While not exhaustive, we hope this information will answer some of your housing questions.

Current Housing Assignments & Summer Placement

If a student requests a single, will they be guaranteed one?
The process for those who need a single for a documented disability is facilitated by the Office of Accessible Education. Those who feel they may fall into this category are encouraged to reach out to Accessible Education immediately to begin working through this process. Single rooms represent a small portion of available housing options and are granted as accommodations only in rare circumstances. It is important to note that students are not making a request for a specific housing assignment, but rather a request for an accommodation. As always, separate from the accommodations process there is no specific type of room or location that is ever guaranteed.

Can we elect to live off-campus?
Seniors, who are interested in canceling their on-campus room and applying to live off-campus, should email housing@bates.edu by July 17. Juniors without a housing assignment for the fall as they were originally studying abroad, can seek approval by emailing housing@bates.edu as soon as possible and by July 17 at the latest. Our office is not approving other juniors or sophomores at this time.

Life in Houses and Halls

Can we change our current housing assignment?
No, the room you selected in the spring will be the space you move into in the fall if you decide to return.

Remote Learning and Housing Assignments

Can I “gift” my single to a returning student?
No, any rooms or suites that will be entirely vacated for the fall semester will be available to returning students through the summer placement process; therefore, it is not possible for students who are studying remotely to transfer those rooms to returning students outside of the winter housing process.

I am staying in my double/suite, but one or more of my roommates are moving out. What should I do?
Any student that will remain in a shared space has the first ability to fill the remaining bed with a student of their choice. Typically this is an upper-class student coming back on summer placement, but can be a current on-campus upper-class student in certain cases.

If I do not fill the bed in a shared space, can I have it as a single?
No, if the current student does not take the opportunity to fill the space, the bed will be assigned by our office as needed. Again, any completely open rooms are returned to our office for placement. In some circumstances, a shared space at low-capacity will have the current residents moved to a smaller space by the Office of Residence Life.

I have a double for the fall. Can I join the summer placement process for a single?
No, the summer placement process is for students who do not have a room assignment for the fall semester. The purpose of the summer placement process is for all students to have a space for the fall semester. 

Arrival FAQs