Room Rates & Fees
Room Rates
Room rates are set by the Board of Trustees. These fees fund the operation and maintenance of the residence halls. All housing fees will appear on the university bill that is sent to students by the Bursar's Office. Please note that Fall 2025-Spring 2026 rates are typically finalized in June or July. Once these rates are finalized, this website will be updated as soon as possible.
Undergraduate Room Rates (Fall 2024 – Spring 2025)
Please note the following per semester rates for each room type across campus.
- Standard
- Standard Shared: $4,240.00
- Standard Single: $5,584.50
- Break Housing (9-month)
- Break Housing Shared: $4,640.00
- Break Housing Single: $5,984.50
- Sylvan Residential Area
- Sylvan Shared: $3,869.50
- Sylvan Single: $5,091.50
- Cashin Hall
- Cashin Shared: $4,269.50
- Cashin Single: $5,491.50
- North Apartments (9-month)
- North Apartment Single: $7,493.50
- North Apartment Single: $7,493.50
- Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community
- CHCRC First-Year Shared: $4,610.00
- CHCRC First-Year Single: $6,078.00
- CHCRC Suite Shared: $5,055.00
- CHCRC Suite Single: $6,669.50
- CHCRC Apartment Shared: $5,782.00
- CHCRC Apartment Single: $7,493.50
- Expanded Housing & Economy Triple
- Expanded Housing: $3,631.00
- Standard Economy Triple: 3,117.00
- CHCRC Economy Triple: $3,488.00
- Mount Ida Campus
- Mount Ida Shared: $4,240.00
- Mount Ida Single: $5,584.50
Additional Fees
Residential Technology Fee
The Residential Technology Fee is a mandatory charge that is used to provide technology services in your residence hall. To simplify your Bursar bill, this fee is included in the Base Room Fee and is not a separate fee.
Break Housing Fee
There is an additional $500.00 per semester fee for all residents living in Break Housing (Grayson, Prince, and Cashin halls, North Apartments), which is included in the Base Room Fee. All students residing in Grayson, Prince, or Cashin will be billed the fee and may remain in their residence hall room during Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Breaks. Students living in Brett, Gorman, or James have the option to opt-in to break housing. Students who opt-in will see the additional $400 per semester Base Room Fee applied to their bill after confirming their interest.
Vending & Laundry
Vending Services
The machines provide a variety of snacks, candy, juices, dairy products, bottled water and sodas. Most of the vending machines accept the UCard as a means of payment but they also accept dollar bills and change. All vending machines are maintained through UMass Vending Services. Please call 413-577-8010 to report any machine failures or loss of money when using the machines.
Laundry Facilities
Each residence hall offers laundry machines for a fee to students living in the building. Learn more about residence hall laundry services. If students are experiencing issues with machines in the laundry rooms, please report these concerns directly to the laundry vendor.
Meal Plan Not Included
Housing fees do not include a meal plan. All residents are required to have an on-campus meal plan with the exception of Apartment residents. Explore your meal plan options by visiting UMass Dining Services or calling 413-545-1362.
Paying for Extra Space in Your Room
Once Residential Life determines that demand for on-campus housing is met, students with a vacancy in the room they are assigned will offered the opportunity to keep their space more private for the remainder of the semester.
Please Note: Students assigned to Expanded Housing Spaces will not be offered the buy out option.
How It Works
A student with a vacancy in their room must respond with a decision by the due date stated or the default action will be to leave the room open for a roommate. If more than one student are assigned to the room (i.e. two students in a triple), all students must submit matching responses. If all students do not respond or respond differently, the room will be considered left open for a roommate.
Residential Life will complete the following steps to notify a student of the decision they will need to make regarding the vacancy:
- An email will be sent to the student's University email account with instructions on how to leave their room open for another resident and how to buy out the space.
- Students will log in to their SPIRE account. Under Housing > Room Assignment Changes > Room Buy Out, they can follow the instructions to either buy out the room or leave the additional space available.
- If a student fails to respond by completing the process on SPIRE, they will receive two additional reminders via email to make a decision by the due date.
Residential Life strongly encourages any student asked to make a decision about the vacancy in their room to read the materials sent, consult anyone who may have a financial stake in their decision and make a decision by the due date. If a student fails to respond by the deadline indicated, the vacant space will remain available for students seeking a change of assignment.
Leaving the Room Open
Students who make the decision to leave the room open for a roommate, must keep half of the room clear for the remainder of the semester. This includes a completely cleared bed, dresser, closet and desk. If the room is found to be blocked at any time, either by spreading out or preventing a new student from moving into the space, the student will be billed the Room Buy Out charge from the original offer and a $150 blocked room fee for blocking the room. Furthermore, the room will be coded as a private accommodation for the remainder of the semester. Students are informed of this policy when they receive a receipt after submitting their decision to Residential Life.
