Housing Release Request

General Housing Release Guidelines

We know that each student and their family have unique circumstances that impact their ability to remain enrolled and to live in on-campus housing. In some cases, financial, medical, or other hardships may require a student to cancel their housing. Before the beginning of the semester, students may be released from their housing contract without restrictions, subject to eligibility under the mandatory housing policy.  

After a student has taken occupancy of their residential space, or after the official move-in date for the academic term, a release of the contract is not approved without proof of hardship. The student must submit a Housing Release Request and provide documentation of a personal, medical, or financial hardship in writing. Housing Releases during this period are subject to the fees and pro-rated refund schedule detailed in the contract/license agreement. The first $500 of fees paid for the term are not refundable.​

Important Considerations:

1. Submission of a housing release request and moving out of an active housing assignment does not automatically result in a housing cancellation.

2. A release from the Student Housing Contract will only be granted if it is determined that the current circumstances are significantly different from when it went into effect and the situation cannot be relieved by a room change or utilization of campus resources (i.e. housing accommodation). If the situation can be relieved in this way a Student Housing Contact Release Request will be denied.

3. When submitting documents to support a release request, it is essential to ensure that they are directly related to the request and provide relevant information in a concise and clear manner. The documentation should be structured in a way that makes it easy to understand the purpose and context of the request. Additionally, it is recommended to highlight essential details within the document, such as key insights or relevant data, to ensure they are easily identifiable to the reader.

4. A Student Housing Contract Release request must be initiated by the resident. Parents or other involved persons may provide letters of support and written documentation, but these items will not initiate the petition process.

Financial Hardship: In order to request a release from their housing contract, students must provide evidence of unforeseen financial changes that have occurred since they accepted the terms and conditions. Simply finding cheaper off-campus housing is not sufficient grounds for a release. Residential Learning & University Housing will work with Financial Aid to verify that students have explored all available resources before considering a release. If it is determined that a lower-cost on-campus room can address the student's needs, a room change may be offered as an alternative to a release. Example documentation can include a letter from a family member, financial documents, or an employment termination document.

Personal Hardship: In the instance where a student encounters a personal hardship that necessitates them moving back home or off campus. A personal hardship may be defined as the passing of an immediate family member or the diagnosis of a severe or life-threatening illness of an immediate family member. Documentation is required to support the family’s situation other situations where a student and/or their family feel it is necessary for a student to move home or off campus will be considered on an individual basis and with documentation

Medical or Accommodation Related: Residential Learning & University Housing does not review or make accommodation decisions for students. Students who believe they have a disability-related need, including a medical need, that impacts residing in University housing should request an accommodation through the Office of Accessibility Services -Housing Accommodation Request Process or submit medical documentation to the Wellness Center via their student health portal. No medical documentation should be submitted to Residential Learning or University Housing.

In order to proceed with the request for the release of housing, please provide your signature at the bottom of the document. Your signature will serve as confirmation of the start of your release request. If you have any questions please reach out to Residential Learning & University Housing at housingquestions@rowan.edu.

To submit a Housing Release Request Form, the student should complete the following steps:

1. Log onto Banner Self-Service  www.rowan.edu/selfservice
2. Click on the student tab and then MyHousing 
3. Under the “Housing Applications & Forms” tab at the top, select Housing Request Release Form (Choose the term you need).
4. Review the Release Request information and sign the form
5. Respond to the questions and upload any documentation supporting your request
6. Click Continue

Supporting Documentation

After submitting the Housing Release Request, the student may be asked to provide documentation for consideration regarding their cancellation request. The decision to approve or deny the request to cancel will be based on the information the student provides regarding their circumstances, as well as any supporting documentation provided.

Supporting documentation may vary on a case-by-case basis, depending on the reason for the request to cancel.  For example, if a student is citing financial hardship, the RLUH office may ask for documentation that shows a change in a student’s ability to pay their bill. For a cancelation based on medical reasons, documentation from a healthcare provider would be requested.

Approval/Denial – Checking Out

If a student's housing release request is approved, the RLUH office will notify that student via their Rowan email address with further instructions on moving out of campus housing. Please note that any pro-rated refund is based on the date that the student moves out of their assigned space. The student will be billed the nightly rate until they have properly checked out of their space.

If a student's request is denied, the RLUH office will notify the student via their Rowan email address and offer the opportunity for the submission of more supporting documents. Typically, the RLUH office will also offer room change options or other supportive resources.

Housing Release Fees

After the deadline, release from the contract is subject to the following fees:

Fall Housing Release

 Spring Housing Release

Questions? 

If you have questions regarding the housing release process, contact us at  housingquestions@rowan.edu or by phone at 856-256-4266.