Residency

The statute allows U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to be classified as a Florida resident for tuition purposes if the applicant, or the dependent applicant's parent/legal guardian, has been a legal resident of the State for at least 12 months preceding the first day of classes of the term for which Florida residency is sought.

All degree-seeking and non-degree seeking students must present acceptable proof of legal Florida residency at the time of application for admission/readmission in order to be considered for Florida residency for tuition purposes.

If you are a current student, please go to the Registrar's website to learn more about residency reclassification.

Steps to Apply for In-state Residency

1	State your intention to claim residency on the online application. Read the directions thoroughly. All legal ties to Florida must be dated 12 months prior to the first day of classes of the term for which you are applying. For further information, please see the Documentation section below.
2	If you intend to claim residency, you must submit the Residency Affidavit through myUWF prior to the start of your first term. Read the directions thoroughly. All legal ties to Florida must be dated 12 months prior to the first day of classes of the term for which you are applying. For further information, please see the Documentation section below.
3	The affidavit along with any additional residency documentation that may be required to satisfy your Florida residency qualification must be submitted no later than the first week of classes. This is a strict deadline as your tuition and fees are determined by your residency classification and are due the last day of the drop and add period.
4	Once Graduate Admissions receives the residency affidavit, it will be reviewed. If additional residency documentation is needed to support your residency claim or the residency affidavit is incomplete, you may check your residency status in MyUWF.
5	Submitting the residency affidavit and/or residency documentation does not automatically qualify you for Florida residency for tuition purposes. All documentation will be reviewed and a residency determination will be made.

The determination of Florida residency is reached in the following situations:

1. Student provides information or documentation to evidence their bona fide residency in Florida (or bona fide residency of a parent or legal guardian if dependent) for the requisite 12-month qualifying period prior to the first day of classes of the term for which the residency status is sought.
2. Student meets one of the statutory exceptions or qualifications for resident or temporary resident status and submits any required information of documentation to verify such eligibility. For further information on statutory exceptions and/or qualification, please see the Exceptions section below.

Residency documentation should be sent to gradadmissions@uwf.edu.

All degree-seeking and non-degree seeking students must present acceptable proof of legal Alabama residency at the time of application for admission/readmission in order to be considered for Alabama residency for tuition purposes.

If you are a current student, please go to the Registrar's website to learn more about residency reclassification.

Steps to Apply for Alabama State Residency Tuition Differential

1	State your intent to claim residency on the online application. Read the directions thoroughly. All legal ties to Alabama must be dated 12 months prior to the first day of classes of the term for which you are applying. For further information, please see the Documentation section below.
2	If you intend to claim residency, you must submit the Residency Affidavit through myUWF prior to the start of your first term. Read the directions thoroughly. All legal ties to Florida must be dated 12 months prior to the first day of classes of the term for which you are applying. For further information, please see the Documentation section below.
3	The Residency Affidavit, along with any additional residency documentation that may be required to satisfy your Alabama residency qualification, must be submitted no later than the first week of classes. This is a strict deadline as your tuition and fees are determined by your residency classification and are due the last day of the drop and add period.
4	Once Graduate Admissions receives the Residency Affidavit, it will be reviewed. If additional residency documentation is needed to support your residency claim or the form is incomplete, Graduate Admissions will add the information to your Application Checklist. You may check your residency status on the Application Portal Page.
5	Submitting the Residency Affidavit and/or residency documentation does not automatically qualify you for Alabama residency for tuition purposes. All documentation will be reviewed and a residency determination will be made.

Residency documentation should be sent to gradadmissions@uwf.edu.

The claimant (the person claiming Florida residency), which is either the independent student or the dependent student's parent or legal guardian, should provide the necessary residency documentation.

The documentation supporting the establishment of legal residence must be dated 12 months prior to the first day of classes of the term for which you are applying. All documentation is subject to verification. At least two of the following documents must be submitted, with dates that evidence the 12-month qualifying period. At least one of the documents must be from the First Tier.

*As some evidence is more persuasive than others, more than two documents may be requested. No single piece of documentation will be considered conclusive. Additionally, there must be an absence of information that contradicts the applicant's claim of residency.

First Tier

At least one of the two documents submitted must be from this list.

First Tier Residency Verification Documents

A Florida voter's registration card

A Florida driver's license

A State of Florida identification card

A Florida vehicle registration

Proof of a permanent home in Florida which is occupied as a primary residence by the individual or by the individual's parent if the individual is a dependent child

Proof of a homestead exemption in Florida

Transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple years (2 or more years) if the Florida high school diploma or GED was earned within the last 12 months

Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least 30 hours per week for a consecutive 12-month period

Second Tier

May be used in conjunction with one document from First Tier.

