Housing Handbook

Residential Living Initiated Assignments
Students who are required to live on campus for the current or following academic year, who did not participate in the housing selection process or apply for housing during the Summer or Spring application process’, will be matched and housed into available vacancies by Residential Living professional staff.

Vacancy Filling

Students will be notified if a drop or switch occurs in your unit. All remaining residents of the space will have three (3) business days to name a replacement by emailing residentialliving@georgetown.edu with all current and requested roommate(s) copied on the email.

After three business days, the open bed will become available for Residential Living to use.

If this vacancy occurs during Phase 1 Housing Selection Process, this request can be done by the Group Sponsor, through Hoya Housing (see instructions for the PULL-IN process on the Selection Walkthrough page). After this three-day window, the vacancy will become available during Phase 2, if this vacancy occurs during the selection dates.

During the academic year, should Residential Living assign a student to your open bed, you will receive a 24-hour notice before the new resident is eligible to pick up a key and move in; this 24-hour notice does not apply in the summer. New matches are made based on the compatibility of the LPQ, age and class year. Students will be notified when a new resident is assigned with them.

Academic Year Room Switch
Once the academic year begins, and when the Room Switch Freeze is not in place (see below), students who wish to change rooms can submit the Room Switch application through Hoya Housing.

Room Switch Freeze Windows
For Fall Semester, the freeze is in place beginning the first week of August through the first two weeks of Fall semester. The Fall semester room switch application closes the first Monday in November.

For Spring Semester, the freeze will begin the first Monday of November through the first two weeks of Spring Semester. The spring semester room switch application closes the last Friday of classes.

Part-time Status

Students enrolled in 9 credits or more will be eligible to remain housed on campus. Should there become a demand for campus housing that exceeds capacity, students in a part-time status may be the first to be asked to relocate off campus.

Rising Seniors who are considering living on campus must first apply for Eligibility through the Fall Semester application process. Since we cannot guarantee housing to every senior, we must determine who is eligible for on-campus housing through the Eligibility application process.

Only students who sign up for and are granted Eligibility can participate in the 2024-2025 Housing Selection Process which takes place March – April of the Spring 2024 semester. Due to the first-come, first-serve process, seniors are no longer required to create groups. Please ensure that any desired rising senior roommates complete a Senior Eligibility application as soon as the application opens.

2024-25 Senior Eligibility Application

• Application opens: November 1, 2024
• Application closes: March 3, 2025. Late requests will be reviewed by emailing residentialliving@georgetown.edu.
• Applications are approved on a rolling first-come, first-serve basis up until 900 total seniors have been approved.

Who Should Apply for Eligibility

Any member of the class of 2026 who is considering living on campus in the 2025-2026 academic year must apply for eligibility.

• Current Junior transfer students
• Students considering applying for an RA position, and their roommates!
• Students considering studying abroad in the Fall 2025 semester
• ALL Athletes
• Students with accommodation housing needs
• Students planning on applying to a Living Learning Community
• Seniors graduating in December 2025 and want to live on campus for one semester

How Eligibility is Determined

Applications are approved on a rolling first-come, first-serve basis up until 900 total seniors have been approved. Requesting eligibility does not obligate one to live on campus. It just gives one the option of entering the housing selection process if granted eligibility.

IMPORTANT: If you receive eligibility and decide not to live on campus, you can decline your eligibility by emailing residentialliving@georgetown.edu.  Doing so will allow us to offer space to students on the waitlist. There is no cancellation fee for declining eligibility, unless the student was already assigned to a unit.

Four-year Guarantee

Students with high financial need, as determined by the Office of Student Financial Services, who apply for eligibility by the deadline, will be guaranteed Eligibility. Students who miss the Senior Eligibility application window will not be considered for the four-year guarantee.

Junior Swap has indefinitely been discontinued as a Residency Exemption option.

Accommodation Housing for People with Disabilities

Georgetown University is committed to making a reasonable effort to make appropriate adjustments that afford all students barrier free-access to University facilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Fair Housing Act. On the basis of a medical condition or disability, there is a process in place for requesting housing accommodations, including emotional support animals.

