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Live-on Housing Requirement
Request for Exemption Process 

CSU San Marcos has adopted a policy requiring all first time students (freshmen) who are from Outside the Local Service Area to live in on-campus or campus affiliated housing for their first year.  Students who feel this requirement will disadvantage them in some way can apply for an exemption to the requirement by completing the Request for Exemption Form and submitting the appropriate documentation for review.  Reasons to request an exemption include medical concerns (requires physician documentation), family obligations, having dependent children (must provide birth certificate), married (must provide marriage license), or financial hardship (various documentation will be considered as long as it supports the claim of hardship).

A committee will review requests for exemption and notify students of results within 10 business days of receipt.  If the exemption is not approved, the student must still apply to on-campus or campus affiliated housing and accept the contract when offered in order to register for New Student Orientation and be eligible to enroll at CSU San Marcos.  First time students from outside the local service area who do not apply and complete a housing contract OR do not receive an approved exemption will not be eligible to enroll at CSU San Marcos. 

NOTE:  first time students who will be 21 on or before the first day of classes for Fall 2013 (August 26, 2013) do not need to apply for an exemption and will be automatically exempted based on the birth date listed in their student record.

Exemption requests will be considered based on:

  • Documentation of active military or veteran status
  • Documentation of married status, registered domestic partner status or having dependent children
  • Documentation of independent student status
  • Documentation of medical or disability condition
  • Documentation of financial hardship
  • Other – documentation of a special circumstance that would create a substantial personal hardship

NOTE: Please delete or remove Social Security Numbers prior to submitting any documentation.

To request an exemption from the CSU San Marcos Out-of-Service Area Live On Requirement, please complete the attached form and submit it with ALL applicable documentation (please do not submit originals as documents will not be returned) to:

Housing Exemption Review Committee
c/o Dr. Kim D. Clark
CSU San Marcos University Corporation
333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road Craven Hall 6229
San Marcos, CA  92096

Questions should be submitted by e-mail to housing@csusm.edu.