Housing Release Appeal Process

All students who are enrolled at UMassD and submitted a housing contract will be financially responsible for the terms and conditions of the contract. If you have already taken occupancy in your assigned residence hall, you are not eligible to cancel for the purpose of commuting or living in off-campus housing. 

The appeals process is designed to assist residents who have serious extenuating circumstances and are seeking release from their housing agreement. Submitting an appeal is not an automatic guarantee of release. Housing Appeal Approvals are determined based on extenuating circumstances that have changed since the date a housing contract was submitted.  

One or more of the following criteria must be met with supporting documentation.  

• academic program requirements for internship, study abroad, clinical rotation, etc.
• active Military Deployment
• birth/adoption of a child by the student after the time agreement was signed
• change in enrollment, such as part-time status, withdrawal or transfer from the University as documented in the Office of the Registrar 
  financial hardship with a specific change in financial circumstance after the time the Agreement was signed, which cannot be reasonably alleviated as verified by the Financial Aid Office
• graduation
• health/medical concerns after the time the agreement was signed.  Will require completion of Reasonable Accommodations Form to determine if health or medical concern can be accommodated within the residence hall system.
• marriage with documentation of a legal marriage certificate that demonstrates the marriage occurred after the time the agreement was signed

Deadlines to submit Housing Agreement Appeal

• Fall Semester: July 1
• Spring Semester: December 1

Important considerations

• Do not sign another lease unless you have received formal written notification of housing release from Housing & Residential Education. Having another signed contract (lease) is not grounds to be released from UMassD’s Housing Contract. If an off-campus contract (lease) is completed in addition to a student’s UMassD Housing Contract, that student then becomes legally obligated to two different contracts (leases).
• A general dissatisfaction with housing such as roommates, a particular assignment, assignment availability, services provided, or a policy is not a basis for an appeal.
• Allergies, Covid-19, its Delta Variant, or any other variant can be transmissible through any place of residence, work environment, store, or any general environment: There is not a specific community of housing that can guarantee an allergy or Covid-19 free environment, and Covid-19 does not specifically target university housing populations. For this reason, we share that Allergies and Covid-19 are not an acceptable qualifier to appeal housing.
• The appeals committee meets weekly, with the exception of university closures. You will receive a written reply from the committee on your UMassD email after your appeal is reviewed. Students and/or parents are not participants in the committee’s review.
• Housing payment – A pending appeal does not defer your housing payment. Please pay your housing by the due date to avoid late charges. If your appeal is approved, adjustments to your account will be made.

How to submit the Housing Release Appeal

1. Log onto the Student Housing Info Portal. (StarRez)
2. Select Agreement Release Request.  
3. Provide a complete appeal narrative. Your narrative should explain the extenuating circumstances that have changed since the date a housing contract was submitted.
4. Submit official documentation that support yours narrative. These documents could include but are not limited to, Financial Aid documents, medical documentation showing recent diagnosis, treatment, or surgery, statements of job terminations, death certificates, etc.
5. Submit your appeal.  
6. You will receive an outcome within 5-7 days of submitting your application.

Refund and Release Fee schedule

Percentage and type of adjustment, upon official withdrawal from Housing.