Room Cancellation Policy

General Housing Cancellation Policy Information

Residential Life allows students to cancel their housing agreement should they choose not to live in residential life managed housing. Below is information about our cancellation policy and dates to follow in the Fall and Spring semesters.

Signing Your Housing Contract Agreement

In signing your housing contract, you are committing to Residential Life Managed Housing for the entire academic year (both fall and spring semesters). Students who submit a housing application will be provided a housing placement. We do not guarantee building locations, room types, room rates, or roommates.

Absent exigent circumstances, the following reasons are not valid bases upon which approval to cancel this Agreement: dissatisfaction with location of assigned room; roommate disputes; vacancies left by roommates/suitemates; or, desire to live off campus (non-Office of Residential Life Managed Housing).

Submission of a request for cancellation does not guarantee release from the Agreement. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Office of Residential Life, which has the exclusive authority and discretion to grant a request for cancellation.

Cancellation of Contracts for the 2023-2024 Academic Year:

1. Students may cancel their housing Contract, for any reason, by Friday, March 31, 2023. This applies to students participating in and are assigned housing during the Spring Housing Selection Process.
2. Students who cancel their housing Contract, for any reason, between April 1 and June 14 will be assessed a $500 cancellation fee.
3. Contracts are issued for the full academic year, and cancellation requests received on or after June 15, 2023 will not be permitted, except for those individuals who decide not to attend the University. As described above, this Contract is a 9-month financial commitment for both the Fall and Spring semesters. Only cancellations for students who are approved by their School to withdraw from the University, take a leave of absence, or defer their enrollment (collectively, “School-approved leaves”) will be permitted and must be approved by Residential Life.
4. Cancellation fees are applicable, as described below. 
   1. Students must submit a Request for Cancellation of the Contract by filing a Room Cancellation Request (form available on WebSTAC through the Wash U Housing Portal). Submission of the request does not guarantee a release from the Contract.
   2. Please note the housing cancellation deadlines and related fees are non-negotiable. Cancellation fees are applied equally according to the published schedule and are never waived or applied to other balances.
   3. For students whose cancellation requests are approved by the University, the cancellation fee will be assessed as follows:
      1. For the fall semester:
         • If the request is received on or prior to June 14, 2023: $500 cancellation fee.
         • Cancellations for School-approved leaves received after June 15, 2023: $500 cancellation fee.
      2. For the spring semester – (only new applications)
         • If the request is received on or prior to December 31, 2023: $500 cancellation fee.
         • Cancellations for School-approved leaves received on or after January 1, 2024: $500 cancellation fee.
5. The following reasons are generally not grounds for cancelling the Contract: roommate disputes, dissatisfaction with or location of assigned room, vacancies left by roommates/suitemates, dropping below full or part-time status, or desire to live off-campus (non- Residential Life Managed housing).
6. Prorated refunds of room and board charges will be made to students whose cancellation requests are approved if they vacate their room by October 15, 2023 for Fall semester and March 15, 2024 for Spring semester. The prorated funds shall be returned to the student less the $500.00 cancellation fee. Any student whose cancellation is approved and who vacates their room after October 15, or March 15 will be charged for the entire semester.

 

Cancellation of Contracts for the 2022-2023 Academic Year:

1. Students may cancel their housing Contract, for any reason, by Thursday, April 14th, 2022. This applies to students participating in and are assigned housing during the Spring Housing Selection Process.
2. Students who cancel their housing Contract, for any reason, between April 15 and June 15 will be assessed a $500 cancellation fee.
3. Contracts are issued for the full academic year, and cancellation requests received after June 15, 2022  will not be permitted, except for those individuals who decide not to attend the University. As described above, this Contract is a 9-month financial commitment for both the Fall and Spring semesters. Only cancellations for students who are approved by their School to withdraw from the University, take a leave of absence, or defer their enrollment (collectively, “School-approved leaves”) will be permitted and must be approved by Residential Life.
4. Cancellation fees are applicable, as described below. 
   1. Students must submit a Request for Cancellation of the Contract by filing a Room Cancellation Request (form available on WebSTAC through the Wash U Housing Portal). Submission of the request does not guarantee a release from the Contract.
   2. Please note the housing cancellation deadlines and related fees are non-negotiable. Cancellation fees are applied equally according to the published schedule and are never waived or applied to other balances.
   3. For students whose cancellation requests are approved by the University, the cancellation fee will be assessed as follows:
      1. For the fall semester:
         • If the request is received by June 15, 2022: $500 cancellation fee.
         • Cancellations for School-approved leaves received after June 15, 2022: $500 cancellation fee.
      2. For the spring semester – (only new applications)
         • If the request is received by January 1, 2023: $500 cancellation fee.
         • Cancellations for School-approved leaves received after January 1, 2023: $500 cancellation fee.
5. The following reasons are generally not grounds for cancelling the Contract: roommate disputes, dissatisfaction with or location of assigned room, vacancies left by roommates/suitemates, dropping below full or part-time status, or desire to live off-campus (non- Residential Life Managed housing).
6. Prorated refunds of room and board charges will be made to students whose cancellation requests are approved if they vacate their room by October 15, 2022 for Fall semester and March 15, 2023 for Spring semester. The prorated funds shall be returned to the student less the $500.00 cancellation fee. Any student whose cancellation is approved and who vacates their room after October 15, or March 15 will be charged for the entire semester.

Submitting a Cancellation Request:

All requests for cancellations of the Agreement shall be made by filing a Room Cancellation Request (form available on WebSTAC through the WashU Housing Portal).

1. Log into your WebSTAC account
2. From the top navigation, hover over the housing tab and select WashU Housing Portal
3. From your WashU Housing Portal, select request forms
4. From the selection of request forms, select room cancellation
5. Choose the appropriate contract cancellation and complete the remaining steps.

*In selecting your reasoning, please choose the most applicable from the options available.