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 student residence (including all Special 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 given a new assignment. 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 Department. Residency 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 a residency assignment or students who would like to request off-campus permission for the spring term will indicate their preferences on this form. The Residence Form must be returned (via email) to the Residence Life Department by the date indicated. Students in need of a room are sorted according to regular Room Draw practice and given an assignment as close as possible to the preferences provided on the Residence Form. Off-campus 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 permission for the spring term are prioritized by class year and random Room Draw number. The number of students who receive an off-campus offer will be determined based on projected total enrollment for the spring term. There is no guarantee seniors or second-semester juniors will be offered the opportunity to live off-campus for the spring term. Students are not approved to live off-campus UNTIL they receive an offer from the Residence Life Department. First-semester juniors (as of the spring semester) do not qualify for off-campus. Per the Grinnell College Residency Policy, students should not sign a lease or make arrangements to live off-campus UNTIL they receive permission from the Residence Life Department.
Students on a leave of absence must be approved to return from leave by the College before they can proceed with residency requests/placement. Students returning to campus for the spring semester will be prioritized by class year and random Room Draw number prior to placement. 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 Department; residency or off-campus preferences/requests will be indicated on this form. The Residence Form must be returned (via reply email) to the Residence Life Department by the date indicated. Students abroad who prefer to live in student residences may designate a student proxy or a representative from Residence Life to select a room for them at Room Draw. Students whose room is chosen for them by a Residence Life representative during Room Draw will be notified of their assignment via email following Room Draw. If your preferences are not available when it is your number's turn to choose a room at Room Draw, you will be assigned a room during the summer.
Students on a leave of absence must be officially approved to return before application dates and deadlines in order to be considered for those residential and/or off-campus options (such as Special Draws, off-campus requests, and Room Draw). Students on a leave of absence will not be considered for placement until they are approved to return from leave by the College.
Students requesting permission to live off-campus in the fall will be prioritized by class year and random room draw number. The number of students who receive an off-campus offer 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 to live off-campus UNTIL they receive an offer from the Residence Life Department. Students will receive off-campus offers prior to Room Draw.
December Graduates
A student planning to graduate in December is eligible to apply for any Special Draw, request off-campus permission, or participate in Room Draw. December grads applying for a Special 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 Department. Fall placements for students away from campus in the spring will be made in accordance with published deadlines for all students.
