All students with fewer than 28 eligible credit hours (excluding dual credit and AP) at the time of enrollment are required to live in a university owned residence hall for one academic year (2 semesters). This policy is based upon the university’s philosophy that students will gain a more complete educational experience as part of a residential campus. National research suggests that students living on campus perform better academically and have higher retention rates than students living off campus.
Students may request an exemption to the first-year residence requirement. Those exemptions under which a student may qualify include:
- 28+ credit hours at the time of enrollment (excluding dual credit and AP)
- Married and/or living with children
- 21 years or older
- Living at home with a parent or legal guardian
The request must be submitted no later than July 1 for fall semester enrollment and November 1 for spring semester enrollment.
First-year students not residing on campus must receive an exemption.
Request for Exemption
In order to verify your request and its legitimacy related to the exemption options, please submit a notarized letter signed by your parent or legal guardian. This information may be emailed to reslife@friends.edu. If you are attending an in-person enrollment day with a legal guardian this paperwork may be completed on-campus with the Office of Residence Life.