Housing Agreement Cancellation, Termination, and Financial Liability Information
For full details about Financial Liability, please refer to the Terms of Occupancy.
Housing agreement cancellations have a direct impact on the University’s housing operations
because the budget for housing operations is derived entirely from operating revenue
under the housing agreements. The housing agreement is similar to other consumer agreements.
Its value is that the agreement terms provide conditions to which either party is
assured compliance by the other. While many consumer agreements do not provide opportunities
for a party to terminate the agreement, the housing agreement does provide a possibility
for termination but only in accordance with the specific reasons listed in the Terms
of Occupancy.
Important terminology:
Cancellation: when a student cancels their upcoming room reservation by submitting a cancellation
request through their housing portal before moving in and does not complete a check-in
or receive a room key.
Termination of housing agreement: occurs during an active housing agreement after a resident has checked in and received their
room key. Housing agreements end in May of the current academic year.
Termination Fee: applied to cancellations and/or agreement terminations.
Any resident who cancels or terminates their housing agreement loses priority for
future housing on campus. Housing is only prioritized for the first academic semester of a newly admitted student
or for students who remain living on campus and participate in returning student renewal
application processes each year. Students who had housing during or the semester prior
who take a documented medical leave through the university, participate in an SBU
external study, or U.S. military leave will retain eligibility to return to housing
on the first semester they return to classes on campus. All other students will have
to join a waiting list if they are interested in housing in the future.
Housing reservation cancellations and agreement terminations can occur under the following
conditions:
Fall semester timeline and termination fees for canceling your housing before moving
in:
Cancellation Request Date:
Termination Fee:
April or earlier
$0
May and June
$200
July
$300
August 1 - Saturday before all classes start
$400
Sunday before classes start and later
$500
If you paid a housing deposit, it will be applied against any termination fees. After
a student moves into their housing assignment, they are financially liable until the
end of the agreement period. Please see the next section below for additional information.
The check-in deadline is 5 pm on the first day of classes. Late check-in can be requested
until the end of the second week of classes when late registration ends. If someone requests a late check-in and does not check in by late registration, their
housing reservation will be canceled and a termination fee will be applied.
Residents who lived on campus for the fall semester are not eligible to cancel their
academic year agreement for the spring. Fall residents should see the section below labeled "Moving out of housing and terminating
your agreement early" for agreement release parameters.
Spring semester timeline and termination fees for canceling your housing before moving
in:
Cancellation Request Date:
Termination Fee:
January 15 or ealier
$100
January 16 until the Saturday before classes start
$200
Sunday before classes start and later
$500
If you paid a housing deposit, it will be applied against any termination fees. After
a student moves into their housing assignment, they are financially liable until the
end of the agreement period. Please see the next section below for additional information.
The check-in deadline is 5 pm on the first day of classes. Late check-in can be requested
until the end of the second week of classes when late registration ends. If someone
requests a late check-in and does not check in by late registration, their housing
reservation will be canceled and a termination fee will be applied.
If we receive notice of an admission deferral prior to the start of an agreement (the
Saturday before semester classes start) and you have not already canceled your housing,
we will process your current housing deposit as a forfeit but not require a housing
deposit for the semester your admissions was deferred to. This can only be done for
the first time admission is deferred. Any further readmissions beyond the initial
deferred semester will require a new housing deposit to be made.
Admission deferrals taking place after the start of agreement period are subject to
normal termination fees related to "Cancellation requests after the start of an agreement
period and prior to moving into housing" dropdown tab.
Our cancellation request is located in the Housing Portal which requires the student to use their university credentials (NetID and password)
to log in.
Click the red STONYBROOK - STUDENT SSO LOGIN button using your NetID and password
to log in.
When on the portal homepage, click the Housing Agreement Cancellation Request button image to proceed with the cancellation process.
A confirmation will be sent to the student’s email address upon successful completion.
If there are issues submitting via the method above, contact reside@stonybrook.edu for assistance. Please include your ID number in your correspondence.
Moving out of housing and requesting to terminate your agreement early:
If a resident chooses to vacate their room assignment and turn in their room key,
they will end their housing agreement but continue to be financially liable for the
remainder of that agreement.
