What is the First-Year Residency Requirement (aka the "Live-On Requirement")?
All first-year students regardless of their academic class standing, must live on. This includes incoming first year students who enter GVSU with enough credits to be above a freshman class standing (ie. credits earned through dual enrollment or an early/middle college program). Unless you are admitted to GVSU as a transfer student, or graduated high school more than 2 years ago, this policy applies to you.
This policy was developed with student success in mind. Data at GVSU mirrors that seen across higher education, indicating that students who live on campus have higher GPAs and retention rates, have higher graduation rates, and graduate more quickly. The services and supports provided by Housing and Residence Life along with the connections our residents make to campus through their time in housing, result in more academically and socially successful students. These factors make up the foundational purpose for the implementation of our policy.
Students must have an active housing application on file or be granted an exemption in order to be compliant. Students are subject to a non-compliance fee for each semester they do not meet the criteria for compliance. The non-compliance fee is equivalent to the cost of traditional-style housing and a base meal plan.
Exemption requests may be submitted along with supporting documentation. Requests will be reviewed by appropriate University staff, and decisions will be based on the information the student has provided to GVSU. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.
Students are strongly discouraged from signing off-campus leases until they have requested and been approved for an exemption. Without exemption approval, students risk being responsible for the non-compliance fee as well as their lease commitments off-campus.
Residency Requirement Exemption Qualifications
Students who:
- are more than 2 years out of high school.
- have primary or joint custody of minor child/ren.
- are married.
- will commute from the primary residence of their parent or legal guardian.
- are a veteran.
Students may request an exemption for reasons not noted above, but they are not guaranteed.
Exemption Request Information
| Exemption Reason |
Is documentation required? |
Required Documentation |
| Veteran |
Pre-Approved if the student has certified veteran status at the time of university application.
No exemption request is needed.
|
N/A |
| 2 Years Post-High School Graduation |
Pre-Approved if the student has provided high-school graduation documents to Admissions.
No exemption request is needed.
|
N/A |
| Married |
Yes |
Marriage License |
| Primary or joint custody of dependent child/ren |
Yes |
Birth Certificate of child/ren |
| Commute from the primary residence of a parent or legal guardian |
Yes |
Provide the address of residence on the exemption request form |
| Financial |
Yes |
Personal statement submitted to Housing at the time of exemption request form. FAFSA submission is encouraged for review by Financial Aid staff, if necessary. |
| All other reasons |
Yes. Staff from appropriate offices at GVSU will review the request. Supporting information is necessary for the decision |
Decisions will be based on the information we have available. Students are encouraged to provide a personal statement and include supporting documentation that illustrates the need for an exemption. |