Sublicensing Policies

Submission of Documents to the Housing Assignments Office

  • Before the start of the sublicense period, the following documents need to be submitted to Housing Assignments:
    • A completed Sublicense Agreement form
    • Proof of the sublicensee’s Stanford affiliation, showing the type and length of affiliation
    • Any relevant addendums
  • Any sublicense arrangement not approved by Student Housing through the Housing Assignments office is considered to be an unauthorized sublicense arrangement. These should be avoided, as they cause disruption and stress for all parties involved. For any unauthorized sublicense arrangements or advertisements found that indicate intent to violate Student Housing policies discovered, there will be a $450 unauthorized sublicense fee plus a minimum of one night administrative fee for unauthorized occupancy added to the license holder’s University bill.  One night of the administrative fee for unauthorized occupancy is $175.

Behavior and Compliance with the Stanford University Residence Agreement

  • Sublicensee must read the Stanford University Residence Agreement prior to signing a Sublicense Agreement, and must agree to comply with all applicable rules and regulations.
  • Guest policy – please refer to the Guest Policy section of the Residence Agreement, as Sublicensees must follow this policy.
  • Noise policy – please refer to the Noise Policy section of the Residence Agreement, as Sublicensees must follow this policy.  Noise from the apartment involved in the sublicense agreement must not disturb the quiet enjoyment of the neighboring residents.
  • No smoking is allowed in the residences, on covered walkways, in stairwells, on balconies, or in any outdoor areas within 30 feet of a University building.
  • No pets are allowed in the residences, even for visits.  No resident is to obtain a service animal without documented medical need and the written approval of the Office of Accessible Education and Housing Assignments.
  • The following items are prohibited, and must not be brought to the apartment involved in the sublicense agreement – candles, torches, hookas, incense, open flame, halogen lights, hazardous materials, dangerous weapons, ammunition, and flammable items such as propane cylinders.  Please refer to the Prohibited Items section of the Residence Agreement, as Sublicensees must follow this policy.
  • Extended family of the Stanford-affiliated sublicensee cannot stay in the apartment, nor can sublicensees have live-in help.

Length and Timing

  • License holder must have been in occupancy of the apartment for a minimum of one academic quarter before being eligible to sublicense.
  • During Autumn and Winter Quarters, sublicensee eligibility is limited to enrolled matriculated graduate students until demand from un-housed graduate students has been met or until after the fifth week of the quarter.
  • Sublicense agreements can be for a time period of up to three months, but is not to be more than two weeks longer than the Stanford affiliation of the sublicensee.
  • An eligible license holder can sublicense for the equivalent of one quarter per University calendar year (Autumn through Summer), but cannot sublicense two consecutive quarters.
  • If in a shared-occupancy apartment, a license holder can only have one sublicense agreement per quarter, even if the total time is within the three month limit. 
  • License holder must submit Sublicense Agreement and proof of sublicensee’s Stanford affiliation and age to Housing Assignments for review and possible approval a minimum of two weeks prior to the start date of the agreement.

Money

  • The amount charged may not exceed the amount the student license holder pays for the same period.  Charging a higher rate is a violation of Stanford policy. No additional charges may be made for use of utilities, furniture, equipment, etc., with the exception of communication and cable television services if those are provided.
  • If one or more bedrooms in a family apartment will be unavailable to the sublicensee, the rent must reflect the down-rating of the apartment size; for example, a 3-bedroom apartment with only 2 bedrooms available for use would use the 2-bedroom family apartment rent as the maximum charge. Violations of this policy will result in termination of the sublicense agreement and possible removal of the contract holder’s housing privileges.
  • The license holder of the apartment continues to be responsible for paying University housing charges during the term. The housing charge payments will remain under the license holder's name.
  • If any charges are incurred by the sublicensee for items such as re-keying, assistance with lock-outs, or damage to the apartment, the charges will be added to the license holder’s University bill and the sublicensee will be responsible for reimbursing the license holder.

Keys

  • It is the license holder's responsibility to make arrangements to provide the sublicensee with keys for the apartment. Keys may not be duplicated. The Housing Front Desks will not issue extra keys to sublicensees.
  • For buildings with card access, the license holder should arrange with the Housing Front Desk for a temporary access card to give to the sublicensee.
  • Lock-out assistance can be provided only to those who have a signed and approved sublicense agreement on file with Housing Assignments.

Cleaning and Damages

  • It is the license holder's responsibility to see that the apartment is clean and in good order before the sublicensee takes occupancy.
  • The University is not responsible for cleaning at the beginning or end of a sublicense agreement period.  If there are disagreements with regard to cleaning and/or damages, the license holder and sublicensee will need to resolve the issue.
  • A license holder may wish to ask for a security deposit from the sublicensee to cover any damages or charges that might be incurred by the sublicensee. A separate, written agreement that states the specific terms under which the deposit will be returned should be completed and signed by both parties.

Other

  • Mixed-gender sublicense arrangements are not generally approved within single student housing.  Potential sublicense arrangements within designated gender-neutral apartments will be reviewed for possible approval on a case-by-case basis.  Certain minimum requirements must be met and a Gender-Neutral addendum must be submitted with the other required documents.
  • No minors or undergraduate students may sublicense within Student Housing.
  • Sublicensing is not allowed in off-campus subsidized housing.
  • Sublicensees must match the gender, number of occupants, and category of the assigned space.
    • Examples:
      • A single person cannot sublicense to a family or a pair of friends willing to share a room. 
      • A male single student cannot sublicense to a female unless in a single-occupancy apartment or in an approved gender-neutral sublicence arrangement. 
      • If a student is assigned to a 3-bedroom family apartment with a maximum occupancy of five people, they cannot sublicense to a family of six people. Although the rated occupancy of a space cannot be exceeded, it is allowable to sublicense to fewer people than the number for which the space is rated.  A 1-bedroom couple apartment can be sublicensed to a single individual, and a 3-bedroom family unit can be sublicensed to a family with only one child.

Stanford University and its offices, employees and agents are not a party to any sublicense agreements between license holders and sublicensees.  Stanford University has created the sublicense program policies and procedures to facilitate the sublicense process so that Stanford graduate students may renew their housing contracts as long as they are able, even if they will be away for summers or vacation quarters.  Stanford University shall not be liable for losses or damages of any kind occurring during the course of or because of any sublicense agreement.