Students can demonstrate reliance on financial resources earned in Iowa by working 1,560 hours minimum over the 12 consecutive months, averaging at least 30 hours each week, with Iowa tax withheld from their pay by employers and demonstrated by regular pay statements or by earning $18,441 (gross wages) over 12 consecutive months [*This figure is taken from the University of Iowa’s estimated cost of attendance, includes prorated costs for summer, and may increase annually.], with Iowa tax withheld and regular pay statements from the employer(s). *Remember you must SUBMIT your pay statements for hours worked along with your preliminary, corresponding spreadsheet and all other documentation noted on the page 4 checklist when submitting your complete application.  Applications for the current semester will not be accepted after the 15th day of class.

Applications for Resident Classification should be submitted as follows:

Fall

  • Students applying to be new Residents for fall should submit their complete application shortly after July 1 (as soon as your pay statement including the working day of June 30 is available)
    • Fall 2024:  The qualifying year will be August 20, 2023, to August 24, 2024.
    • Fall 2025:  The qualifying year will be August 25, 2024, to August 23, 2025, and the qualified earnings have not yet been determined.

Spring

  • Students applying for residency for spring should submit their complete application shortly after November 1 (as soon as your pay statement including the working day of October 31 is available)
    • Spring 2025:  The qualifying year will be January 14, 2024 - January 18, 2025, and the demonstrated earnings will be $20,001.
    • Spring 2026:  The qualifying year will be January 19, 2025 to January 17, 2026, and the demonstrated earnings have not yet been determined.

Summer

  • Students applying for residency for summer should submit their complete application shortly after May 1 (as soon as your pay statement including the working day of April 30 is available)
    • Summer 2025: The qualifying year will be May 12, 2024, to May 17, 2025, and the qualified earnings have not yet been determined.
    • Summer 2026: The qualifying year will be May 18, 2025, to May 16, 2026, and the qualified earnings have not yet been determined.

 

Applications for residency are submitted using the Residency Application in MyUI.

 

FAQs

Please review the application reasons and the documentation you may be required to submit with your residency application:

If your reason is Applicant 12-month Qualifying Year

This application type is is for individuals who are completing the 12-qualifying months of living and working in Iowa, undertaking all the requirements specified on the Registrar’s Office website. Individuals normally use the 12 consecutive months of work with limited (or no) enrollment immediately prior to the semester they plan to enroll as a resident.

The documentation you may need to submit with this application is:

  • Certified copy of court-ordered guardianship
  • Parent/guardian Federal tax return (p.1, not cover sheet)
  • Parent/guardian home state tax return (include all states filed)
  • Parent/guardian notarized future tax-filing intention statement
  • Your Iowa Driver's License or Department of Transportation (DOT)-issued ID
  • Your Iowa tax return
  • Your U.S. Permanent Resident (Green) Card
  • Your lease or proof of ownership
  • Your notarized (in Iowa) future tax-filing intention statement
  • Your qualifying year pay statements

If your reason is Divorced Parents/Iowa Resident

This application type is is for individuals whose parents are divorced and one parent resides in Iowa. This situation is common when the student graduated from high school in another state while living with the parent who is not an Iowa resident. The Iowa parent must claim the student every year as an income tax dependent OR provide more than 50% of the student’s financial support.

The documentation you may need to submit with this application is:

  • Certified copy of court-ordered guardianship
  • Parent/guardian Federal tax return (p.1, not cover sheet)
  • Parent/guardian home state tax return (include all states filed) 
  • Parent/guardian notarized (in Iowa) future tax-filing intention statement
  • Your Iowa Driver's License or Department of Transportation (DOT)-issued ID
  • Your U.S. Permanent Resident (Green) Card

If your reason is Returning Iowa Resident

This application type is for individuals who graduated from an Iowa high school or Iowa home-school program and who has at least one parent still living (or buried) in Iowa.

The documentation you may need to submit with this application is:

  • Certified copy of court-ordered guardianship
  • Your Iowa Driver's License or Department of Transportation (DOT)-issued ID

If your reason is Parent Full-Time Employment in Iowa

This application type is for students who have at least one parent who has, while living elsewhere, received a written offer of permanent, full-time employment in Iowa. Moving to Iowa to accept that position was the reason for the entire household’s arrival in Iowa.  

The documentation you may need to submit with this application is:

  • Certified copy of court-ordered guardianship
  • Parent's employment/job offer letter
  • Parent's initial pay statement
  • Parent's most recent pay statement
  • Parent/guardian Federal tax return (p.1, not cover sheet)
  • Parent/guardian notarized future tax-filing intention statement
  • Your Federal (U.S.) tax return
  • Your Iowa Driver's License or Department of Transportation (DOT)-issued ID
  • Your U.S. Permanent Resident (Green) Card

If your reason is Visa

This application type is for individuals on H- and J-visas, and their dependents. Others’ situations will be considered.

