Housing Assignments

Determination

As a steward of this Christ-centered university, Residence Life is the sole and final determiner of campus housing assignments and can change any campus housing assignment at any time, approve or deny requests for changes to assignments, add/or remove roommates based on the standard capacity of the unit, and/or require moves to an alternate housing unit as necessary. Specific living areas and/or roommates may be requested but are not guaranteed. Failure to accept an assigned roommate, or attempts to force or pressure a roommate out of the housing unit, may result in loss of housing assignment and disciplinary action.

Charges

Housing charges are applied to student accounts per semester for each student. Students are responsible for payment of all housing charges per the terms of the university’s financial policies.

Requests for Assignment

Students must be admitted to the university before requesting a housing assignment. New students are encouraged to apply as early as possible after being admitted to the university, but requests for housing assignments will be accepted anytime. Students may request specific roommates before assignments are made (typically June 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester). Requests for specific roommates must be mutual and indicated in writing (email is acceptable) by all students involved to be considered. Students must request assignment to a Campus Living Area each new academic year. Continuing undergraduate and graduate students are given an opportunity in the spring semester to secure housing for the following year or summer. Details on the process are released each spring and are subject to change from year to year. A student wishing to be assigned to a Campus Living Area for the spring semester may submit a request for housing assignment during the preceding fall semester. Students who participate in study-away programs are encouraged to live in campus housing when they return.

Notification

Incoming and continuing students who receive an assignment will be notified by the first part of July in anticipation of the fall semester. Students who request housing for the spring semester will be notified during Christmas vacation. Students who submit late requests are usually notified of their assignments within 7-10 days. During the academic year, any vacancies in housing units can be filled by Residence Life at any time. The university endeavors to give at least 48 hours notice to all parties, but that is not always possible for various reasons.

Assignments and roommate information will not be shared over the phone. Student contact information will be released to future roommates. Failure to accept an assigned roommate, or attempts to force or pressure a roommate out of the housing unit, may result in loss of housing assignment and disciplinary action.

Oversubscription

“Oversubscription” is the term used when the occupancy of a one- or two-bedroom unit is three (“tripled”) or five (“quintupled”), respectively. Oversubscriptions are voluntary or involuntary as determined by the university based on the relationship between student enrollment and the number of campus housing units available. In seasons of voluntary oversubscriptions, students may be provided this option for flexibility in creating roommate groups. Voluntary oversubscriptions do not receive discounted charges for the time spent in a triple or quintuple. Involuntary oversubscriptions may be implemented to provide sufficient housing space. If an involuntary oversubscribed unit remains oversubscribed past the official check-in date, the students assigned to the unit will receive a discounted housing rate as long as they remain assigned to that unit. If a unit drops to standard occupancy before the official check-in date, the university may decide to keep the unit as a standard unit for the year and those assigned to the unit will receive the standard rate. The university is the sole determiner of housing assignments, unit occupancy, and changes to assignments.

Private Bedrooms

In years where enrollment allows, the university may offer private bedrooms as an option. Private bedrooms can be granted in a residence hall room, a one-bedroom apartment, or a two-bedroom apartment. Private bedrooms are not guaranteed and are assigned based on earliest request submission or best lottery number when available. Private bedrooms are 150% of the standard rate. Students who are granted a private bedroom in a two-bedroom unit will have a roommate or roommates assigned to the other bedroom. Only the student in the private bedroom will receive the private bedroom rate. Students who request a private bedroom may cancel their request before they check in and receive their key. Requests for private bedroom cancellations after fall check-in will be accepted only if a mutual roommate is added to the room. Students who have already checked in for the fall can cancel their private bedroom for the spring semester. Once the spring semester is under way, students cannot cancel their private bedroom status unless there is a mutual roommate added to the room. Students who cancel their request should expect to have a roommate assigned with them. Students who feel they need a private bedroom as part of an accommodation should contact Accessibility and Disability Resources (ADR). Students who receive a recommendation from ADR to have a private bedroom will be charged the standard room rate. As private bedrooms fluctuate from year to year and semester to semester, excess furniture will remain in rooms.

Special Accommodations

Students requesting special campus housing accommodations due to a disability or an accessibility issue should contact APU’s Accessibility and Disability Resources (ADR). New students are encouraged to contact ADR early to avoid delays in receiving a housing assignment. Returning undergraduate students are encouraged to contact ADR early in the spring semester to be able to obtain an appropriate assignment for the following academic year.

Check-In and Check-Out

Students assigned to housing in a Campus Living Area will be sent an assignment notification with specific check-in instructions. Check-in for fall and spring typically takes place the weekend before the start of classes. Students who sign up for summer housing will typically move into their summer housing units after spring commencement. Students coming to campus early for athletics, music, drama, or other required on-campus activities should contact their group leader for more information. After check-in, a Room Condition Assessment (RCA) should be completed by the student within seven days to identify any preexisting damage to the assigned housing unit. Each student may submit their assessment online through home.apu.edu. There are two ways to check out of a housing assignment: verified checkouts, where a Resident Advisor (RA) inspects with the student present, and unverified checkouts, where the RA inspects after the student leaves. Students who choose the unverified method waive the ability to appeal charges. Students are personally responsible for turning in keys issued to them. Keys are to be returned to the Office of Residence Life in Engstrom Hall. Students are responsible for leaving the unit and/or personal space clean and shutting down utilities where applicable.