Housing Exemptions

Housing Exemption Application

The Housing Exemption Committee meets on the third Friday of each month to review requests for housing exemption. Requests are considered from students who complete a Housing Exemption Application indicating a compelling reason for their request and providing appropriate supporting documentation. Within this, the student must compose a personal statement explaining why on-campus housing does not meet their needs, which should be at least one page in length. Decisions are made based on such criteria as supporting documentation, severity of circumstance, and quality of written request. 

Applications received by the Thursday before the third Friday of the month will be reviewed on the third Friday of the month. Applications received after 5:00pm that Thursday will not be reviewed until the next cycle. Please visit the assignment calendar for exact dates of upcoming committee meetings. A decision letter is sent to the student email account on Friday afternoon, after the exemption committee has met.

Per University Policy, students who are projected as Freshman are not eligible to live in Greek Housing.  Exemption Applications submitted that indicate a plan to live in Greek Housing will be denied.

This form only works for students with an active UMass email address.  Email accounts are typically active once you have matriculated.  Please wait to submit your Exemption Application until you have an active UMass email address.

Please Note: If an exemption application is approved, you are no longer guaranteed on campus housing. Any reserved assignment/preference application will be cancelled.  Therefore, if you are planning to submit an exemption, be certain that your off-campus plans are secure.

How to Apply for a Commuter Exemption

Required Student Commuter Form

Who Qualifies as a Commuter?
Commuters are defined as required students who are living at home with a parent or legal-guardian within a 40-mile radius of campus.

All freshmen commuting from home must file a Required Student Commuter Form with Residential Life Student Services. Once students have submitted a Commuter Form, they will no longer be required to live on campus and will no longer be guaranteed an on-campus housing assignment if they wish to return to campus in the future. Upon submitting a Commuter Form, the Base Room Fee and IT Residential Services Fee will be removed from the Bursar Bill in approximately 7 - 10 business days. The submission of a Commuter Form to cancel a housing assignment is subject to the cancellation fee schedule.

Associated Fees and Charges

Students who apply for a housing exemption or commuter status are subject to cancellation fees and a rent refund based on the Housing Fee Refund Schedule. The date of cancellation is based on the date the exemption application or commuter card is received by the Residential Life Student Services.

For information about the cancellation fee schedule click here.
For additional information, contact the Residential Life Student Services Office at (413) 545-2100.

Meal Plan Consideration
If you receive a housing exemption or commuter status, you have the option of keeping or canceling your meal plan. For more information, contact the Meal Plan Office at 545-1362.

Note: Your meal plan is NOT automatically canceled when you receive a housing exemption or commuter status.

 Question? Contact us.