Consult also:
The Graduate School - Enrollment Information
The Graduate School - Graduate Residency
State Residency
All students who wish to claim Florida residency for tuition purposes must complete the residency declaration. In addition, students seeking Readmission to the university must complete this form. The residency form is not required for application review; however, it must be completed prior to the start of the first term of enrollment. Depending upon the review of your declaration, additional documentation may be required to support your claim of residency for tuition purposes. If you have any questions regarding the residency process please contact our office at 850.644.3501 or grad-residency@fsu.edu.
See the online Residency Declaration form for Graduate Students.
Documents supporting the establishment of residency for tuition purposes must be dated, issued or filed 12 months prior to the first day of classes of the term for which residency is sought. All documentation is subject to verification. You should submit two or more of the documents identified below. No single piece of evidence shall be conclusive.
At least one item must be from this list:
- A Florida voter’s registration card.
- A Florida driver’s license.
- A State of Florida identification card.
- A Florida vehicle registration.
- Proof of a permanent home in Florida which is occupied as a primary residence by the individual or by the individual’s parent if the individual is a dependent child.
- Proof of a homestead exemption in Florida.
- Transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple years (2 or more years) if the Florida high school diploma or GED was earned within the last 12 months.
- Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least 30 hours per week for a consecutive 12-month period.
Items listed below may be used in conjunction with one document from the above list:
- A declaration of domicile in Florida (this is acquired from the Leon County Clerk of Courts)
- A Florida professional or occupational license.
- Florida incorporation.
- A document evidencing verifiable family ties to a Florida resident, as defined by tuition purposes.
- Proof of membership in a Florida-based charitable or professional organization.
- Any other documentation that supports the student’s request for resident status, including, but not limited to, utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; a lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; or an official state, federal, or court document evidencing legal ties to Florida.
Getting Established at Florida State
The Graduate School - Enrollment Information
As a new employee please visit the following websites:
- Get FSU Card
- Get FSU Parking Permit
- Activate FSU ID
- Getting set up with an FSU email address: an account will be created for you automatically. You will receive a notification email at all personal email addresses on file for you that will allow you to set up your FSU email
- OMNI Access – once you have an FSU email account, you can log in at my.fsu.edu.
Through OMNI you will be able to view and update information in OMNI Employee Self Service. Using ESS, you will be able to view your biweekly paychecks, update your personal information and complete other OMNI employee transactions. For instructions on how to utilize this functionality within OMNI, please review the Employee Self Service job aids at the Office of Human Resources website.
International Students
The Department of Religion welcomes international students. There are several issues students in this category must understand and deal with in order to make their time in our department a success. The core resource for international students at FSU is the Center for Global Engagement. This office is dedicated to helping international students.
The CGE has put together a helpful website for new students, including a checklist of items international students must attend to. Issues that international students need to consider include:
- Getting a visa
- Meeting FSU insurance requirements
- Arranging housing in Tallahassee before arrival; if you do not have a car you should consider finding an apartment close to campus.
- Be in contact with the Department of Religion administrative staff before arrival to ensure that you properly in-processed as a graduate student of the department
- You should be in Tallahassee and moved into your apartment at least one week before the fall semester begins (that is, generally, the third week of August).
- Summer. It is important that international students understand that their ability to have employment in the US outside of the department is limited. Moreover, while some funding within the department during the summer is possible, it is not guaranteed. Before you arrive you should anticipate the possibility of not getting funding from the department.
- Spoken TOEFL test. This is also called SPEAK exam (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) You may in addition to the written TOEFL have to take a test that assesses your spoken English. This is administered by the Center for Intensive English Studies. You can find more information about the SPEAK exam on the Center for Intensive English Studies website.
Federal policies and standards regarding visas for international students may change. Updates and current information may be found here.
Life in Tallahassee
The Florida State University Center for Global Engagement has compiled helpful information about living in Tallahassee for international students. It can be found here: https://cge.fsu.edu/living-tallahassee . It includes information on housing, transportation, and Tallahassee in general.
Professional Development and Research Opportunities
The department encourages that graduate students to be active in academic societies and to be informed with regard to graduate affairs and research support on campus.
Academic Societies
American Academy of Religion
American Historical Association
American Schools of Oriental Research
North American Patristics Society
Society of Biblical Literature
SBL Students
Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion
Listserv
Graduate students will be kept up to date with information about the department through the Relgrads email list: relgrads@lists.fsu.edu. New students will be added to these lists upon enrollment.
Graduate Assistants United (GAU)
United Faculty of Florida – Florida State University – Graduate Assistants United (UFF-FSU- GAU) represents and advocates for the interests of its members and all GAs at Florida State University. GAU was founded in 2008 and is the only legally recognized collective bargaining agent for GAs at FSU; GAU seeks to improve working conditions and defend the working rights of all GAs. For more information or to join, visit fsugau.org.
Collective Bargaining Agreement
View the 2023-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Other FSU Resources
Strozier Library
The library has a liaison program that links a particular librarian with a particular department. The liaison serves as the main point person for that department and is committed to give that department support. This person can be a great resource for graduate students in the department of Religion. The liaison for our department is currently Kimberly Windham (kwindham@fsu.edu). The library compiled several research guides that help introduce students to the resources at the library regarding various fields, including religious and biblical studies.
Office of Digital Research and Scholarship
Graduate students are encouraged to incorporate digital resources into their teaching and research. This office is designed to help graduate students with these endeavors. Please contact them if you are interested in these opportunities.
University Counseling Center
Graduate school can be stressful. FSU has a counseling center which is an important resource for dealing with stress. Please also note FSU’s Student Resilience Project.