Fall Semester - Students Abroad / Leave of Absence
Students studying abroad during the fall or spring semester may participate in our 'room split' program for any on-campus housing option (inlcuding all Special Housing Draws, Language or Project houses, or Regular Room Draw). Students who choose to exercise this option will pair up with a student who plans to study abroad the opposite semester, or with a December graduate. The room draw number of the student occupying the room in the fall will be used when applying for a Seniority Draw or when choosing a room at Room Draw. If the student planning to study abroad during the spring term cancels their OCS plans, the student abroad in the fall (returning to campus for the spring term) will be rehoused. The student living in the room during the fall term will not relocate.
All students studying abroad during the fall semester will receive a Residence Form early summer via email from the Residence Life Office. Housing arrangements made at Room Draw must be indicated on the Residence Form. Students who did not participate in Room Draw and are in need of on-campus housing or students who would like to request off-campus non-College-owned housing for the spring term will indicate their preferences on this form. The Residence Form must be returned (via email) to the Residence Life Office by the date indicated. Students in need of housing are sorted according to regular Room Draw practice and housed as close as possible to the preferences provided on the Residence Form. Off-campus housing offers are sent via email in early December. Students living on campus are notified of their spring room assignment via email in January.
Students requesting off-campus non-College-owned housing for the spring term are prioritized by class year and random room draw number. The number of students offered off-campus housing will be determined based on projected total enrollment for the spring term.
There is no guarantee that seniors or second-semester juniors will be offered the opportunity to live off-campus for the spring term. Students are not approved for off-campus housing UNTIL they receive an offer from the Residence Life Office. First-semester juniors (as of the spring semester) do not qualify to request off-campus housing. Per the Grinnell College Residency Policy, students should not sign a lease or make arrangements to live in off-campus non-College-owned housing UNTIL they receive permission from the Residence Life Office.
Students on a leave of absence will not be considered for housing until they are approved to return from leave by the College. Students returning to campus for the spring semester will be prioritized by class year and random room draw number prior to housing placement. Housing assignments for the spring semester are finalized in January.
Spring Semester - Students Abroad / Leave of Absence
Students studying abroad during the spring semester will receive a Residence Form in December (via email) from the Residence Life Office. Fall housing preferences will be indicated on this form. Off-campus non-College owned housing requests may be submitted on-line (see form for instructions). The Residence Form must be returned (via reply email) to the Residence Life Office by the date indicated. Students abroad who prefer to live in the residence halls may designate a student proxy or a representative from Residence Life to choose a room for them at Room Draw. Students whose housing is chosen for them by a Residence Life representative during room draw will be notified of their housing assignment via email following Room Draw. If your housing preferences are not available when it is your number's turn to choose a room at room draw, you will be assigned housing during the summer based on the preferences provided on your Residency Form.
Students on a leave of absence must officially be approved to return before housing application dates and deadlines in order to be considered for those housing options (such as Special Housing Draws, off-campus non-College-owned requests, and Room Draw). Students on a leave of absence will not be considered for housing until they are approved to return from leave by the College.
Students requesting fall off-campus non-College-owned housing will be prioritized by class year and random room draw number. The number of students offered off-campus housing will be determined based on projected total enrollment for the fall term. There is no guarantee that seniors or second-semester juniors will be offered the opportunity to live off-campus for the fall term. Students are not approved for off-campus housing UNTIL they receive an offer from the Residence Life Office. Students will receive off-campus housing offers prior to Room Draw.
December Graduates
A student planning to graduate in December is eligible to apply for any Special Housing Draw, request off-campus non-College owned housing, or participate in Room Draw. December grads applying for a Special Housing Draw or planning to draw into a double room at Room Draw, must use our 'room split' procedure in order to fill the room/space the entire year. This may be accomplished by "pairing up" with a student planning to study abroad in the fall. December grads who draw into a single room at Room Draw are not required to make room split arrangements. Following their graduation/move out in December, the vacant single will be filled by the Residence Life Office.
Fall housing decisions for students away from campus in the spring will be made in accordance with published deadlines for all students.