There are limited reasons why someone who terminates their agreement by moving out
may be released from the financial responsibility at the time of check-out or between
housing semesters.
Any request for release of liability must be received within 30 days after checking
out by submitting a Housing Appeal through the housing portal. The last day an in-room
resident can submit an appeal is April 1 with a requested move-out date of no later
than April 15.
Stony Brook will assess an early termination charge in the amount of $500. This charge
would be assessed on any student who submits an appeal for release from the housing
agreement that is approved. The termination charge would be in addition to any prorated
housing fees assessed to the student’s account if they appeal their housing liability
and move(d) out after the start of a term session billing period. The total charge
assessed to the student would not exceed the published rate for their assigned space.
Students would not be charged the early termination fee in the following situations:
Student has graduated from the University.
The student withdraws from the University.
Student enters into active duty in the US military.
Student leaves on an approved external study from the University (study abroad, clinical
rotation, academic internship, etc).
All reasons not covered below are not eligible for release from their agreement. Students
will continue to be fully financially liable for their housing agreement charges until
the end of the agreement period. Graduate and Family agreement charges will continue
to be applied monthly until the end of the agreement period. Undergraduate agreement
charges for Spring will be applied in December or mid-February based on the student's
date of check-out in fall semester and when spring charges are initially applied to
the student’s account.
Students who are found responsible for behaviors resulting in a conduct sanction that
removes them from campus housing remain financially liable until the end of the academic
year agreement period and are not eligible for appeal from liability.
Requiring minimal documentation:
In certain instances release of financial liability is automatic, expected, and can
be validated through the university. Below is a list of automatic releases that only
require documentation when Campus Residences cannot validate through the information
received from University partners:
Graduating at the end of Fall semester.
Spring semester SBU External Study (Study abroad, academic internships or clinicals
outside of Suffolk County).
Withdrawal from all courses during the semester or not registering for spring semester
classes.
Finishing your program at the end of the fall semester (National Student Exchange,
Intensive English Center student, International Academic Program student).
Requiring detailed documentation:
The reasons listed below will release a resident from their housing agreement during
the agreement period when there is significant supporting documentation to the request
being stated and approved through appropriate procedures.
Doctoral students completing their degree at a time that does not align with the traditional
end of their housing agreement.
Military leave.
Student with an active medical/psychological condition that requires a student to
live off campus.
Student with unexpected financial hardship that arose after initial check-in to the
agreement period.
Student with a new responsibility as a primary caretaker for a family member/guardian
with an active medical situation requiring them to live with that family member/guardian
that arose after initial check-in to the agreement period.
A new imminent safety concern related to interpersonal altercations that cannot be
met by a room change to a new on campus location. See terms for additional details.
Prior to check out, or within 30 days of check-out, students requesting release from
financial liability when terminating their agreement can submit a “Housing Appeal”
in the housing portal:
Select financial liability appeal as the appeal type.
Submitting an appeal requires an explanation of the situation and an attachment of
supporting documentation.
Documentation may look different based on student situations that they are appealing.
See the Terms of Occupancy for additional details on what may be required based on
your situation.
Please include in your explanation and supporting documentation all reasons and supporting
information as you cannot resubmit your appeal.
Appeals are generally responded to within 7 business days. At busier times of the
year, response times may take longer.
Appeals are only handled in writing via this process. After submission and initial
response to your appeal, communication will only happen via email on file with the
university. We maintain thorough records so we can ensure consistency of documentation
and decisions. All communication is in writing so students have a record of all decisions
related to their appeal. As such, appeals cannot be discussed over the phone or in
person.
You will need to complete a move out of campus housing by the end of the fall housing
billing period in order to not incur any spring housing bill.
Contact your area office for information on how to successfully check-out.
Your fall housing bill covers housing through Winter break until the start of Winter
academic session.
You must be moved out by the end of the Fall Housing period in order to not incur
any of your spring housing bill.
You will not receive any credit for your fall housing regardless of the date you move
out.
If you are completing the check-out after the start of Winter Session classes, you
will incur a spring housing bill until your key is returned and you are checked out
through an area office.
Students moving out of housing due to an academic suspension or expulsion will continue
to be charged for housing until they complete a proper check out from their assigned
space and return their room key to their area office.
