Studying Abroad & Leave of Absence

The Office of Global Education (OGE) will notify The Office of Residential Living when students are selected to study abroad. Students who have been accepted will not be able to participate in the Housing Selection Process. If there are conditions for approval, the student will not be dropped from housing selection or the room assignment until OGE notifies us the conditions have been cleared.  

Spring Housing

Beginning in September, you will request housing through the Housing Application in Hoya Housing. Applications must be submitted in early November for first consideration. If you would like to live in an LLC you must email residentialliving@georgetown.edu; applications will be accepted based on space available. 

If you are looking to fill a specific vacancy:

• Have the resident(s) who will be remaining in the unit spring semester, submit the Vacancy Filling form, also due in early November.
• Only continuing residents of a unit may request students to fill vacancies. Students cannot request to fill into completely vacant apartments.

Spring Housing Assignment Process

Applications will be randomly ordered; assignments will be prioritized based on this order and mutual roommate requests.  While we will make every effort to assign students to one of their top requests, we cannot guarantee vacancies will occur in those rooms or apartments. Some students make arrangements with other students to hold space for them while abroad. These agreements are made between students and are not enforced by the Office of Residential Living. By submitting a request for spring housing, we will assign you to a vacancy, regardless of whether it was one of your preferences. Students who request a Fall-to-Spring Room Switch will only be reassigned if they can identify a specific building/room space; we will not move a student to a new spring space if they cannot self-identify a space.

Study Abroad Holds
Students who received a study abroad or fall-only hold, DO NOT need to apply for spring housing. Their assignments have already been confirmed and Hoya Housing will be updated with this information the first week of December. 

Spring Medical Accommodation Request

Students returning from a study abroad program who require medical housing for the spring semester, please follow the process outlined here: Academic Resource Center. Completed requests (application and submission of documentation) are due by the end of October. Requests received after that will not be reviewed until after the start of the spring 2018 semester.

Spring Transition Housing

Students returning from a study abroad program may request to arrive early to campus in January. You will be able to submit this request in December, when you receive your assignment.

The Office of Global Education (OGE) will notify The Office of Residential Living when students are selected to study abroad. Students going abroad in the spring semester, including students who live in townhouses, must remove all of their belongings before winter break. Students who still have conditionals on their study abroad plans but are certain they will be cleared must remove their belongings from their residence.

Students will not have access to their former residence after the close of the fall semester. All students moving out at the end of the fall semester must return their key at the end of the fall semester. Failure to return the key will result in a $200 non-returned key fee and lock change. We will conduct an inspection of your vacated space and assess damages.

Selecting Housing While Abroad

Students studying abroad will be able to participate in the housing selection process. In order to participate, the student will need to have access to the internet. The Office of Residential Living will send an email to study abroad students in the fall to remind students of the Eligibility process for rising seniors. Students studying abroad in the spring will continue to receive email updates regarding the housing selection process conducted in the spring semester. It is the student’s responsibility to keep up with the Housing Selection dates. Exceptions to deadline will not be made because of lack of knowledge about deadline dates.

Students who wish to select housing as part of a group will need to obtain their groups selected name and password from the Group Sponsor. You will need to add yourself to this group via your Hoya Housing page and complete your HOA, LPQ and emergency contacts. The Group Sponsor will go in at a later date and select the room and bed space for you.

Non-Office of Global Education Programs 

Students studying abroad in a non-OGE program, taking a leave of absence through their academic dean, should fill out a Housing Drop form available from the Office of Residential Living. Once we receive verification from the Registrar’s Office, the student will be dropped from housing

Do I have to notify the Office of Residential Living that I am confirmed to go abroad? 
No. Global Education (OGE) will notify the Office of Residential Living of your confirmation. We will contact you letting you know we have received notification of your plans to study abroad.

I have a conditional nomination. Can I participate in the housing selection process until my abroad plans are finalized? 
Yes. Residential Living will be notified of your study abroad status by Global Education. Once your conditions have been cleared, you will then be dropped from your assignment.

What do I do if I will be abroad with a non-Global Education program? 
Students studying abroad in non-OGE programs will take a leave of absence through their Dean. Students should fill out a Housing Drop form in the Office of Residential Living. Once we receive verification from the Registrar’s Office, the student will be dropped from housing.

Will I be financially responsible for breaking the Housing Occupancy Agreement to study abroad? 
No, students who study abroad are dropped from housing without financial penalty.

When will I be dropped from my housing assignment? 
You will be dropped from housing when we are notified by OIP that your plans to study abroad are confirmed. We will contact you letting you know we have received notification of your plans. If your plans are uncertain, you can request not be dropped from housing until you are sure.

If I’m studying abroad in Spring, what do I do with my room key when I leave? 
You must return your room key to the RHO before you leave campus. Failure to return your room key will result in a $200 charge.

If I’m studying abroad in Spring, can I store my belongings in the room over the break and move-out in January? 
No. Students must vacate their room/apartment by closing. You must remove all belongings before winter break.

If you take a leave at any time during the academic year, please follow these steps:

1. Complete a Housing Drop form, available in Harbin 100
2. Vacate your campus residence within 48 hours of withdrawing from the University
3. Remove all personal belongings from your residence; items may not be stored in your room. Items found to be left behind will be removed and a $200 removal fee will be assessed.
4. Return your key to the RHO or the Office of Residential Living. Do not return the key to your RA or Community Director. Failure to return they can result in a $200 non-returned key fine.
5. We will conduct an inspection of your residence after you leave to determine if any damage charges need assessment.

If you are returning from a leave of absence, you must initiate your request to live on campus. Please contact residentialliving@georgetown.edu for more information

What do I do with my room key when I leave?
You must return your room key to the RHO before you leave campus. Failure to return your room key will result in a$100 charge.

Can I store my belongings in the room over winter break and move-out in January?
No. Students must vacate their room/apartment by closing. You must remove all belongings before the break

Are there completely vacant apartments available for the spring semester?
In very rare circumstances, full apartments will become available in the spring. Students are welcome to request full apartments; however, they should also submit alternative filling requests in the event our office cannot accommodate their primary living preferences.

How do I select housing for the next academic year during fall selection?
The Office of Residential Living will contact you in September with information about housing selection for the next academic year. You will proceed with Housing Selection as if you are on campus. If you are planning to apply for housing with someone who is on campus for the fall semester, it may be easiest to have that person in charge of completing the selection process, especially considering time zone differences and availability of reliable internet service.

When will I be notified of my spring housing assignment?
Our office notifies students of their spring assignment by mid-December.