Residency Exemption

Residency Exemption

On-campus housing requirement

New, first-year, undergraduate students at Indiana University Bloomington are required to live on campus. You may qualify for an exemption from this policy if you meet the criteria outlined in the next section.

If you are requesting an exemption, please submit your request before you apply for housing. The $200 housing application fee is not refundable.

We do require documentation to support your exemption request.

Any student who violates the residency policy by living off-campus in Bloomington may be subject to immediate administrative withdrawal from the university and/or required to pay all room and board fees and charges for the semester(s) in which the violation(s) occurred.

Exemption Criteria

If you meet any of the following criteria, and do not wish to live on-campus in a residence hall, submit an exemption request.

  • You live with a parent or legal guardian within a 25-mile radius of Bloomington.
  • You are a transfer student entering your first semester of study at the Bloomington campus and have a minimum of 15 credit hours from another accredited university, college, or other IU campus that will be transferred and accepted by IU Bloomington. Advanced Placement (AP) credits do not count toward the 15-credit hour requirement.
  • You are a part-time student who is enrolled in less than 12-credit hours each semester of your first year.
  • You will be 21 years of age before the beginning of your first semester on the Bloomington campus.
  • You are married and/or have children.
  • You are a member of a recognized, self-governing, student organization (i.e. fraternity/sorority) and will reside in the organization’s facility. Proof of residency in the facility is required.

We are unable to grant exemptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our housing facilities have a number of options with single occupancy spaces and more private suites and bathrooms available. We will consider requests for exemptions for special circumstances such as financial, medical, or religious reasons. These requests are reviewed individually and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.

How to Apply for an Exemption

Create an IU network account and passphrase. Your student ID number is on the official acceptance notice sent to you by admissions.

If you would like us to discuss your exemption with anyone else, you must submit a FERPA waiver. You may do this at One.IU with the Emergency Contact Information app.

Submit your exemption online at One.IU using the Contract Appeals, Exemptions, and Cancellations app.

The Review Process

Once we have received your request, you will receive an email with instructions on how to submit documentation for your exemption.

We will notify you of our decision within 14 days after we receive your documentation.

Decisions are final and cannot be appealed.