Off-Campus Housing & Exemption Process

Moving Off Campus

• Minimum Requirements

  First: Do you meet the minimum requirements?

  All students are required to live on campus unless they meet one of the following criteria:

  • Students who can document that they have lived for four semesters (the equivalent of two academic years) on this or another college campus (form required)
  • Married students (no form required)
  • Fully online students (no form required)
  • Veterans (no form required)
  • Branch campus students (no form required)
  • Students with dependent children living with them (no form required)
  • Students living with parents or legal guardians commuting from within 45 miles of campus. Proof of a parental or guardian’s domicile located within this 45 miles radius, using the SUNY Policy for establishing residency will be required. (form required)
  • Students 21 years of age or older, prior to October 1 of the academic year in which they enroll (March 1 for spring semester enrollees) (form required)
  • Students who are closed out of campus housing by the college, and therefore must live off-campus (no form required)
  • Students who feel their situation necessitates an exception to this policy for financial or other extenuating situations, must submit a Special Request Form, available in the Campus Housing and Community Living office, seeking an exception to this policy
  • If you feel you meet one of these criteria and are not in a current on-campus residence hall room lease agreement, you may be eligible for off-campus housing.

  If you do not meet any of the criteria above, and feel that you have a special circumstance that requires you to live off campus, you can apply for a special exception to the on-campus housing requirement by contacting the Campus Housing and Community Living Office.

• Housing Contract Cancellation

  The housing contract is a legal document and is binding for both the fall and spring semesters once it has been signed. Students are responsible for both the fall and spring semesters unless they participate in a college-sponsored program away from SUNY Plattsburgh or withdraw from the college. There is a $500 cancellation charge for December cancellations if a student is approved to move off campus.

• For the Fall Semester

  Applying for a Special Exception to the On-Campus Housing Requirement: Submit the special circumstances form, a print-only form available in the Campus housing office, and a letter explaining why you need an exception, unless you feel your reason for moving off-campus is related to a medical, psychological or educational need (see below). If you feel you need to move off-campus due to a financial need, Student Financial Services will be consulted to verify your need.

  Medical, Psychological or Educational Need: If you feel that you need to move off-campus due to a medical, psychological or educational need, you will also need to submit the Student Housing Accommodation Request Form and the Medical/Psychological Documentation for Student Housing Accommodation Request Form. These forms are to be completed by your provider and submitted to the Accessibility Resources Office. That office will review your request, may require additional documentation, and will notify you and the housing office of the results of that review.

  Access Student Housing Accommodation Request Forms

  After considering all of the information in your request and the results of any reviews, a final decision will be made by the campus housing office regarding your request and this result will be communicated to you. 

• For the Spring Semester

  Please Note: All students who are currently residing on campus have signed a full year residence hall license agreement (August-May). To apply for a special exception to break your agreement half-way through the school year please see instructions below:

  Special Circumstances Request: Submit the Special Circumstances Form by contacting Campus housing at [email protected] and include a letter explaining why you need an exception, unless you feel your reason for moving off-campus is related to a medical, psychological or educational need (see below). If you feel you need to move off-campus due to a financial need, Student Financial Services will be consulted to verify your need.

  Medical, Psychological or Educational Need: If you feel that you need to move off-campus due to a medical, psychological or educational need, you will also need to submit the Student Housing Accommodation Request Form and the Medical/Psychological Documentation for Student Housing Accommodation Request Form. These forms are to be completed by your provider and submitted to the Accessibility Resources Office. That office will review your request, may require additional documentation, and will notify you and the housing office of the results of that review.

  Access Student Housing Accommodation Request Forms

  After considering all of the information in your request and the results of any reviews, a final decision will be made by the campus housing office regarding your request and this result will be communicated to you. Please note that there is a $500 cancellation fee that will be assessed if you are granted permission to break your currently signed residence hall room license agreement.