous months immediately prior to the first day of class for the academic term you wish to be considered a resident student.

Marriage to a Utah Resident

Copies of your Utah driver’s license, voter registration, and, if applicable, vehicle registration.
Copy of marriage certificate verifying the date of the marriage.
Copy of Utah 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 his/her parent(s) claimed the individual as a tax dependent, provide a copy of the spouse’s parent(s)federal and state tax return for the tax year prior to the year of your marriage.
Utah spouse’s Utah driver’s license

A Dependent child with a parent domiciled in Utah for at least twelve continuous months

Copy of most recent federal tax return showing you as a tax dependent of one of your parents. (Does not need to be the Utah parent.)
Copy of most recent Utah state tax return for the Utah parent.
Copy of Utah driver’s license for the Utah parent.
Copy of Utah vehicle registration for the Utah parent.

Your move to Utah was for full-time permanent employment (including cases where the employment is for a spouse or parent)

Copies of your Utah driver’s license, voter registration, and, if applicable, vehicle registration.
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 you are single and 23 years of age or younger, you must provide proof that you were not claimed as a tax dependent on your out-of-state parent(s) most recent federal tax return.
For parent(s) employment, you must provide a copy of your parent’s most recent federal tax return verifying you were claimed as a dependent. In order to qualify, our office must see the offer of employment came prior to your earliest application for admission to a University in Utah.

Extenuating circumstances (such as divorce, death of spouse, long-term health care responsibilities of family members, or refugee placed directly in Utah)

Copies of your Utah driver’s license, voter registration, and, if applicable, 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.
Refugees who were placed directly in Utah should submit proof of their refugee status (INS Document Number I-94) and written confirmation from the agency that assisted in their move to Utah, such as the International Rescue Committee or Catholic Community Services of Utah.

Utah resident away for school

Copies of your Utah driver’s license, voter registration, and, if applicable, vehicle registration.
Verification of your residency status at the out-of-state school and payment of non-resident tuition.
A copy of your most recent Utah state tax return. If you were required to complete Form TC40-B, provide a copy of it.
If you did not file a tax return and you are a tax dependent of Utah parents, provide a copy of your parent(s) most recent federal and state tax returns.

Utah resident away for government volunteer service or ecclesiastical service

Copies of your Utah driver’s license, voter registration, and, if applicable, vehicle registration.
Letter from appropriate organization verifying your dates of service. (Must include the beginning and end dates.)
A copy of your most recent Utah state tax return.
If you did not file a tax return and you are a tax dependent of Utah parents, provide a copy of your parent(s) most recent federal and state tax returns.

Utah resident away for temporary employment

Copies of your Utah driver’s license, voter registration, and, if applicable, vehicle registration.
Letter from the applicant explaining the nature of the temporary employment and reason for doing this employment out of Utah. (Based on your explanation, be aware that we may ask for additional documentation.)
Copy of all state tax returns filed during the temporary absence from Utah. If you filed Form TC40-B with a Utah state tax return, include a copy of the TC40-B.

American Indian enrolled on the tribal rolls of a tribe whose reservation or trust lands lie partly or wholly within Utah or whose border is at any point contiguous with the border of Utah

Copy of your “Certificate of Blood” document.
Qualifying tribes include:
- Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation
- Navajo Nation (Diné)
- Northwestern Band of Shoshoni Nation of Utah (Washakie)
- Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar City Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, IndianPeaks Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of Paiutes)
- Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians of Utah
- Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation
- Hopi
- Zuni
- Shoshone-Bannock Tribe

Member of a federally recognized or known Utah tribe that has graduated from a Utah high school

Copy of your “Certificate of Blood” document.
Copy of your Utah high school diploma.

Student who has attended another Utah school (in the USHE system) within the past year classified as a Utah resident for tuition purposes

Copy of your Utah driver’s license.
Letter from the other Utah school verifying your attendance and resident classification at that institution.

Participant in Olympic Athlete Training Program in Utah

Letter from the USOC verifying your eligibility.

Job Corps Student

Letter verifying your current participation in Utah Job Corps.

U.S. military service member assigned to active duty within Utah

Copy of the military orders placing you in Utah on active duty assignment.
Copy of your current military ID card.

An immediate family member of a U.S. military service member currently assigned to active duty within the state of Utah

Copy of the military orders placing the service member in Utah on active duty assignment.
Copy of the military service member’s military ID card or a copy of your military privilege card.

U.S. military veteran

Copy of Military DD-214, which includes proof of honorable or general discharge.
Signed written declaration that you have relinquished residency in any other state and do not maintain a residence elsewhere –found in the signature section of this application.
Objective evidence that you have demonstrated an intent to establish residency in Utah, which may include 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 your name and a Utah address
- Utility bills showing your name and Utah address

Immediate family member of a U.S. military veteran

Copy of military veteran’s DD-214, which includes proof of honorable or general discharge.
Signed written declaration that you have relinquished residency in any other state and do not maintain a residence elsewhere –found in the signature section of this application.
If applicant is the dependent child of the U.S. military veteran, a copy of the military service member’s most recent federal tax return verifying they claimed the applicant as a tax dependent.
Objective evidence that you have demonstrated an intent to establish residency in Utah, which may include 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 your name and a Utah address
- Utility bills showing your name and Utah address

Eligible person entitled to benefits under Title 38 U.S.C., Veterans' Benefits

Evidence of eligibility under Title 38 U.S.C., Veteran's Benefits. Students may obtain verification from the VA or online through their eBenefits account. If students have questions on how to go about this, the University of Utah Office of the Registrar Veteran Services can assist with this process.
Signed written declaration that you will utilize G.I. Bill benefits –found in the signature section of this application.
Objective evidence that you have demonstrated an intent to establish residency in Utah, which may include 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 your name and a Utah address
- Utility bills showing your name and Utah address

An individual who maintains residency in Utah with an intent to return but who is serving on active duty in the US Armed Forces and is assigned outside of Utah (includes cases where the student is a spouse or dependent child)

A copy of the military service member’s military identification card (if applicant is a dependent child or spouse, a copy of the applicant’s military privilege card can be submitted instead).
A copy of the military service member’s most recent military orders.
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 military service member’s or a military service member’s spouse’s name, filed as a Utah resident
- Proof that the military service member or military service member’s spouse owns a home in Utah, including a property tax notice for property owned in Utah.
If applicant is a dependent child, a copy of the military service member’s most recent federal tax return verifying they claimed the applicant.

* Examples of additional ties, if requested, include:

Proof of Utah employment, including part-time employment for at least 90 days.
A copy of a Utah State Income Tax Return filed as a part-year or full-year Utah resident.
A copy of a lease/rental agreement in Utah for at least twelve months prior to the start of the term you are applying for reclassification.
Copies of utility bills in your name for at least twelve months prior to the start of the term you are applying for reclassification.

Residency for Non-Citizens

Foreign nationals 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 applicable to U.S. citizens. These students must submit verification of status with their residency application. Residency reclassification will not be granted to foreign nationals without proof of permanent resident, asylum, or refugee status in the United States.

Tuition waivers for non-residents

Information on special tuition waivers for foreign nationals 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. Information on House Bill 144 is also available here on the admissions website.
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 118 is also available here on the admissions website.

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