Second Tier Residency Verification Documents

A declaration of domicile in Florida

A Florida professional or occupational license

Florida incorporation

A document evidencing family ties in Florida

Proof of membership in a Florida-based charitable or professional organization

Any other documentation that supports the student's request for resident status, including, but not limited to, utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; a lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; or an official state, federal, or court document evidencing legal ties to Florida

Examples of "other" documentation

Other Residency Documentation Examples

Utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments

Lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments

State or court documents evidencing legal ties to Florida

Residency Exceptions are listed in the table below.

Residency Qualification Exceptions and Requirements

Type of Exception/Qualification	Requirements/Evidence	Authority
Dependent living for 5 yrs. with adult relative who is legal resident of FL for at least 12 mo. prior to student's qualification	5 years continued residence w/ relative immediately prior & evidence of 12-mo. residency of dependent and relative	Section 1009.21 (2)(b), FS
Person who was enrolled as FL resident, abandons FL residency, and then re-enrolls within 12 months	Evidence of previous enrollment as resident (benefit applies only once)	Section 1009.21(9), FS
Active duty military residing or stationed in FL and spouse/dependents	Military documents	Section 1009.21(10)(a), FS
Active duty drilling member of FL National Guard	National Guard Documents	Section 1009.21(10)(a), FS
Military personnel (& spouse/dependents) not stationed in FL but home of record is FL	DD Form 2058	Section 1009.21(10)(a), FS
Active duty military (& spouse/dependents) living in another state (contiguous county) & attending a FL public institution within 50 miles of where stationed	Military documents	Section 1009.21 (10)(b), FS
US citizens living on Isthmus of Panama and spouse/dependent children	Completed 12 mo. at FSU Panama Canal Branch	Section 1009.21 (10)(c), FS
FT instructional & administrative personnel (& spouse/ dependents) employed by FL public school system, community colleges, or universities	Employment paperwork/ See S. 1012.01, FS, for definitions of instructional and administrative	Section 1009.21(10)(d), FS
Students receiving Latin American/Caribbean scholarships from US or FL government	Scholarship paperwork	Section 1009.21(10)(e), FS
SREB Academic Common Market graduate students	Certified letter from ACM coordinator in home state	Section 1009.25(10)(f), FS
FT employees of state agencies/political subdivisions if fees paid by state for law enforcement/corrections training	Employer paperwork	Section 1009.21(10)(g), FS
McKnight Doctoral Fellows and Finalists	US citizenship / Scholarship paperwork	Section 1009.21(10)(h), FS
US citizens teaching abroad at a Dept. of Defense Dependent School or American International School	Enrolled in graduate program for FL teaching certificate	Section 1009.21(10)(i), FS
Active duty Canadian military (& spouse/dependents) residing/stationed in FL under NORAD agreement & attending institution within 50 miles of where stationed	Military documents	Section 1009.21(10)(j), FS
Foreign nation military liaison officers (& spouse/dependents) residing or stationed in FL & attending institution within 50 miles of where stationed	Military documents	Section 1009.21(10)(k), FS
Qualified beneficiaries of the FL Prepaid College Program	Prepaid ID card	Section 1009.98, FS
Linkage Institute participants awarded partial or full exemptions from residency requirements	Linkage Institute verification	Section 288.8175, FS
Lawful permanent residents (applied for status)	Permanent Resident Card & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	Rule 6A- 10.044(4)(b); Regulation 7.005(2)
Other permanent status persons	Immigration papers & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	(2); Regulation 7.005(2)
Asylees	Immigration papers & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	Rule / Sub (2); Regulation 7.005(2)
Parolees	Immigration papers & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	Rule / Sub (2); Regulation 7.005(2)
Refugees	Immigration papers & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	Rule / Sub (2); Regulation 7.005(2)
Approved Visa Categories: A, E, G, H-1B, I, K, L, N, O,R, NATO 1-7, S, T, U, V	Immigration papers & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	Rule / Sub (3); Regulation 7.005(3)
Citizens of Micronesia or Marshall Islands	Immigration papers & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	Rule / Sub (4); Regulation 7.005(4)
Beneficiaries of the Family Unity Program	Immigration papers & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	Rule / Sub (4); Regulation 7.005(4)
Individuals granted one of the following: Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Withholding of Removal status, Suspension of Deportation status or Cancellation of Removal, Stay of Deportation or Stay of Removal, Deferred Action Status, Deferred Enforced Departure Status	Immigration papers & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	Rule / Sub (4); Regulation 7.005(4)
Applicants for adjustment of status	Immigration papers & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	Rule / Sub (4); Regulation 7.005(4)
Asylum applicants	USCIS receipt or Immigration court stamp & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent	Rule / Sub (4); Regulation 7.005(4)
Cuban-Haitian Entrant	Immigration papers & evidence of 12-mo. residency of applicant or parent if applicant is dependent. An I-94, I551, and Cuban or Haitian passport may be expired for Category One Cuban- Haitian entrants but not for other categories of Cuban-Haitian entrants. Refer to Appendix C for documentation for Cuban-Haitian entrants.	Rule / Sub (4); Regulation 7.005