Florida Residency Information for Students

Before the beginning of your first semester and no later than the end of the drop/add period, there are certain things that you must do. Begin by consulting the official website above. The "Request for Residency Change Form" is critical to the process and lists a number of documents that you should have before the first day of enrollment.

Numerous items are listed in the documentation section of the form. It is necessary to prove from the preponderance of the documentation that residency has been established. The completed form is submitted to the Registrar’s Office and they make the final decision. Discussed below are items of documentation that are likely to result in establishment of residency. Immediately below are various comments and excerpts that indicate what legally constitutes a resident for tuition purposes.

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 12 months. Residence in Florida must be a bonafide 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.

Living in or attending school in Florida will not, in itself, establish legal residence. Students who depend on out-of-state parents for support are presumed to be legal residents of the same state as their parents. Graduate students who come to the university and accept employment 9or a fellowship) make contributions to the citizens of the State and are eligible to apply for Florida residency status.p>

Actions to be taken to obtain residency for tuition purposes:

• Obtain from the Alachua County Clerk of the Court a "Declaration of Domicile" form. Complete the form and return it to the Official Records Office, Room 101, Alachua County Administrative Building, Main Street and University avenue. There is a $15.00 charge for filing the form and you need a picture ID (current information on fees). This form must be filed as soon as possible after you arrive in Gainesville and before the start of classes as it will be used to document the start of the 12 month residency period. Be sure to keep a copy of the declaration for filing with your "Request for Change in Residency Status" form.
• Obtain a Florida Driver’s License (original birth certificate required along with secondary identification). If you do not have a car, then obtain a Florida identification card. These can be obtained from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Office.
• Register to vote at the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office and obtain a Florida voter identification card. You may register in whatever Florida county is appropriate for your residence .
• Maintain a copy of your offer letter to use as proof of employment for the 12 month period.
• If you own a vehicle, then register it in the State of Florida, by going to the Alachua County Tax Collector’s Office. If you reside in another Florida county you may register your vehicle at the Tax Collector’s Office there.
• Open a local bank account, as this provides additional documentation that you are a permanent resident.
• If you file your own Federal Income Tax Return as an independent person, you need to provide a copy of the latest return you filed as documentation when you file the "Request for Change in Residency Status" form with the Registrar’s Office.
• If your parents or guardians claimed you as a dependent on their most recent tax return but are not going to claim you as a dependent on future tax returns, then they need to provide you with a notarized statement stating this.
• Complete a University of Florida "Request for Change in Residency Status" form after you have been in Florida approximately 10 months but before tuition and fees are due in the first semester in which you have been a resident of Florida for 12 months. This form along with appropriate documentation is filed with the University of Florida Registrar’s Office, 201 Criser Hall, Gainesville, Fl 32611-4000. telephone (352)392-1374 ext. 7237.

If you have complied with the above, it is likely, but not guaranteed, that the Registrar’s Office will change your residency status to "resident." Becoming a Florida resident reduces the amount of tuition waivers charged to the University, College, and Department. These cost savings are rolled back into the support for the entire graduate enterprise.