Residential Requirements

Residency/Non-Residency Requirements

(Effective January 2026)

Full-time students at William Woods University are required to reside on campus unless they qualify for commuter status or the University has terminated their housing agreement. Students seeking approval for commuter status or off-campus living must complete the Residential Status Change Form in OwlNet. The Assistant Dean of Student Life reviews all requests.

Once approved, a student’s residential status remains in effect for the duration of their enrollment at William Woods University. Existing students who have been approved for off campus/ commuter status prior to January 2026 are grandfathered in under the previous residency requirement.

Commuter Status Eligibility:

Students must meet ONE of the following criteria to qualify for commuter status:

1. Students who live with their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) at a permanent residence within 30 miles of campus.
2. Students who are 23 years of age or older on the first day of the semester.
3. Students who are married or have children.
4. Students who have attended William Woods University for seven (7) or more semesters.

Appeal Process:

Students who do not meet the above criteria may submit a formal appeal for an exception to the on-campus residency requirement.

1. Students may submit one appeal per academic year.
2. Appeals must be submitted in writing, attached to the Appeal for Off-Campus Living Exception Form (available in OwlNet), and include specific reasons for the request along with supporting documentation, this includes prior lease for at least one year, if applicable.
3. Appeals must present a compelling reason for exemption.
4. The Exemption Committee will review appeals and notify students of decisions within ten (10) business days of receipt.
5. The decision of the Exemption Committee is final; no additional appeals will be considered for the same academic year.
6. Appeals will not be considered after the Monday before move-in day for each academic term.

All notifications and decisions will be sent to the student’s official William Woods University email account.

Enrollment Requirement:

Residential students must be enrolled full-time (12 credit hours) as on-ground, traditional students. Students may enroll in up to three (3) credit hours through WWU Global or online in addition to their full-time on-ground enrollment. Any exemptions must be approved through Academic Affairs.

Students who need to change from full-time to part-time status may request permission to remain in campus housing. These requests should be submitted to the Assistant Dean of Student Life.

Application Deadlines

All applications and supporting documentation must be submitted in OwlNet by the following priority deadlines:

• New Students
  • Fall Start: April 1
  • Spring Start: December 1
• Continuing Students
  • Fall Start: February 15
  • Spring Start: December 1