Important deadlines are posted on the Residential Living website and through emails to students. It is important to be in contact with the Academic Resource Center in advance of housing deadlines so that all requests can be carefully considered. If you have additional questions, contact ARChousing@georgetown.edu. While accommodation housing requests are continuously received, requests completed after the early action date are subject to housing availability. 

How does the process work?

1. All students who are requesting housing accommodations must complete the accommodation request form and supply documentation.
   • If a student is requesting the same accommodation that they received in the past, they do not need to submit additional documentation.
   • Students making accommodation requests with a dietary component must complete the Dining Accommodation Request Form (new window). Students may be referred to the Registered Dietitian in Dining Services for a consultation about meal plan options, depending on the request. 
2. The ARC reviews each individual’s form and documentation.
   • An ARC administrator may request to meet with a student if they have questions about a student’s request, or if they need additional information.
   • Upon completing their review, the ARC Housing team confirms the student’s accommodation 
   • The ARC Housing team notifies Residential Living staff of a student’s accommodation housing.
3. Students with accommodations have the opportunity to submit building and roommate(s) preferences. 
4. Residential Living staff notify residents of their housing assignments.
   • Residential Living and ARC staff meet weekly to review applications and assignment options. 

2025-26 Academic Year

• Application live: November 6, 2024 on ARC website
• RA Applicant Accommodation requests: January 10, 2025
• Group LLC Accommodation requests due: January 15, 2025
• Accommodation Housing Early Action Deadline: January 15, 2025

Students who apply and have accommodation housing documentation confirmed by ARC Housing by the early action deadline receive their 2025-26 assignment before Phase 1 of 2025-26 Housing Selection. This only applies to students living on campus for the Fall 2025 semester.

Details about the accommodation housing process can be reviewed on the Academic Resource Center’s website. 

Details about the accommodation process for people with disabilities can be reviewed on the Academic Resource Center’s website. 

Dietary Accommodations on the Basis of Disability

Georgetown is committed to supporting students’ health and well-being through on-campus dining options that promote access to a variety of healthy, fresh, and nutritious foods that meet students’ dietary needs. Georgetown requires all residential students to have a campus meal plan in order to support their on-campus living and learning success. Consistent access to a variety of nutritious foods is one of the foundations for successful learning and on-campus dining provides students with a source of community and shared experience. The University can meet the vast majority of students’ dining needs — including disability-related or religious dietary requirements — through its extensive dining options, or through reasonable accommodations. 

Students are eligible for reasonable accommodations if they have a disability, meaning a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Depending on the circumstances, this may include conditions such as severe allergies, gluten intolerance, diabetes, gastrointestinal conditions, etc. Students with qualifying religious observances may also receive dietary accommodations.For information on how to request dietary accommodations on the basis of disability or religion, please review the Georgetown University Dietary Accommodations Policy (new window).

Dietary Accommodations on the Basis of Religion

Students requesting accommodations to their meal plan due to religious practices must complete the Meal Plan Accommodation Request for Religious Considerations form. This form must be completed by the resident.

The Residency Exemption application for 2025-26 will be available via Hoya Housing starting at 12 PM ET (noon) on November 1, 2024 and closes at 12 PM ET (noon) on March 3, 2025. Late requests are not considered.

Members of the classes if of 2026, 2027, 2028 may apply for an exemption from living on campus for the 2025-26 academic year, if they meet one of the following criteria:

• Residing with parents, legal guardian, or immediate family (grandparent, sibling, aunt or uncle) who live within a commutable distance of the University. 50 person cap.
• Attainment of age 22 by the start of the fall semester
• Currently married
• Student’s dependent(s) resides with the student

To be approved, students must submit the Residency Requirement Exemption form and all accompanying documents online through the Hoya Housing application by the deadline.

Attention: rising juniors who will be coming back from abroad must apply for an exemption now; mid-year exemption requests are not accepted; plan ahead!

All residence hall bedrooms and apartments are assigned same-sex. However, residence hall floors are co-ed, unless specifically indicated to be single-sex. The Office of Residential Living is committed to finding safe and appropriate housing for students who self-identify as transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming on a case by case basis. For more information contact us at residentialliving@georgetown.edu and find more information from LGBT Resource Center.

