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Residency

Proof of Florida residency is required for assessment of in-state tuition. All degree-seeking students and post-baccalaureate (non-degree-seeking) students must present acceptable proof of legal Florida residency at the time of admission/readmission in order to be assessed in-state tuition and fees. Students who do not have acceptable proof of legal Florida residency will be assessed out-of-state tuition and fees.

Florida Law

In the determination of resident status for tuition purposes, it is the policy of the University of North Florida to follow laws of the State of Florida as well as regulations and policy guidelines established by the Florida Board of Governors. The policy on residency status for tuition purposes as adopted by the University of North Florida can be read in full at F.S. Chapter 1009.21.

General Guidelines

A Florida “resident for tuition purposes” is a person who has, or a dependent person whose parent or legal guardian has, established and maintained legal residency in Florida for at least twelve months. Residence in Florida must be as a bona fide domicile rather than for the purpose of maintaining a residence incident to enrollment at an institution of higher education. To qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, you must be a U.S. Citizen, permanent resident alien, or legal alien granted indefinite stay by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Other persons not meeting the twelve-month legal residence requirement may be considered as Florida residents for tuition purposes only if they fall within one of the exception categories authorized by the Florida Legislature and State Board of Education. All other persons are ineligible for classification as a Florida “resident for tuition purposes.” Living in or attending school in Florida will not, in itself, establish legal residence. 

  • Residency for Tuition Purposes criteria are established by Florida law and regulations established by the Florida Board of Governors. The University of North Florida CANNOT waive State/BOG criteria for ANY reason.
  • Living in Florida for a year or longer DOES NOT automatically qualify you for Florida residency for tuition purposes.
  • Under Florida law, there is a difference between being a "Florida Resident" and being a "Florida Resident for Tuition Purposes."
  • To be considered a "Florida Resident for Tuition Purposes," you MUST prove through OFFICIAL and/or LEGAL DOCUMENTS that you have permanently moved to Florida and have had a physical presence in the state for a minimum of twelve months. You will not be approved if you are merely living in Florida to attend school.
  • Supporting documentation MUST be dated 12 COMPLETE MONTHS prior to the first day of classes for the requested residency classification term.
  • Personal justifications for documents not meeting the 12-month requirement CANNOT be considered. For example: "I have one now, but I did not get a driver's license when I moved here a year ago because..." CANNOT be considered.
  • Financial hardship CANNOT be considered in the determination of Residency for Tuition Purposes.
  • Graduate students are automatically considered INDEPENDENT for Florida residency for tuition purposes.
For more information and for official state guidelines, please visit the Florida Shines website.

Initial Residency Instructions

Newly admitted graduate students will receive an email with instructions to apply for Initial Residency. The online Residency Declaration is accessed through myWings:

  • Navigate to the What's Next tile
  • Click on Declare Residency for Tuition Purposes

To qualify as a Florida Resident for tuition purposes, you must submit documentation that you have been a Florida resident with physical and legal presence for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of classes of the semester of enrollment, or qualify for a residency exception. The declaration only provides the most commonly submitted forms of identification. Additional ID's or proof of exception may be uploaded once the declaration has been submitted. All documentation must be uploaded through the residency portal. If taking a photograph of a document with a phone, please use the highest quality option. 

  • As a graduate student, you are automatically considered independent for residency purposes.You are unable to use a parent as your claimant on the residency declaration, however you may be able to use their information for proof of family ties
  • Undergraduate residency cannot be transferred to your graduate application. Per the Florida Residency Guidelines, Section 4.0, any application that is considered "new" and results in a change of student status (e.g. undergraduate to graduate), requires initial residency be proven. .  

Submitting documentation does not automatically qualify you for Florida Residency for tuition purposes. An evaluation of all documentation will be required before a determination of residency status is made. You may check the status of your residency from your myWings account. Navigate to the Student Services tab and then View Student Information. Your residency classification can be found on the Residence line.

Our online residency system will automatically classify you as a Florida resident for tuition purposes if the information you provide on the residency declaration meets residency requirements. If your information is not sufficient, it will be forwarded to us for review. We will contact you via email for additional information. Please monitor your email.

Residency Reclassification Instructions

Current graduate students seeking Florida residency will need to apply for Residency Reclassification. The online Residency Reclassification Application is accessed through myWings:

  • Navigate to the Banner Student Self-Service tile
  • Click on Student Records
  • Click on Residency Reclassification
At least three Florida IDs/documentation must be submitted, with dates that evidence the 12-month qualifying period. In addition, a completed Statement of Requisite Intent Form is required.

Deadlines

The deadline to submit documents for initial classification and residency reclassification is the last working day before classes begin for the term you are seeking Florida residency.

The deadline to submit an Enrollment Services Appeal to appeal a residency decision is two weeks prior to the end of the term you are seeking to classify as a Florida resident.

Academic Common Market

The Academic Common Market (UNF-ACM) is a cooperative tuition-reduction agreement among 16 states that participate in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB): Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
 
Under this program, qualified students from states outside Florida may apply through their own state's ACM coordinator for reduced tuition rates at UNF while pursuing programs that are not available in their home state’s university system. In essence, qualified students are considered “in-state” residents during the time they are pursuing their specified degree program, therefore making them eligible for reduced tuition rates and other opportunities afforded residents who attend the institution.
 
For more detailed information about the application process, including an ACM contact in each of the participating states, refer to the SREB and ACM Brochure.