Living On Campus During the Summer

Every summer, while most of the campus is used for conferences, camps, and events, select residence halls remain available to current Bates students to pursue paid and funded academic and career opportunities.

Navigation:
Eligibility | Summer Life | Meal Plans & Commons | Summer Housing Process Dates

Buildings available for Summer 2025 housing are Gillespie Hall & 96 Campus Ave.

Eligibility 

On-campus summer housing is limited to current students in the following capacities: 

  • Conducting research supervised by a Bates faculty member.
  • Working for an administrative office of the college.
  • Participating in a Purposeful Work internship program that is sponsored, funded, or approved by the Bates Center for Purposeful Work.
  • Participating in community work funded by the Harward Center for Community Partnerships.
  • Unable to return to home country based on travel restriction or significant extenuating personal or family circumstances.

Since we have limited space in the summer residence halls, only current Bates students with one of the above reasons are eligible. If you are a graduating senior, you are permitted to stay on campus during the summer if you are otherwise eligible for on-campus housing. If you are an international student, please contact the Center for Global Education with any visa-related questions.  If you are not eligible for on-campus housing, there are many online sites that advertise apartment rentals and sublets. As our mission is to build and foster community on campus, Residence Life does not keep a list of off-campus properties.

Summer Life

Read the 2024 Summer Regulations for the details on billing, applying,  expectations, and summer resources on campus.

Room and Board
All students will be housed on-campus, though the Summer Housing building/s may change year to year. Meal plans through Commons are optional but highly encouraged. There are typically only one or two kitchens that support summer students. Room and board charges will appear on student bills. More information can be found in the Summer Regulations linked above.

Daily Life
Summer students have varying schedules, so daily life is more independent than during the school year. There is a summer Community Advisor (CA), who helps manage issues in the buildings and plans events throughout the summer.

Transportation
Summer transportation information is available on the Break Transportation Services website.

Health Services
While the Bates Health Services office will be closed during the summer, the partnership between CMMC and BHS is an essential connection to high-quality medical care for students.

Students living on campus can access medical care at the Central Maine Medical Center Family Medicine Residency at 76 High Street in Lewiston. Appointments can be made by calling 207-795-2800. Appointments can be made for ongoing medical needs or acute care.

Dr. Picard, Dr. Walls, Dr. Nadkarni, Dr. Collins, Dr. Decker, Liza Keach (RN), Kelly Ducas (MA), Alison Ceprano (PSR) and Mikayla Cook (PSR) will be at CMMC for continuity of care. Your insurance will be billed for medical care visits.

Outside of business hours, students can access medical care at the CMMC Emergency Department at 300 Main Street in Lewiston, or one of the local urgent care facilities.

For non-urgent medical questions or needs, all students can email Bates Health Services at healthservices@bates.edu. The inbox will be monitored periodically throughout the summer.

Work Orders & Facilities Support
If you are experiencing any issues with the residence hall, please submit a Work Order Request or contact Facilities Services at facility-work-request@groups.bates.edu. 

Bates and Lewiston-Auburn in the Summer
Maine is beautiful in the summer and so is Bates. Lay in a hammock on Alumni Walk or visit Dairy Joy for ice cream.

We also highly suggest keeping your door open, making new friends, and attending some of the great summer events going on in the LA area this summer:

There are also many events throughout the state of Maine listed on the Maine Festivals and Fairs website.

Meal Plans & Commons

While meal plans are optional, they are highly encouraged for students remaining on-campus for the summer. If you are planning to cook your own meals, you should plan on a significant wait time in the kitchens between 11am-2pm and 5pm-8pm.

With this in mind: summer students have also been given access to FSU (Frye Street Union) between the hours of 11am-2pm and 5pm-8pm to utilize those kitchens as well. We hope this added kitchen will ease wait time for cooking needs.

Cleaning supplies

Please be proactive and reactive with kitchen upkeep and cleanliness. It is your responsibility to clean up after yourself, throw away old food from the fridge and overall maintain an enjoyable and clean living space for yourself and others in the building. The college will provide students with shared cleaning kits including but not limited to the following items: sponges, dish soap, disinfectant, gloves, etc.

Room and Board Plan Options:

Housing Only Option:

  • Housing Only                                $70.00 per week
  • *Optional Meal Swipes Purchase   $10.00 per meal

Full Board Plan Options:

  • Housing w/ 19 Meals               $222.00 per week
  • Housing w/ 14 Meals               $182.00 per week
  • Housing w/ 10 Meals               $150.00 per week

All meal plan options are non-refundable and sold in week increments – Sunday through Saturday. Individuals will not be reimbursed for uneaten meals/ housing dates not used. All students choosing to purchase a summer meal plan are governed by the same dining regulations that are in effect during the academic year – specifically, no food is to be removed from Commons.

Commons Access 

Access to Commons is gained through the use of the student ID card. Should you have any issue with access, contact Justin Good, Assistant Director of Finance, Technology, and Staff Support via email at jgood2@bates.edu.

*Students who elect a housing-only plan can purchase meal swipes to be loaded onto their student ID card. They can be purchased and refilled at any time during the summer. Any unused meal swipes will be forfeited at the conclusion of the summer. For more information, or to purchase meal swipes please contact Justin Good (contact information above).

Dining Information

Summer Housing Process Dates

2025 DatesInformation
Monday, April 28HouseCat application opens.
Monday, May 5Initial HouseCat application closes; students can apply after this time, but will not be in the first wave of housing assignments. After this time assignments will be sent as needed. 
Mid-MaySummer housing assignments sent out.
Friday, May 23 – Friday, May 30Students have access to their Short Term Housing.
Wednesday, May 28 – Friday, May 30Students transition to Summer Housing.
Sunday, June 1Any items remaining outside of students’ Short Term rooms will be disposed of and charges may be incurred. Lock changes will begin.
TBDSummer meal plan not in effect. Please see the Commons website for info on food options during this period.
Wednesday, June 11Senior charges (Class of 2025) are due
Mid-JulyCharges for June housing and meal plans will be posted to student account. 
Thursday, July 31Payment for July housing and meals due.
Friday, August 1July billing is due
Mid-AugustCharges for July housing and meal plans will be posted to student account.
Wednesday, August 13 – Friday, August 15Students transition to fall housing.
Friday, August 15Any student not on-campus for Fall 2025 must vacate campus.
Sunday, August 17Any items remaining outside of students’ summer rooms will be disposed of and charges may be incurred. Lock changes will begin.
Sunday, August 31Payment for July/August housing and meals due.
Monday, September 1Fall board plan begins with dinner.