Residency Requirements

On This Page
How to Apply for an Exemption
How to Apply for Commuter Status
Associated Fees & Charges
Meal Plan Consideration

Housing Exemption Application

Freshmen and sophomores who are enrolled as full-time (12 credits) undergraduates or Stockbridge students are required to live on campus and are automatically billed for room and board.

Any student who does not fall under the category of being required is not guaranteed housing. This includes students who are projected to be a junior (57+ credits) for the Fall 2007 semester. If a student is not required and does not live on-campus, they may apply for on-campus beginning on July 27th. If a student is not required but lives on campus, they will be able to retain housing provided that they follow the on-time deadlines for reserving an assignment for Fall 2007.

You are exempt from the residency requirement if you are:

• a junior, senior or graduate student
• a married, divorced, or separated student who has notified the Housing Assignment Office (HAO) of your status
• a parent of dependent children who has provided documentation to the HAO
• a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces who has submitted a DD214 for to the HAO
• a sophomore who is a member of an approved sorority or fraternity who has submitted a Greek Card to the HAO
• a commuting student living with your parent(s) or court-appointed guardian(s) within a 40-mile radius of the Amherst campus who has filed a Commuter Card at the HAO

How to Apply for a Housing Exemption

The Housing Exemption Committee meets on the third Friday of each month to review requests for housing exemption. Requests are considered from students who complete an Housing Exemption Application indicating a compelling reason for their request and providing appropriate supporting documentation. Within this, the student must compose a personal statement explaining why on-campus housing does not meet their needs, which should be at least one page in length. Decisions are made based on such criteria as supporting medical documentation, severity of circumstance, and quality of written request.

Applications received by the Thursday before the third Friday of the month will be reviewed on the third Friday of the month. Applications received after 5:00pm that Thursday will not be reviewed until the next cycle. Please visit the assignment calendar for exact dates of upcoming committee meetings. A decision letter is mailed to the student the following Monday after committee review. Applications may be mailed, faxed, or hand delivered to the Housing Assignment Office, 235 Whitmore Administration Building.; fax number 413-545-1241.

Please Note: If an exemption application is approved, you will become a non-required student. Any reserved assignment/preference application will be cancelled. You are NOT guaranteed on-campus housing if your plans for off-campus housing change. Therefore, if you are planning to submit an exemption, be certain that your off-campus plans are secure.

How to Apply for Commuter Status

Who Qualifies as a Commuter?
A commuter is defined as a required student (freshman or sophomore) who is living at home with a parent or legal-guardian within 40 miles of the campus.

All freshman and sophomore students commuting from home must file a commuter card at the Housing Assignment Office. The commuter card must be submitted each academic year. The submission of a commuter card will cancel the student’s requirement of living on campus and remove the base room fee and telecommunications fee from your bill. The submission of a commuter card to cancel a housing assignment is subject to the cancellation fee schedule.

Associated Fees and Charges

Students who apply for a housing exemption or commuter status are subject to cancellation fees and a rent refund based on the Housing Refund Schedule. The date of cancellation is based on the date the exemption application or commuter card is received by the Housing Assignment Office.

For additional information, contact the Housing Assignment Office at (413) 545-2100.

Meal Plan Consideration

If you receive a housing exemption or commuter status, you have the option of keeping or canceling your meal plan. For more information, contact the Meal Plan Office at 545-1362.

Note: Your meal plan is NOT automatically canceled when you receive a housing exemption or commuter status.