Mandatory Housing Policy Rationale

The Mandatory Housing Policy was instituted for the benefit of students. Students who live on campus benefit from the facilities and resources that support students' success during their first year and throughout their entire college experience. Additionally, research and experience tell us that students who live on campus:

• develop a greater sense of belonging;
• find it easier to form friendships;
• participate more in student organizations;
• develop stronger connections to faculty;
• increase their awareness of diversity; and,
• are more likely to complete a degree within four years.

Mandatory Housing Policy - First and Second Year Students

Full-time, unmarried undergraduates under age 21 with fewer than 58 credits are required to live in University Housing unless they will be commuting from a parent or guardian’s home within 40 miles of the Rowan campus.

Students are exempt from the mandatory housing requirement in the following circumstances:

1. The student states he/she will commute from that parent or guardian's residence and that the residence is located within 40 miles of the campus;
2. The student is over the age of 21 at the start of the academic term during which the policy would otherwise require the student to live in a university residence;
3. The student is married or part of a legal domestic partnership;
4. The student has completed 58 or more credit hours at Rowan University or another accredited college or university;
5. The student has resided in campus housing for at least 4 semesters;
6. The credits the student is enrolled in are at least 50% online.

Students who plan to commute must complete the Mandatory Housing Waiver found in "My Housing" under your "Student Tab" on Banner Self-service.  Please see the directions below to complete and submit. 

Registration holds will be enforced on students who do not file for commuter status or apply for housing by applicable deadlines each academic year.

By Board of Trustees resolutions, students who fail to comply with the on-campus residence requirement will be required to move into a residence hall and pay full room rent for the semester in which the violation occurs. Students who refuse to move will be suspended from Rowan University. 

Mandatory Housing Waiver

First-year and sophomore students who believe they are exempt from the Mandatory Housing Policy must submit the Mandatory Housing Waiver to request commuter status from the Office of Residential Learning and University Housing. 

Directions to complete the Mandatory Housing Waiver Form:

• Log into https://go.rowan.edu/myhousing/
• Click on "Housing Applications & Forms"
• Select the “Fall 202X-Spring 202X Housing Intention Form”
• Select “Request Mandatory Housing Waiver (Requesting to live off-campus for those who fall under mandatory housing policy)” as the answer to the housing intention question and complete the remainder of the questions in this application.
• Upon successful completion of the form, you will receive a confirmation email to your Rowan email address