Unavailable spaces
Some apartments, townhouses and residence hall rooms may not be available for selection as those spaces are held for Resident Assistants, athletic teams, Living Learning Communities, and students with medical accommodations. Final available spaces will be viewable by the Group Sponsor within the assigned selection time.

Junior & Senior Only Buildings

Nevils and townhouses are for rising junior and senior students only. The ability to live in this space is determined by the year you enter the university.

Apartments/townhouses with fewer than 4 occupants
Any two- or three-person apartments or townhouses are first reserved for medical accommodations.

Upperclass Single Rooms
Single rooms are located in Kennedy, LXR, McCarthy. A waitlist for rising seniors will be available after Phase 2 Selection for students who did not get to select a single but still want to be considered for one. To be added to this first-come, first-served waitlist, please email residentialliving@georgetown.edu.

Note: because single rooms operate on a first-come, first-served waitlist, students cannot pull-in a replacement for their single if they choose to switch or vacate at any time after they select into the space.

• 2025-2026 Single Room Waitlist

Triples in residence halls
A limited number of triple rooms are available for selection. Triple rooms are located in LXR, Kennedy, McCarthy. Students will be able to sign up in groups of three for that selection process. Students who select triple rooms as a double should expect a third person to be assigned to that space.

All Female Floors
LXR 5th floor is an upperclass building; Copley 5th floor is a first-year building. These floors are designated all-female floors with community bathrooms. There are no suites on the fifth floor of Copley Hall.

Arrupe Hall
The 4 and 6-person suites will be available in Phase 1. The few 2-person double rooms will be available in Phase 2.

Single-gender Floors

First-year single-gender floors are available. Locations of these floors may change based on the number of requests for this type of floor. Most residence hall floors are all co-ed. On co-ed floors, separate bathrooms for males and females are located on each floor.

You may request a single-gender floor when you complete your Living Preference Questionnaire, available in the Housing Application. Only students who select this option will be assigned to a single-gender floor. Students who request a roommate that did not select this option will not be assigned to a single-gender floor.

Housing Fair
The kick-off to the Housing Selection process is our annual Housing Fair. We recommend that you attend this early February event where you will have access to view floor plans, room layouts, speak with the building’s Community Directors, as well as current residents. A housing selection information session will also take place during the fair and other Residential Living staff members will be available to answer any of your specific housing questions.

The 2025-26 Housing Fair will be held in Healey Family Student Center in February – specific dates and times will be released November 2024.

The Housing Occupancy Agreement is available on your Hoya Housing page; a copy can be reviewed on our Forms & Documents page. You must electronically sign the HOA, provide your Emergency Contact Info and fill out the Living Preference Questionnaire as the first step in the application process. Carefully read the provisions of the Agreement to understand what you are signing, since you will be legally bound by the terms of this Agreement for the entire academic year (unless you go abroad for the fall or spring term). It contains the cancellation fees for terminating the Agreement after it has been signed.

To avoid paying a cancellation fee, seniors who want to drop their housing are permitted to exchange their Housing Agreement with another off-campus senior. The other student must not have signed an Agreement and must not be required to live on campus (first-year, sophomore or junior).

The Georgetown University community needs to be prepared for any emergency that might occur. Please be aware that it might be necessary in such an emergency to temporarily place one or more Georgetown students in your apartment or townhouse. These students would occupy either a vacant space or might need to occupy the living-room area until permanent housing arrangements can be made or the emergency can be resolved. We appreciate your cooperation if such a situation should occur.

These townhouse residences, 3517 and 3519 Prospect Street, have been designated for use as a potential isolation space in the event of an infectious public health need. Students assigned to or who select this residence will be required to vacate the space if required. In the event of such an emergency, students may be provided little to no notice to move but will be provided with assistance to relocate to available vacancies in campus housing. We appreciate your cooperation if such a situation should occur.

Room Switch Requests During the Academic Year

Students wishing to request a room switch during the academic year must meet with their Community Director. There is a room switch freeze in place during the first two weeks of the fall and spring semesters, as well as the last month of each semester. During room switch freeze periods, only emergency room changes can be made at the discretion of Residential Living staff. The Room Switch form will be open from September 13-November 15.

Students who believe they require a housing accommodation to meet a documented medical need must submit this request and supporting documentation to the Academic Resource Center in order to be considered for medical accommodations. Please find more information about this process on the Disabiltity Accommodation section of the website.