Buying Out the Space
Students who make the decision to buy out a vacant space in their room will be billed the appropriate surcharge to their Bursar account. While all furniture must remain in the space, students can reorganize the space to suit their preference and will not receive a roommate for the remainder of that semester. Students only buy out the room for the current semester and should prepare the room for a potential new roommate prior to vacating. Traditionally, this means returning the space to its original configuration before halls close.
The Room Buy Out Surcharge
The Room Buy Out Surcharge is a prorated amount corresponding directly with the week the option is offered, as well as the room type (double or triple rooms).
For Example: The rent surcharges per student as of the 5th week of the semester are:
- Double Room Alone: $800
- Triple with Someone Else: $400
- Triple Room Alone: $800
- Economy Triple: $100
Failing to Respond
Any student who does agree to buy out their space by the deadline should expect to receive a roommate. Students should discuss any financial concerns with their parent or guardian as well as anyone else who may have a direct interest.
Remember: All students who do not log in to SPIRE and agree to buy out their space will have their rooms designated as available and may receive a new roommate at any point.
Will You Get a Reminder?
Yes, if a student is in a position to benefit from either increased living space or the privacy of their own room, Residential Life Assignments will inform them of the process as outlined and also remind the student via email.
Avoidable Fees
The following fees are applied when students fail to follow Residential Life processes related to their housing assignment. Learn more about fees related to lost room keys.
Unauthorized Occupancy Fee
Completing an Unathorized Assignment Change
Students who move without prior approval from either Residential Life Assignments or the Residence Director into a vacant space will be assessed an unauthorized move fee of $150. The student who is officially assigned to that room will also be billed a fee of $150 for allowing the unauthorized move to occur.
Failure To Vacate At Closing
Any student who fails to vacate their residence hall by the posted closing time for Thanksgiving, Wintersession, Spring Break or Spring Closing will be assessed a $150 improper check out fee.
Blocked Room Fee
Any student who has created a situation in the room they are assigned that prohibits another student from successfully checking into that assigned space will be assessed a blocked room fee of $150. Creating a "block" includes but is not limited to: spreading out one's belongings on both sides of the room, both sets of furniture or pieces of furniture being occupied by one resident, not allowing an assigned student to move into the space in his/her room, etc or failing to check out in a timely manner when cancelling your assignment over wintersession. The blocked room fee can be assessed at any point during the academic year including wintersession if Residential Life determines a room is not ready for a new resident.
Improper Check Out Fee
Failure to Remove Belongings and Return Key
Any student who fails to check out properly between semesters or prepare the vacant space in their room for the following semester will be assessed an improper check out fee. An official check-out includes removing all of your belongings from the space and turning in your key to the Residential Service Desk. The fee is determined by the date the room is prepared for occupancy and/or by the date of the official check-out by the fall resident. The fee schedule is listed below:
Room Prepared/Check-Out Performed on or during:
- The Early Arrival Period for Spring: $175 fee
- Opening Day: $250 fee
- Opening Week (through Saturday): $400 fee
Any student who fails to prepare the room and/or participate in a proper check out after opening week will incur a $400 improper check out fee and additional charges based on the housing fee refund schedule.
Billing Appeal
Students wishing to appeal charges associated with housing assignments such as room rent, early arrival, or cancellation fees, may complete a Billing Appeal. Please complete the form at the link above. You will be asked to provide a personal statement and any additional documentation as an attachment. Billing appeals are reviewed within 10 business days. After the appeal is reviewed, an email will be sent informing you of the decision. For additional information about appealing a fee, contact Residential Life Assignments at 413-545-2100. Please note this form only works for students with an active UMass email address. UMass email accounts are typically active for 6 months after graduation or withdrawal. Students who wish to appeal a fee after their access has ended can email @email for a physical copy of the billing appeal form.
Students interested in submitting a final appeal after their initial appeal has been denied can email @email to request the Final Appeal form.
The following are examples of helpful documentation when submitting a billing appeal:
- Medical
- Dated Hospital or Discharge Forms
- Doctor's Note
- Bill for Medical Services related to the appeal
- Financial
- Dated Termination Paperwork
- Proof of Unemployment Benefits
- Dated letters confirming a change in Financial Aid award, include previous award as well for comparison.
- Any document indicating extreme financial circumstances
- Budget that shows current financial situation drastically better
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