Yes, if you are not subject to the Mandatory Housing Policy. Check the policy for a full explanation, but in general, international students in their first and second year of college will live on-campus unless there is a special circumstance as outlined in the policy.

Students coming into Rowan as freshman and sophomores should generally expect to live on campus.
Students coming into Rowan as juniors or seniors have the option to live on- or off-campus.
Students earning their Masters or Doctoral degrees should generally expect to live off-campus.

Glassboro has been home to Rowan University for a century now, so there are plenty of accommodations that make sense for college students. College students usually rent in a group together; apartments can generally accommodate 1-3 people and rental houses can accommodate 3+ people and larger groups.

A lease is a legally-enforceable contract between a tenant and landlord that gives a tenant the right to live in a property for a fixed period of time. Different portions of the lease protect your rights as a tenant while other parts of the lease protect your landlord’s rights as a property owner. Both you and your landlord are bound by this lease and either party could be legally penalized if the lease is broken.

If you are living off-campus, you will almost always sign a lease prior to moving into your off-campus living accommodation. That lease exists only between the parties who have signed the document; Rowan University is not a part of any off-campus student housing lease.

Additionally, the State of New Jersey provides this “Truth in Renting” document designed to help tenants find useful information when renting.

As soon as you know definitively that you’ll be coming to Rowan University. It is common for off-campus housing leases to be signed up to 1-6 months before the start of your classes.

It is not reasonable to start searching for an off-campus housing accommodation after you arrive in the United States in August. Leases typically take some time to sign and become active at the beginning of a calendar month. Students who wait until August to start their search typically do not find many available housing accommodations, if any. It is important for you to start searching for off-campus accommodations before arriving in the United States.

This website gives all the details about how you might be released from your campus housing contract.

As a general rule, you should not expect to move out of your campus housing accommodation in the middle of the semester. Without a special circumstance or hardship, students should expect to reside in their campus housing accommodation throughout the duration of their housing contract.

Unfortunately, yes. If you have not gotten released from your campus housing contract, you should not sign an off-campus lease. See this website that details how to be released from your campus housing accommodation.

Off-campus housing accommodations are privately owned by landlords and property managers, so prices do vary quite a bit. Rent prices are typically advertised on rental listings online, so you will likely have an idea of payment before you contact a property manager. Your total rent payment must be detailed on the lease that you sign with your landlord. If you do not know or were not told the price of your rent, do not sign your lease until you know.

Additionally, there are other utility costs that come with renting off-campus. Often, heating, gas, electricity, municipal water service, municipal sewer service, and internet access are not included in the cost of rent. Some of these charges vary with usage, so the specific price per month will change. Expectations for each of these will be outlined in a lease agreement and your landlord will have a sense of how much these things will cost.

Be sure to factor these costs in when weighing your living options. It is possible that the price of rent seems cheaper than it will be if you do not factor in utility costs.

OSCR is happy to share options and apartment listings, but your lease agreement is a private legal contract between you and a property owner. Additionally, Rowan can connect you with area landlords and property managers who may be able to help you move into one of their accommodations. OCSR cannot help you secure an accommodation, nor can Rowan act as a party on your behalf on a lease agreement.

Signing a lease protects you as a tenant. If you are living in a space without a lease, you are doing so without the protection of that agreement. If a landlord expects you to pay rent without having signed a lease, this is cause for concern and should be reported to Rowan University Off-Campus Services & Resources.

Before signing a lease, you will have to fill out an application and supply important documents. The property manager or agent must approve your application and then the landlord must then accept your offer.

In general, subletting is when someone who is paying to rent a space wants to rent that space to a new resident. Subletting is not allowed on many student leases. If someone you know offers to add you on an existing lease, or allows you to “take their spot” in a rental property, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are living there legally and within the bounds of the lease agreement. A good way to do this is to check with the landlord or property manager themselves and the existing tenants that currently live there

Failure to do so may mean that you are residing in a space without the protection of a lease agreement and illegally squatting.

This is ultimately a question for your specific landlord. It is possible to break a lease with the consent of all parties who signed. It is also possible that your landlord disallows you from breaking the lease early, or allows you to find a replacement tenant for an additional fee. Check the lease that you signed to get specific information.