Important Note: that meal plan assignments for first-year and sophomore year students are linked with housing assignments.  A change in housing may result in an automatic change to your meal plan assignment, including the requirement of a meal plan when one was previously not required. First-year and sophomore students living residence hall assignments are required to be on a meal plan. Contact Auxiliary Business Services at auxiliary@georgetown.edu if you have questions regarding your meal plan.

2024-2025 Fall-to-Spring Room Switch Process

Spring 2024 Vacancy Filling Requests

Residents remaining in their same fall assignment for spring semester, who are anticipating a vacancy in their unit for Spring 2025, can request to fill that space by completing the Spring Vacancy Filling form, which is due by 12 PM ET (noon), Friday, November 1, 2024.

*Students who were granted Study Abroad Holds do not need to be requested, as their Hold has already guaranteed them a specific assignment.

*Requests must be mutual; Residential Living will honor requests where both parties have completed their required applications. New spring assignments will be confirmed, the first week of December.

Housing Cancellation
If you are a current senior planning to move off campus for the spring, the deadline to cancel housing, with a $1000 cancellation fee, is 12 pm ET (noon), Friday, November 1, 2024. After that date, students are responsible for the full spring semester room fee. To cancel your housing, please complete a Housing Drop form in Harbin 100.

Graduating Seniors & Withdraw from the University

There is no cancellation fee for students who will withdraw or graduate at the end of Fall 2024, however, you must complete a Housing Drop form available in the Office of Residential Living, Harbin 100. Please complete this form by 12 PM ET (noon) on November 1, 2024.

Georgetown University provides housing to undergraduates without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, age, color, disability, family responsibilities, familial status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, personal appearance, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, source of income, veteran’s status or any other factor prohibited by law in its educational programs and activities. Inquiries regarding Georgetown University’s non-discrimination policy may be emailed to ideaa@georgetown.edu and further information can be reviewed on the Institutional Diversity, Equity & Affirmative Action website.

The Office of Residential Living is committed to finding safe and appropriate housing for students who self-identify as transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming on a case by case basis. For more information contact us at residentialliving@georgetown.edu and find more information from LGBT Resource Center.

For housing accommodations that are not medical accommodation related, please contact residentialliving@georgetown.edu as soon as possible. This may include, but is not limited to; assistance with the remaining application processes or religious considerations. No specific request is guaranteed. Rather, accommodations are determined on an individualized basis and must be tailored to match the needs of the student after consulting with the appropriate campus partners. A good faith effort will be made to fulfill approved requests.

Housing Communications

Residential living will send all communication to student’s Georgetown email account. A copy of the correspondence may be found in the inbox of a student’s Hoya housing portal.

Any on-campus resident in need of a Proof of Residency letter can request one by filling out the Proof of Residency form on Hoya Housing.

Proof of Residency letters will be processed within three (3) business days.

Students can remain on campus during Thanksgiving, Spring and Easter Breaks and all three-day weekends.

During Winter Break, all students living in residence halls and apartments must vacate their residence. You will not be permitted back into your residence until Spring Semester opening.

EARLY MOVE-IN

Early move-in (August Transition Housing) is not available for Fall 2024 or Spring 2025, unless a student is sponsored by a Georgetown University Department for orientation purposes. Students cannot move in any earlier than the date outlined by Residential Living.

Fall-Only Study Abroad

If you are studying abroad in the fall, you will not be able to participate in Housing Selection. If there are conditions for approval, the student will not be dropped from housing selection or the room assignment until the Office of Global Education (OGE) notifies us the conditions have been cleared.  

Spring 2025 Housing

Beginning in September, you will need to complete a housing application in Hoya Housing. Applications must be submitted by 12 PM (noon), Friday, November 1, 2024 for first consideration. If you would like to live in an LLC you must also send an email livinglearning@georgetown.edu so we can direct your request to the advisor for the LLC you’re interested in; applications will be accepted based on availability.

If you are looking to fill a specific vacancy:

• Have the resident(s) who will be remaining in the unit spring semester, submit the Spring Vacancy Filling form, also due 12 PM (noon), Friday, November 1, 2024
• Only continuing residents of a unit may request students to fill vacancies. Students cannot request to fill into completely vacant apartments.

