Authorization to Live Off Campus

The University’s commitment to residential education requires that the Office of Housing and Residential Education provide housing for as many students as it can physically accommodate. All unmarried undergraduate students, except those who live with their parents or legal guardians in Davidson County, are required to live on-campus during the academic year, May session and summer sessions. Authorization to live off-campus is granted at the discretion of the Director of Housing Assignments in special situations or when space is unavailable on campus. Students seeking suitable furnishings or accommodations due to a disability, medical condition, or psychological condition or for some other reason should schedule an appointment with the Director of Housing Assignments between January 30th and February 10th, 2013.

All students who want to request authorization to live off-campus for the 2013-2014 academic year must first apply for housing onlinebetween February 6 and 12, 2013. Students wishing to request off-campus authorization must first apply for on-campus housing. Students who currently have off-campus authorization must apply for re-authorization each year.

If off-campus authorization is granted, the housing contract will be declared void. If off-campus authorization is denied, the housing contract will be processed, and the $200.00 housing deposit will be charged to the student’s account. If off-campus authorization is denied, pre-printed copied of the housing contract will be mailed to the student for participation in the on-campus selection processes.

Off-campus authorization decisions will be announced on February 16, 2013. Students granted off-campus authorization have until 4:30pm, Tuesday, February 28th, 2013 to change their minds and go through the on-campus housing assignment process. Students declining off-campus authorization after this deadline will lose a point of seniority in the housing assignment process and will not be allowed to reserve their current space.

Priority for Consideration

In accordance with recommendations of VSG, off-campus requests will be prioritized as follows:

1. Those students currently living off-campus have first priority for authorization to live off campus.
2. Students who will be entering their fourth (or greater) year of study in the Fall Semester of 2013 have second priority for authorization to live off campus, followed by students entering their third year.

Academic Standing

Academic standing is NOT a factor in determining priority for consideration for authorization to live off campus.

Students in the two priority categories above should understand that their priority is contingent upon their completed on-line housing applications and off-campus requests being received by 6:00pm, February 12, 2013.

This year we expect that about 1,050 students will be approved for off-campus living. We will consider requests for off-campus authorization from rising seniors, juniors, and sophomores.

In all cases, students wishing to live off-campus for 2013-2014 academic year should not commit themselves in any way (through promises, deposits, or by signing leases) to off-campus housing until they have been officially notified of the approval of their requests by the Director of Housing Assignments. Having signed a lease for off-campus accommodations does not exempt a student from the University’s residential requirement.

Prohibited Properties!

Undergraduate students authorized to live off campus may not live in certain properties off campus. All students authorized to live off campus should check the list of prohibited properties before signing leases. The current list of probihibited properties can be found at  www.vanderbilt.edu/ResEd/DoNotRent .