Going Away or Taking a Leave of Absence

Overview

Many students  leave campus to attend a Stanford program such as the Stanford overseas centers, Stanford exchange program, Stanford in Washington, or Hopkins Marine Station. Other students choose to take a leave of absence from Stanford for one or more quarters. Even if they are not planning to be at the main campus for the full year, students can still apply for on-campus housing through the regular assignment process. Please note all deadline dates for assignment rounds and details on assignment processes. This will maximize your chance of receiving your desired residence assignment and help you to avoid penalty fees.

Going Away

Going Away Autumn, or Autumn & Winter Quarters

  1. If you are going away from campus Autumn Quarter, or both Autumn and Winter Quarters, you should apply for the Winter or Spring Waiting List via Axess before the Draw/Lottery deadline in May. 
  2. Students who apply by the Draw/Lottery deadline will receive a random, first-round application number they can use for assignment during the Waiting List round.
  3. If you apply after the Draw/Lottery deadline, you will receive a sequential number based on the date you apply. Undergraduate students must apply by the Waiting List deadline in order to preserve their guarantee.
  4. Applicants may change their residence choices up until the Waiting List deadline. Changing your choices does not affect your position.

NOTE: Please see the Calendar for specific deadlines.

Going Away Winter Quarter Only

If you will be away from campus for Winter Quarter only and you want housing for both Autumn and Spring Quarters, you should do the following:

  1. Apply for Autumn Quarter housing by the Draw/Lottery deadline in early May in order to get a first-round Draw/Lottery number.
  2. Make sure you complete a Termination of Occupancy form in Axess under the R&DE Portal after taking occupancy for Autumn Quarter to give notice that you are leaving housing at the end of the term. (Filing a termination after the deadline results in a late fee of $100-$450 depending on the date it is received.)
  3. Join the Spring Quarter Waiting List in Axess by early February (see the calendar for due date). You can change your application choices up until the Waiting List deadline.  Undergraduate students will be able to use their Autumn Draw number for their Spring Waiting List application.

NOTE: Undergraduate students assigned to the Belden residence at Hopkins Marine Station are not eligible to keep a room on the home campus as well. Students may not keep two spaces at the same time.

Going Away Winter and Spring Quarters, or Spring Quarter Only

If you will be away from campus for both Winter and Spring Quarters or for Spring Quarter only, you should:

  1. Apply for Autumn Quarter housing by the Draw/Lottery deadline in order to get a first-round draw number.
  2. Complete a Termination of Occupancy form after taking occupancy in autumn (if leaving for winter and spring), or winter (if leaving for spring only) to give notice that you are leaving housing at the end of the term.

NOTE:  If you fail to file a Termination of Occupancy Form on time, the result is a $100-$450 late fee. See Termination of Occupancy Calendar for details and deadlines.

Returning Undergraduates

  • If you attend an official Stanford off-campus program in the Autumn and/or Winter Quarter(s) and return to campus for the Winter and/or Spring Quarter(s), you will be given priority for housing on the Winter or Spring Waiting Lists.
  • In order to receive this priority, you will need to apply for housing by the Waiting List deadline for the quarter you are returning and  select “Assign me to any residence for which I am eligible” as your final housing choice.
  • If you meet these requirements, you will be given priority and considered before students with guaranteed housing status but who are not attending an official Stanford program.  Students considering attending a non-Stanford program may wish to take this into consideration in their decision-making, as all students returning from Stanford programs will have priority for getting into housing.  This is especially important during Winter Quarter when housing is very full.
  • If you don’t have the Stanford overseas priority, but you have retained your guarantee of housing by applying by the Waiting List deadline and choosing “Assign me to any residence for which I am eligible” as your final choice, you will still be assigned during the Winter or Spring Waiting List or Continuous Assignments rounds. This assignment, however, will not be made until those students with the priority have been assigned.

Taking A Leave of Absence Mid-Year

  • If you decide to go on leave before your housing contract begins, you should cancel your housing assignment in Axess. Please note that there are fees associated with cancelling a contract prior to the contract start date. These fees increase as the start date gets closer so it is best to cancel your assignment as early as possible.
  • If you go on leave anytime after your housing contract begins, you must complete a Termination of Occupancy form to give notice that you are leaving housing. There are fees associated with terminating your occupancy. See the Termination of Occupancy form for more details.