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Housing contract

A page within Residence Life

Students are required to sign a housing contract as part of the housing application process. 

New Student Cancellation Deadline

The deadline for all new students to cancel their housing contract and receive a refunded housing deposit is May 1. The housing contract is a legally binding contract that cannot be cancelled without approval from Residence Life after May 1. Please review section 1 of the housing contract for additional details about cancellation and refund policies. 

New students must contact the Admissions Office. 

Returning Student Cancellation Deadline

The deadline for all returning students to cancel their housing contract and receive a refunded housing deposit is March 1. The housing contract is a legally binding contract that cannot be cancelled without approval from Residence Life after March 1. Please review section 1 of the housing contract for additional details about cancellation and refund policies. 

After March 1 returning students cannot be automatically released from their housing contracts. Students are required to submit a formal request to cancel their contract. Contract release is considered under the conditions set in section 1.C of the housing contract.

If a request is approved, the $150 housing deposit will be forfeited. For cancellation requests which are denied, the student has the option to “buy out” the contract for 85% of the cost of the contract (academic year).

Returning students can submit a contract cancellation request through the housing portal.

Contract Cancellation Process

Please review section 1 of the housing contract for additional details about cancellation deadlines and refund policies. 

Complete the following steps to submit a request for canceling your current or future housing contract:

  1. Go to the housing portal and log in using your UWL username and password
  2. Select  "Cancellation/Exemption Request" from the navigation bar
  3. Select the term you would like to cancel. 
  4. Review the cancellation information and instructions
  5. Complete the cancellation request form and submit

For information about a specific contract year and related deadlines, please review the other contract tabs.  If you are approved to be released from your housing contract, you will be emailed instructions for completing the residence hall check-out process and additional information about your contract release. 

Common Requests for which Contract Cancellation are Denied

There is no guarantee of assignment to a particular room type or residence hall. Students can be assigned to single, double, or triple rooms, as well as apartments or extended housing.  

Our Residence Life staff is available in each hall to support students who are unhappy with their room assignments. We have a room change process to assist when a change of hall, floor, or room is appropriate. Students can start this process by reaching out to their Residence Director.  

We partner with the ACCESS Center to provide approved students with various housing accommodations to suit their needs. You can find more information about the types of accommodations we can provide here.   

Students can review our housing rates on our website. Please consider your finances for the academic year before enrolling at the university or activating a housing contract. Students who need to identify options for financial support should work with the Financial Aid Office.  

First-year students are required to live on campus unless they meet one of the approved reasons for housing exemption. First-year students should not sign an off-campus lease before being approved for a housing exemption.  

Returning Students (and Transfer students) are not required to live on-campus. However, if you apply for a cancellation after the cancellation deadline for returning students, you will not be approved to be released from your housing contract. We strongly discourage students from signing any off-campus lease while they have an active housing contract. You would still be finically responsible for your entire academic year contract.   

Local students who would like to commute from the home of a parent or legal guardian, and live within 25 miles of the UWL campus, must decide to do so before completing a housing application. Students interested in this option should submit a housing exemption request.  

Students are responsible for reading and understanding the housing contract at the point of completing the housing application. Specifically, students should read and understand all the relevant information about contract cancellation deadlines. Any subsequent reminder messages sent to students are a courtesy. Students under the age of 18 should complete their housing application with a parent or legal guardian present.