Exemptions

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UA requires that all first year, full-time students live on campus for the entirety of their first year to provide students with a comprehensive educational experience.

Duration of Program

  • Students first enrolling in the summer: required to live in the residence halls for summer, fall and spring semesters.
  • Students first enrolling in the fall: required to live in the residence halls for fall and spring semesters.
  • Students first enrolling in the spring: required to live in the residence halls for spring semester.

UA’s freshman residency program applies to all students who are college students for the first time. Dual enrollment credits from high school do not impact the duration of the freshman residency program.

Exemptions

We require all full-time freshman students live on campus, unless they meet at least one of the following criteria for exemption:

  • Live within 60 miles of UA (including Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lamar, Marion, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Shelby, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston counties) with lineal relatives (parent, grandparent) or legal guardian
  • Live in Tuscaloosa property owned by a parent (proof of ownership required)
  • Married and/or have dependent children in residence

The exemption committee reviews requests that do not meet the above criteria. Other criteria considered include:

  • Military veteran
  • Compelling individual circumstance (committee reviewed)

We do not automatically grant exemptions and consider each as it is submitted. The deadline to request an exemption for Fall 2024 is July 15, 2024.

Please note, exemptions are only available for incoming freshmen prior to move-in/start of the school year. After move-in, a first year student who wishes to request to cancel their contract must complete a contract cancellation request and is no longer eligible for an exemption.

Apply for Exemption

The exemption request form is available when the housing application opens for Fall. To access the exemption request form, go to your myHousing portal and log in with your myBama account when prompted. From the home page, select the “Housing Application” button, then click on the “Freshman Exemption Request” at the bottom of the next page. Exemption requests for Fall 2024 that are submitted in Fall 2023 or early Spring 2024 will be considered by March 2024. The deadline to submit an exemption request is July 15, 2024.