Residency Program Exemption Requests

Residency Program Exemption Requests

First- and second-year undergraduate students must comply with the University’s 2-Year Residency Program (2YRP), including the first-year Dining requirement, unless authorized to commute by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions within the Discover Drexel Portal.

Students considering a residency exemption request must understand that exemptions are rare and only issued in extreme circumstances.

Exemption Request Circumstances

Commuting

• First-Year: Student must reside at a permanent address within the University-approved commuting zip codes and reside with a parent or court-appointed legal guardian (established prior to enrollment) listed by the University. Commuting requests for incoming students are authorized by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
• Second-Year: Student may submit a Housing Exemption Request Form and must meet the criteria listed above.

Co-op or Study Abroad

Student may complete a Housing Exemption Request Form if their Co-op opportunity is outside the University-approved commuting zip codes, or for a study abroad opportunity. 100-percent-remote Co-ops are eligible for exemption if the Co-op opportunity is outside of the approved zip codes, and the student is living at their permanent address with their parent/court-appointed legal guardian.

Financial Changes

Student must demonstrate significant change in their financial circumstances due to one of the following:

• Loss of employment
• Reduction in income
• Divorce or separation
• Recent death of parent or spouse
• Loss of one-time income
• Out-of-pocket medical/dental expenses not reported on the FAFSA

Deadlines and Instructions

The Housing Exemption Request Form is accessed in the Housing Portal via DrexelOne on the Campus + Community tab.

Incoming students are not eligible to request a housing exemption prior to the first course day of the Fall term.

Students may submit no more than one housing exemption request each academic year; additional requests will not be accepted. A written appeal process is available for denied requests and instructions are provided at the time of denial notice.

Deadlines: Residency Program Exemption Requests

• 2025-26 Commuting Request to Office of UG Admissions: September 20, 2025
• Fall Term: Submit by October 5, 2025
• Winter Term: Submit by January 18, 2026
• Spring Term: Submit by April 12, 2026
• Summer Term: Submit by July 5, 2026

Exemption requests will not be accepted after published deadlines.

Any dining accommodation requests submitted after the two-week deadline (the second Friday of each term) will generally not be processed until the following academic term.