Spring 2025 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, apartments or townhouses. 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.

Students approved for Fall-only Study Abroad Holds:
Students who received a fall-only study abroad 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 2025 Accommodation Housing

Students returning from a study abroad program who have accommodation housing for the spring 2025 semester, will be assigned in the order their accommodation housing was received and confirmed by the ARC Housing team. If you have not applied yet, be sure to complete the application as soon as possible here.

January 2025 Transition

If you are studying abroad in the spring, 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 the 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.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you intended to live off campus for the spring semester, you must apply for a Residency Exemption by the February deadline; we do not accept mid-year residency exemption requests.

Non-Office of Global Education Programs 

Students studying abroad in a non-OGE program or 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.

Study Abroad FAQs

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 OGE 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 Harbin 104 Key Room 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.

Students confirmed to go abroad for Fall 2024 will not participate in the 2024-2025 housing selection process.

The Office of Global Education (OGE) will notify The Office of Residential Living when students are selected to study abroad for fall or full-year programs. Students who have been accepted to study abroad for fall or full-year programs will not be able to participate in Housing Selection. Students with a pending study abroad approval will not be prevented from going through selection and will only be dropped from housing when a final approval is sent from OGE.

Students who will be studying abroad for fall semester can apply for a study abroad hold.  The application for this hold option will be available on Hoya Housing during the dates posted below. On the application a student will request one of the three options:

Fall-only Study Abroad Hold
This allows the student approved to go through Housing Selection and select a space with their requested roommates. After selection Residential Living will move this assignment over to the spring semester, and then during our summer assignment process, assign a fall-only international student.

Study Abroad Hold Application:

The Office of Residential Living will determine, based on fall housing demands, the number of Study Abroad holds we can allow. The number is subject to change from year to year. All applications received during the dates posted above will be considered.

Applications are randomly sorted. Selection points and class year are not considered for this process. A maximum of two holds are allowed for apartments and suites.

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

1. Complete a Housing Drop form in Harbin 100
2. Vacate your campus residence within 48 hours of withdrawing from the University:
   1. 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.
   2. Return your key to Harbin 104 Key Room. Do not return the key to your RA or Community Director. Failure to return they can result in a $200 non-returned key fine.

We will conduct an inspection of your residence after you leave to determine if any damage charges need assessment.

Refunds are prorated based on this schedule (Note that this differs from the tuition refund
schedule). Important: refunds correspond to the date you vacate the residence and return your key:

From registration thru 2nd week: 90% of semester housing charge
3rd or 4th week: 80% of semester housing charge
5th or 6th week: 70% of semester housing charge
7th or 8th week: 50% of semester housing charge
9th week: 40% of semester housing charge
After 9th week: No refund

Auxiliary Business Services will remove the meal plan after registration has been terminated.  The meal plan refund will be applied to your student account. Meal plan refunds are calculated according to the specific plan you have on your account. Refunds are prorated based on this schedule (Note that this differs from the tuition refund schedule).

• Carte Blanche or weekly plan: Prorated charge based on the meal plan start date and the date the request is being processed on.
• Block plans: Charges based on the meals already used.
• *Flex dollars are non-refundable; the charge will remain on the account.*

Returning from a Leave

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

Housing considerations for students returning from a leave:

• Per the University’s guidelines on returning from leave, “Students who have been granted a leave of absence from the University, if eligible, must apply to their Academic Dean for re-admission and submit all materials by November 1 for consideration for the spring semester, April 1 for the summer sessions, and June 30 for the fall semester.  The following describes the different types of leaves students may be granted.” Further details of the return from leave process can be reviewed under the Academic Regulations webpage.
• There is a three year housing requirement, however time on leave may count toward that requirement.  The Office of Residential Living will make that determination.
• Students are not guaranteed a specific room or apartment.
• Students who selected a room or left a fall assignment are not guaranteed that space upon their return.
• Students who might need a medical accommodation should also contact the Academic Resource Center at medicalhousing@georgetown.edu.

Leave of Absence FAQs

What do I do with my room key when I leave?

You must return your room key to the Harbin 104 Key Room 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