Make Stout Your Home.
Living on campus is one of the best ways to experience UW–Stout. It helps you make friends, get involved, and have everything you need close by.
While UW-Stout follows the Board of Regents’ live-on requirement, we understand on-campus living isn’t the right fit for everyone. If you meet certain criteria, you may be eligible to live off campus.
Students who believe they qualify may request commuter status, a contract exemption, or a medical exemption as outlined below.
Commuter Status Requests
Students who are required to live on campus may request commuter status if all of the following criteria are met:
- Have not already signed a housing contract
- Will live with a parent or legal guardian
- The parent or legal guardian’s address is within 40-miles of campus
If a housing contract has already been signed for the requested term, a contract exemption request must be submitted instead.
Commuter Request Process
- Complete the University Housing Commuter Request and have a parent/legal guardian sign it in front of a Notary Public
- Upload the completed form to the Housing Gateway. Requests are typically processed within one business week.
Review this step-by-step tutorial for additional guidance.
Contract Exemption Requests
Students who are required to live on campus may request a contract exemption. This includes students who have already signed a housing contract.
Please note that exemptions are rare and require documented extenuating circumstances. Submitting a request does not guarantee approval, but begins the review process.
- If you have not signed a contract: You must demonstrate extenuating circumstances that prevent you from meeting the live-on requirement.
- If you have signed a contract: You must demonstrate extenuating circumstances that have occurred since signing your housing contract.
Exemption Request Process
- Start the Process
- Incoming students: Contact the Housing Office by phone or email
- Current students: Meet with your Residence Life Coordinator (RLC) to review the process and gain access to the form
- Submit your Request: Log in to the Housing Gateway to submit your request and supporting documentation.
- Submit medical documentation (if applicable)
If your request includes a medical or disability-related reason:- Submit documentation through Disability Services (AIM portal)
- Do not upload medical documentation in the Housing Gateway
- You will meet with an Access Coordinator from Disability Services
- Housing will consult with Disability Services to determine if needs can be met on campus
- Follow-up: Housing staff may contact you via your UW–Stout email for additional information or to schedule a meeting.
- Receive a Decision: You will receive the outcome of your request via your UW–Stout email
- Appeal (if needed)
- Appeals must be submitted within two weeks of the original decision
- The appeal board reviews the original request (no additional information may be added)
- Decisions are typically made within 2–4 weeks
- If your situation changes, you may submit a new request with updated documentation
Medical Exemption Requests
If you have a diagnosed medical condition that cannot be accommodated within University Housing, you may be eligible for a housing exemption.
All medical accommodation requests must be submitted to Disability Services through the online AIM portal for review. Housing works closely with Disability Services to determine whether reasonable on-campus accommodations can be provided.
If an appropriate accommodation cannot be made, you may be approved for a housing exemption.
Common Approval Reasons
Students who have not already signed a housing contract and are currently required to live on but expect to earn 60 credits prior to the start of the contract should submit an exemption request and then sign the contract. A conditional release will be granted and finalized when the credits are earned.
For example, a student with 50 credits at the end of the spring semester and plans to take 10 credits over the summer - can get a conditional release. If they earn the credits over the summer, they will officially be released - if they do not earn the credits, they will not be released and will be required to fulfil the full contract.
Students who earn 60 or more credits during a contract period are not eligible for release.
Students who have served two years of active duty with the military (other than active duty for training) can be exempt from the on-campus living requirement. Students in ROTC, the National Guard, or the Reserve do not qualify for this exemption.
In the exemption request, you must include a copy of Form DD214.
Students who are legally married may be exempt from the housing contract.
In the exemption request, you must include a copy of the marriage license.
Students with legal dependents may be exempt from the housing contract. Please note that pregnant students are not exempt from the live-on requirement until they give birth.
In the exemption request, you must provide legal documentation of dependents.
Common Denial Reasons
Residence hall living is a new experience for most students and requires a certain amount of adjustment. If the resident has made a fair adjustment to the hall environment and is still unhappy, a hall change, room/floor change, or a roommate change is generally an effective remedy. If a specific area continues to be a major problem, the residence hall staff is available to work with the resident on an individual basis to find a solution. This involves active participation by the resident.
The local interpretation of the Board of Regents’ Housing Policy states that students who have not completed 60 credits by the first day of fall semester classes, who are not married, not veterans, and do not live with their parents or legal guardian, are required to contract for on-campus housing. Thus, earning 60 credits during the contract term would not be reason for release. Earned credit is not considered for students who were not required to live on campus based on the policy and chose to sign a contract.
Students entering into a contract beginning with the fall semester must qualify by the first day of fall semester classes. Likewise, those students entering into a contract beginning with the spring semester must qualify by the first day of spring semester classes. Student age is not considered for students who were not required to live on campus based on the policy and choose to sign a contract.
The choice to commute from the home of a parent or legal guardian must be made before activating the University Housing and Dining Service Contract. Policy does not allow for living with siblings, grandparents, other relatives, or fiancée/significant other. Permission to live with a relative must be based on extraordinary and/or compelling circumstances with documentation of such and not for the financial gain or convenience of the student and/or relative.
Lack of funds alone is not a basis for a release. Financial aid is available to those who qualify based on need. There should be a significant change in your financial situation that is not rectifiable. Finances for the academic year should be considered prior to activating the contract and/or enrollment to the University. Late notice or inadequate notice from the Financial Aid Office is not grounds for a release. University Housing relies on the expertise of the Financial Aid Office to determine if a student has a sufficient financial aid package to attend UW-Stout.
Even with medical documentation, most medical conditions DO NOT automatically release one from the contract. The medical professional needs to document the medical condition and outline specific needs. We will work with individual students to make residence hall rooms environmentally and health friendly. Reviewing what steps you have taken to manage or remove the barrier will be considered. The alternative living option you are proposing will be considered during the decision-making process. Students are expected to engage in an interactive process to discuss barriers that they are experiencing in the living environment. Once those barriers are identified, together the student and staff member will discuss access solutions. The campus community can usually create an accessible living environment. Students will only be released when the campus cannot create an accessible living environment.
When reviewing requests for exemptions/release that are based on disability, students are expected to engage in an interactive process to discuss the barriers that they are experiencing in the living environment. Once those barriers are identified, together the student and staff member will discuss access solutions. The campus community can usually create an accessible living environment. Students will only be released when the campus cannot create an accessible living environment.
UW-Stout strives for an inclusive living environment. If you anticipate or experience any disability-related barriers related to living on campus, please speak with Ann Ho‑man, Assistant Director, so we can discuss ways to ensure full access. If you determine that additional disability-related accommodations are necessary, please contact the Disability Services Office at 206 Bowman Hall, 715-232-2995, uwstout.edu/disability.
Lack of funds alone is not a basis for a release. Financial aid is available to those who qualify based on need. There should be a significant change in your financial situation that is not rectifiable. Finances for the academic year should be considered prior to activating the contract and/or enrollment to the University. Late notice or inadequate notice from the Financial Aid Office is not grounds for a release. University Housing relies on the expertise of the Financial Aid Office to determine if a student has a sufficient financial aid package to attend UW-Stout.
The choice to register for all online courses is not an acceptable basis for a release. Students who change to an online program/major and include documentation showing participation in online degree will be considered.
