Residency for Tuition

A Florida resident for tuition purposes refers to whether you qualify as an in-state Florida resident or an out-of-state resident. This classification determines your rate of tuition. Florida residents pay less in fees per credit hour than do non-Florida residents. Florida Statute Section 1009.21 defines the requirements for in-state status.

Your initial residency classification is determined by the Office of Admissions when you apply to the university. Failure to provide all relevant information and required documentation in the residency section of the admission application could result in a non-Florida or out-of-state resident classification for tuition purposes.

Establishing Residency

Florida statute requires the claimant (the student or dependent student's parent or guardian who is claiming residency) to be a U.S. citizen, a foreign national in a nonimmigrant visa classification that grants the legal ability to establish a bona fide domicile in the United States, a permanent resident alien, parolee, asylee, Cuban-Haitian entrant, or legal alien granted indefinite stay by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The claimant must have established and maintained a legal Florida residence at least 12 months before the first day of the semester for which in-state status is sought. Other persons are eligible only if they qualify by one of the exceptions, as provided in s.1009.21 Florida Statutes.

In-state status is only for those residents who reside in the state permanently with an established legal domicile in Florida. Permanent Florida residency is demonstrated by the absence of ties to any other state and the establishment of a bona fide domicile in Florida.

Living in or attending school in Florida will not, in itself, establish legal residence. The 12-month qualifying period must be for the purpose of maintaining a bona fide domicile rather than for the purpose of maintaining a mere temporary residence or abode incident to enrollment.

Students who depend upon out-of-state parents for support are presumed to be legal residents of the same state as their parents. Students are either dependent or independent. In rare cases, a student may qualify for temporary in-state status by qualifying under an exception category.

Supporting Documents

The claimant must provide two or more of the following documents in support of their claim as a Florida resident for tuition purposes. At least one of the following documents, with an issue date twelve months prior to the term of admission, must be submitted:

Florida voter's registration card
Florida driver's license
Florida State identification card
Florida vehicle registration
Proof of permanent home in Florida occupied as the claimants primary residence
Proof of homestead exemption in Florida
Official transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple 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 12-month period

These documents may be used in conjunction with one of the required documents listed above:

A declaration of domicile in Florida in accordance with s.222.17, Florida Statutes
Florida professional or occupational license
Florida incorporation
Document evidencing verifiable family ties to a Florida resident
Proof of membership in a Florida-based charitable or professional organization
Any other documentation that supports your request for resident status
Utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments
Lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments
Official state, federal or court document evidencing legal ties to Florida

Residency Appeals

Students may appeal the residency classification decision made by the Office of Admissions. Requests for appeal will be submitted for review by the University Residency Appeals Committee in the Office of the University Registrar. A residency appeal must be submitted along with any additional supporting documentation no later than 30 days from the date on the residency decision letter.

You have until the last day of classes in your first term to request the Office of Admissions to re-evaluate your residency status by providing additional documentation not submitted previously.

Once you have completed your first term at UF, you can request a reclassification of your residency status by completing a residency reclassification form with the Office of the University Registrar.

Dependent / Independent

What is a Dependent Student?

A student, whether or not living with his or her parent, who is eligible to be claimed by his or her parent under the federal income tax code shall be classified as a dependent student. In most cases a copy of the most recent federal income tax return indicating that the student was claimed as a dependent will be required. With very few exceptions, a dependent student is considered to be a legal resident of the same state as the student's parents. A 'parent' is defined as either or both parents of a student, any guardian of a student, or any person in a parental relationship to the student.

If the student is a dependent, the parent is the claimant and will need to complete the Florida Residency Declaration and may be asked to provide documents in support of their claim as a Florida resident.

What is an Independent Student?

A student who meets any one of the following is considered as an independent student when determining residency for tuition purposes:

24 years of age or older prior to the first day of classes of the term
married
has a dependent child who receives more than half of their support from the student
has other dependents who live with and receive more than half of their support from the student
a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or is currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces (U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy) or National Guard or Reserves for purposes other than training
at any time since the student turned age 13, where both parents are deceased or the student is or was (until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court or in foster care
the student is determined an unaccompanied homeless by a school district homeless liaison or a staff member of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program
student is working on a master's or doctoral degree during the term for which residency status is sought at a Florida institution

Exceptions and Qualifications

Some students who do not meet the requisite twelve month residency requirements may qualify as an exception, provided they submit documentation in support of one of the following exceptions and qualifications categories:

If the student is a dependent, the parent is the claimant and will need to complete the Florida Residency Declaration and may be

