Residency Requirement

As a residential college, it is Cornell's policy to require all students to live in college-owned campus housing for the equivalent of eight fall and spring semesters.

Below are non-exhaustive examples of criteria when a student will be charged housing and dining for the full semester each semester. Students who:

• Are required to live on campus per the terms of the residency policy
• Select a room for a semester during the room selection process
• Are in housing three or more Blocks a semester

The student housing agreement

A signed student housing agreement is required for all students living in college-owned housing. The agreement allows students to indicate the length of their housing needs, allows returning students to participate in the room selection process, and reserve a space for them on campus. Students who fail to sign an agreement but are not eligible for an exception will be assigned the default agreement length: full academic year.

This agreement cannot be terminated early except for exceptions to the residency policy and reasons listed within the agreement. 

Summer housing has its own terms.

Housing for part-time or continuing education students

Students not required to live on campus yet wish to do so may be eligible for housing provided they are a registered student during the semester they are wanting housing and provided space remains in College housing. Billing is based on full Blocks only, and so a student who moves in or out in the middle of a Block will be charged housing and dining for the entire Block. Check the agreement for current lengths available.

Traveling off campus for extended periods

Students who otherwise are not exempt from the residency policy may be eligible to sign a housing agreement for only one semester if for their other semester they will be away from campus for two or more Blocks in a single semester. For example, students studying abroad, engaging in an internship far away, studying at another college's campus, or anticipating withdrawing for a semester may be exempt. Contact our office to discuss your situation.

Exceptions to the residency policy

Students requesting exemption from the residency requirement must complete a residency policy exception request (PDF). Exceptions to the residency policy start with the Residence Life Office and may include coordinating with other offices.

Deadlines 

Current students: All exceptions to the residency policy must be requested through the Residence Life Office by March 1st for the following academic year. Eligible students who do not submit a request by the deadline may be expected to live on campus for the entire next academic year.

Incoming new and transfer students: All exceptions will be explored during the admissions process to the College.

Reasons

The following reasons may grant a student an exception from the residency policy. Some exceptions will allow for immediate termination of a housing agreement while others only allow termination based on specific dates (i.e. between semesters). Exceptions do not result in retroactive financial refunds from a housing agreement for time prior to the approval of the exception.

1. Family Dynamics

   1. Living with my parent or guardian whose primary, permanent residence is within a 30-mile radius of Mount Vernon (requires additional Affidavit of Parental Co-Residence).

   2. Married (requires a copy of marriage license).

   3. Have my child(ren) living with me (requires a copy of birth certificate(s)).

   4. Is legally emancipated, or independent due to family/housing insecurity (requires supporting documentation from college officials knowledgeable on the matter).

2. Previous Experience

   1. Lived in college housing the equivalent of eight fall and spring semesters by the end of the current academic year (requires proof of residency).

   2. Incoming rising senior-class transfer with at least six fall and spring college semesters of non-college-owned, non-parental or guardian housing and 20 years of age or older by the end of the current academic year (requires proof of residency).

   3. Served in the armed forces (requires proof of service).

3. Age

   1. 23 years of age or older by September 1 of the next academic year (confirmed with Registrar).

   2. Will not be 18 years of age or older by September 1 of the next academic year (confirmed with Registrar).

4. Other

   1. Have only one or two Blocks of class per semester (confirmed with Registrar).

   2. Medical reason approved by the Disability Services Office (confirmed with office).

Off-campus wait list

Select students may be authorized to live off campus when sufficient space is not available to house all students in the residence halls. Indicate your interest to be called by completing the off-campus wait list. The number of students annually approved to live off campus is a college decision and not determined by Residence Life and can range from zero and up. There is no deadline by which approvals are made. Instead, it is a rolling process where the wait list is called anytime approvals are granted. Students are called in order of their room selection number until May 31st. Afterward, the list is sorted by class standing (senior, junior, etc.) and then by earliest sign up date. 

Sign up for the off-campus wait list.

Fifth-year seniors

As we require all students to live on campus for eight semesters, we must ensure there is space for them. To ensure that space, students who complete the equivalent of eight semesters of on-campus housing are no longer eligible to select a room to live on campus until all other students are housed. The College also reserves the right to withhold assignment capability for any student who meets an exception to the residency policy until all other students are housed. Decisions regarding fifth-year seniors seeking a room for the upcoming academic year are typically made in late July.

Meal plan considerations

Living off campus comes with new meal plan options. Check our meal plan option page to learn more.

Updated documentation

Housing exceptions are provided for the academic year only. Students who have been given an exceptions must resubmit their request annually (during the room selection process held each spring). They must also be prepared to resubmit updated documentation as requested by the Residence Life Office.  You must notify us if the circumstance surrounding your initial reason for the exceptions has changed.

Any student approved to live off campus is required to maintain his or her local address with the Office of the Registrar (the process and deadlines will be provided by Residence Life). This address must reflect the student's place of residence while attending classes at Cornell College. Any student whose local address changes during the academic year must update that address with the Office of the Registrar and must notify Residence Life immediately; in these cases, the student may need to reapply for an exception to the residence policy.