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 certain criteria outlined below.

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

Apply for an exemption

Students looking to receive an exemption from the residency requirement must complete the online form using the IU Bloomington Housing Application app on One.IU.

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

Apply for an exemption

Exemption criteria

You are eligible to submit an exemption request from living on-campus in a residence hall if you meet any of the following criteria:

  • 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 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.

The review process

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

Decisions are final and cannot be appealed.