Qualified beneficiaries under the terms of the Florida Prepaid College Program
Persons married to legal Florida residents and who intend to make Florida their permanent home, and who relinquish their legal ties to any other state.
Persons previously enrolled at a Florida state postsecondary institution and classified as a Florida resident for tuition purposes and transferring to another Florida state postsecondary institution within 12 months of the previous enrollment.
Persons previously enrolled at a Florida state postsecondary institution and classified as a Florida residents for tuition purposes at a Florida public institution of higher education, but who abandoned Florida domicile and has re-established Florida legal residence.
Active duty members of the Armed Services of the United States stationed in Florida or whose home of record or state of legal residence is Florida and their spouses and dependent children, and active drilling members of the Florida National Guard.
Active duty members of the Armed Services of the United States and their spouses and dependents attending a Florida College System institution or state university within 50 miles of the military establishment where they are stationed, if such military establishment is within a country contiguous to Florida.
United States citizens living on the Isthmus of Panama, who have completed 12 consecutive months of college work at the Florida State University Panama Canal Branch, and their spouses and dependent children.
Full-time instructional and administrative personnel employed by state public schools and institutions of higher education and their spouses and dependent children.
Students from Latin America and the Caribbean who receive scholarships from the federal or state government. The student must attend, on a full-time basis, a Florida institution of higher education.
Southern Regional Education Board's Academic Common Market graduate students attending Florida's state universities.
Full-time employees of state agencies or political subdivisions of the state when the student fees are paid by the state agency or political subdivision for the purpose of job-related law enforcement or corrections training.
McKnight Doctoral Fellows and Finalists who are United States citizens.
United States citizens living outside the United States who are teaching at a Department of Defense School or in an American International School and who enroll in a graduate level education program that leads to a Florida teaching certificate.
Active duty members of the Canadian military residing or stationed in this state under the North American Air Defense (NORAD) agreement, and their spouses and dependent children, attending a Florida College System institution or state university within 50 miles of the military establishment where they are stationed.
Active duty members of a foreign nation's military who are serving as liaison officers and are residing or stationed in this state, and their spouses and dependent children, attending a community college or state university within 50 miles of the military establishment where the foreign liaison officer is stationed.

Fee Waiver

Fee Waiver for Out-of-State, DACA or Undocumented Students

In accordance with Florida Statute 1009.26(12)(a) and Florida Board of Governors Rule 7.008(3)(m), all undergraduate students may request an out-of-state fee waiver provided they have attended a secondary school in this state for three consecutive years immediately before graduating from a high school in this state and have applied for enrollment at a Florida institution of higher education within 24 months after high school graduation.

Required Documentation

The required documentation to verify eligibility for this waiver:

Completed Out-of-State Fee Waiver Request form below
Official Florida high school transcript as evidence of attendance and graduation
Verification of applying for enrollment at a Florida institution of higher education within 24 months after high school graduation

When is the Fee Waiver Used?

Students who should use this waiver are classified as non-Florida residents for tuition purposes. The student's residency status should be determined before the out-of-state waiver is applied. A student who is receiving Florida Bright Futures would not use this waiver, as state-based financial aid requires in-state residency.

The Longevity of the Waiver

A student who is approved for this waiver does not need to reapply to receive it for every new semester. The waiver will be applied to a student's account for each subsequent semester of continuous enrollment in their undergraduate degree or certificate program. The Office of the University Bursar typically applies fee waivers to students' accounts after the end of the drop/add period of each semester.

Tuition Fee Waiver FAQ

Are home education, Florida Virtual School students, or G.E.D. recipients eligible to receive this waiver?

Eligibility for the waiver requires attendance at a secondary school in this state for three consecutive years immediately before graduating from a high school in this state, so Florida Virtual School students may meet this requirement. Home education students and G.E.D. recipients are not eligible to receive this waiver.

Are students whose parents live in another state eligible to receive this waiver?

Yes. If the student meets all the eligibility requirements, they are eligible for this waiver.

Does an eligible student need to maintain continuous enrollment to remain eligible for this waiver?

A student who enrolls for at least one course in one term in an academic year are continuously enrolled and would remain eligible for this waiver until the 110 percent limit is reached. A student who does not enroll at the university for three consecutive terms must apply for readmission. If a student applies for readmission, they will also need to submit a new Out-of-state Fee Waiver Request form.

ADMISSIONS WAIVER FORM

Students who have attended the University of Florida for more than one term should use a separate fee waiver form that is administered by the Office of the University Registrar.

REGISTRAR WAIVER FORM

Grandparent Waiver of Out-of-State Tuition and Fees

In 2021, the Florida Legislature amended Section 1009.26, Florida Statutes, to create the Grandparent Waiver. Beginning with out-of-state undergraduate students admitted for the 2022-23 academic year, eligible students with grandparents residing in Florida may be eligible for a tuition and fee waiver for out-of-state costs up to 110% of total degree hours.

Policies for the Grandparent Waiver are maintained by the Board of Governors of the State University System. Freshman applicants may request a waiver application after submitting the application for admission. Students who qualify for Florida residency should not seek this waiver. Basic eligibility requirements include:

The student must have a grandparent who has a legal relationship to a student's parent as the natural or adopted parent or legal guardian of the student's parent.
The grandparent must be a legal resident of Florida as defined in Florida Statue Section 1009.21.
Apply as a freshman to be a full-time undergraduate student for the summer or fall term immediately following high school graduation.
Have an SAT combined score (or ACT/CLT equivalent) no lower than the 89th national percentile.

GRANDPARENT WAIVER REQUEST