The documentation you may need to submit with this application is:

  • Certified copy of court-ordered guardianship
  • Parent/guardian Federal tax return (p.1, not cover sheet)
  • Parent/guardian home state tax return (include all states filed)
  • Parent/guardian notarized (in Iowa) future tax-filing intention statement
  • Primary visa holder's employment/job offer letter
  • Primary visa holder's initial pay statement
  • Primary visa holder's most recent pay statement
  • Visa
  • Your Iowa Driver's License or Department of Transportation (DOT)-issued ID

If your reason is Spouse Full-Time Employment in Iowa

This application type is for students whose spouse received, while the couple was living elsewhere, a written offer of permanent, full-time employment in Iowa. Moving to Iowa to accept that position was the reason for the entire household’s arrival in Iowa.  

The documentation you may need to submit with this application is:

  • Certified copy of court-ordered guardianship
  • Couple's joint notarized (in Iowa) statement of support
  • Parent/guardian notarized (in Iowa) future tax-filing intention statement
  • Spouse's employment/job offer letter
  • Spouse's initial pay statement
  • Spouse's most recent pay statement
  • Your Iowa Driver's License or Department of Transportation (DOT)-issued ID
  • Your U.S. Permanent Resident (Green) Card

If your reason is Domestic Partner Full-Time Employment in Iowa

This application type is for students whose domestic partner received, while the couple were living elsewhere, a written offer of permanent, full-time employment in Iowa. Moving to Iowa to accept that position was the reason for the entire household’s arrival in Iowa.  

The documentation you may need to submit with this application is:

  • Certified copy of court-ordered guardianship
  • Couple's joint notarized (in Iowa) statement of support
  • Domestic partner's employment/job offer letter
  • Domestic partner's initial pay statement
  • Domestic partner's most recent pay statement
  • Proof of domestic partnership (1)
  • Proof of domestic partnership (2)
  • Your Iowa Driver's License or Department of Transportation (DOT)-issued ID
  • Your U.S. Permanent Resident (Green) Card
  • Your lease or proof of ownership
  • Your notarized (in Iowa) future tax-filing intention statement

If your reason is Applicant Full-Time Employment in Iowa

This application type is for individuals who were living elsewhere when they received a written offer of permanent, full-time employment in Iowa. Moving to Iowa to accept that position was the reason for their arrival in Iowa. They must not have applied previously for admission to a future semester/session.

This application type is not for enrolled students who have since undertaken new, full-time employment in Iowa. In this situation individuals must demonstrate a qualifying year and submit the residency application using Applicant 12-month Qualifying Year.

The documentation you may need to submit with this application is:

  • Certified copy of court-ordered guardianship
  • Parent/guardian Federal tax return (p.1, not cover sheet)
  • Parent/guardian home state tax return (include all states filed)
  • Parent/guardian notarized future tax-filing intention statement
  • Your employment/job offer letter
  • Your initial pay statement
  • Your most recent pay statement
  • Your Iowa Driver's License or Department of Transportation (DOT)-issued ID
  • Your U.S. Permanent Resident (Green) Card
  • Your notarized (in Iowa) future tax-filing intention statement

If your reason is Nonresident with Domestic Partner Who Is Iowa Resident

This application type is for individuals who are in a newly-established domestic partnership with an Iowa resident. It is important to share the partner’s Iowa high school graduation information (name of school, city of school and year of graduation), along with the names/address(es) of their parent(s) in Iowa. If your partner is working, detail the duration of employment; employer and location; and identify all previous years that Iowa resident income tax returns were filed by your partner. Use the final question on the application which provides a space for essay-type responses.

The documentation you may need to submit with this application is:

  • Certified copy of court-ordered guardianship
  • Couple's joint notarized (in Iowa) statement of support
  • Employment/job offer letter
  • Proof of domestic partnership (1)
  • Proof of domestic partnership (2)
  • Your Iowa Driver's License or Department of Transportation (DOT)-issued ID
  • Your U.S. Permanent Resident (Green) Card
  • Your lease or proof of ownership
  • Your notarized (in Iowa) future tax-filing intention statement

If your reason is Married Iowa Resident

This application type is for individuals who have recently married a long-time Iowa resident. It is important to share the spouse’s Iowa high school graduation information (name of school, city of school and year of graduation), along with the names/address(es) of your new in-laws in Iowa. Use the final question on the application which provides a space for essay-type responses.

The documentation you may need to submit with this application is:

  • Certified copy of court-ordered guardianship
  • Couple's joint notarized (in Iowa) statement of support
  • Your Iowa Driver's License or Department of Transportation (DOT)-issued ID
  • Your U.S. Permanent Resident (Green) Card
  • Your marriage license
  • Your notarized (in Iowa) future tax-filing intention statement