Residency Policy
The State of Montana Board of Regents of Higher Education has a residency policy mandating that all students with fewer than 30 earned college credits reside in the Residence Halls unless a waiver has been granted by the specific university. At the University of Montana (and Missoula College), new students with less than 30 credit hours completed after high school graduation from another college or university or two semesters accomplished in a residence hall setting are obligated to live in UM residence halls. Please note that AP credits and dual enrollment credits earned during high school do not count towards the 30 earned college credits exemption.
Contract Release
Residence Hall contracts terms cover the entire academic year (or Spring Only). This is defined as the first official day of housing, or once a student checks in to their room, whichever occurs first, through 12 pm the day after spring semester finals. Terminating the Residence Halls contract prior to the end of the spring semester requires approval from the Executive Director of Housing. Also please note that when requesting to terminate your Residence Halls contract the freshmen residency policy will be considered for current students.
Release from the Residence Halls Contract and exemptions to the Freshman Residency Requirement are not guaranteed for any reason including signing a lease or contract off campus before going through the proper release process or between fall and spring semesters. Students should not sign off-campus leases or contracts before receiving an approved freshmen residency release or contract release and doing so will not be accepted as justification for requesting the release at any point including between fall and spring semesters.
All releases/exemptions are at the discretion of the Executive Director of UM Housing. Decisions can take up to 2 weeks and will be communicated to the student via their UM email address.
Students who falsify University documents, including housing applications or release documentation, will be referred to the Office for Community Standards for student conduct under General Misconduct of the University of Montana's student conduct code. The code in its entirety can be found on the Office for Community Standards website. Requests will not be reviewed unless all necessary documentation is attached.
Students subject to the Freshman Residency Policy should use the Freshman Residency Release Request if they are requesting a release before they have moved into the residence halls. After a student has moved into the residence halls, regardless of whether they are subject to the Freshman Residency Policy or not, they should use the Contract Release Request.