Housing Agreement Cancellation, Termination, and Financial Liability Information
The information below is for 2026-2027 agreements. If you need 2025-2026 policies,
see the related 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 lies in the agreement terms, which provide conditions under which either
party is assured of the other's compliance. While many consumer agreements do not
offer a party the option to terminate, the housing agreement does, but only for the
specific reasons listed in the Terms of Occupancy.
Do not sign an off-campus lease while having an on-campus agreement. An off-campus
lease option is not a valid reason to seek release from financial liability. Signing
a lease off campus before obtaining an approved financial liability release creates
a liability for both locations. It is not an acceptable reason for releasing you from
your housing agreement.
Important Concepts:
Cancellation before the first day of the Agreement Period: Available to students before receiving their room key and occupying their upcoming
reservation, and does not require approval. Occurs 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.
Release from Housing after an Agreement Period has Commenced: 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. Limited
reasons can be appealed for release.
Cancellation before the first day of the Agreement Period
This option is available to students before receiving their room key and occupying
their upcoming reservation, and does not require approval. Students who cancel housing lose priority for housing on campus and will have to join
the on-campus housing waitlist should they need housing again in the future.
Fall semester timeline and termination fees for canceling your housing before moving
in:
Cancellation Request Date:
Termination Fee:
April 30 or earlier
$0
May 1 - June 30
$200
July 1 - July 31
$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:
November 1 or earlier
$0
November 2 - January 15
$200
January 16 or 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 readmission's 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.
Requesting Release from Housing after an Agreement Period has Commenced
This 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.
Limited reasons can be appealed for release.
Do not sign an off-campus lease while having an on-campus agreement. An off-campus
lease option is not a valid reason to seek release from financial liability. Signing
a lease off campus before obtaining an approved financial liability release creates
a liability for both locations and is not an acceptable reason for releasing you from
your housing agreement.
A $500 termination fee is assessed to any student who is released from their housing
agreement.
When an appeal is required, students should submit it prior to moving out. If needed,
a student can submit an appeal within 15 days of checking out of on-campus housing.
Appeals are submitted only by the student in the Housing Portal, on the Housing Appeals
tab. Appeals submitted in any other way or by any other individual are not considered.
Your housing agreement and financial liability are not tied to a specific room assignment.
The university reserves the right to reassign rooms vacated by students, regardless
of the student's financial liability.
Billing Charges:
Students with an approved release who check out prior to November 15 or April 15 are
eligible for a prorated semester bill for the remaining days of the billing period.
Moving out after these dates will result in a full-semester charge.
Students who withdraw through the university process do not need to submit an appeal and must check out of housing within 48 hours of their
withdrawal.
Appeal Reasons:
Doctoral student who successfully completes their degree at a time that does not align
with the traditional end of the semester must move out within the month they complete
their degree.
External Study that starts during the semester.
Student with an active medical/psychological condition that requires the student to
live off campus.
Student with an unexpected financial change that arose after the 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.
If you believe you meet one of the reasons listed, please read the guidance sections
of this website and then visit the Housing Portal to submit a financial liability
appeal in the Housing Appeals section.
Submitting an appeal does not guarantee release from financial liability.
Appeal Submission Deadlines:
November 1 for the Fall Semester.
April 1 for the Spring Semester.
Billing Charges: Students with an approved release must move out by the start of the spring housing
semester to avoid any spring billing.
Graduate students must move out by noon on December 31.
If a student moves out after these dates, they will receive a pro-rated spring bill
for the nights remaining until they complete checkout.
Not attending for the Spring Semester does not require an appeal: This includes students who are graduating, not enrolling for the spring semester,
or participating in an external study outside Suffolk County with no regular on-campus
attendance.
Do not need to submit an appeal. Instead, complete the “Fall End of Semester Plans” process in the Housing Portal,
indicating your reason and the date of checkout.
Students can enroll in winter session classes and remain in housing until the last
Friday of winter session, and will incur a spring semester housing bill through that
date. Departure dates can be updated in the Housing Portal.
Attending for the Spring Semester requires an appeal on the basis of one of the following:
Student with an active medical/psychological condition that requires the student to
live off campus.
Student with an unexpected financial change that arose after the 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.
If you believe you meet one of the reasons listed, please read the guidance sections
of this website and then visit the Housing Portal to submit a financial liability
appeal in the Housing Appeals section.
Submitting an appeal does not guarantee release from financial liability.
These appeals are reviewed by a cross-campus Appeals Board based on:
Student's submission explanation.
Supporting documentation.
Intended place of stay off-campus.
The content you submit is the only information you can provide that will be considered
by the appeals board.
You can only submit information once.
For unexpected financial change appeals:
You must have exhausted all available resources offered through the Office of Financial
Aid, including loans. Campus Residences will consult with the Office of Financial
Aid.
If you intend to sign a lease or incur costs off campus, you must include the cost
comparison worksheet for review.
Student’s loss or lack of part-time work during the agreement period does not qualify
for release.
Appeals Board Dates:
Students must plan accordingly for their intended departure dates based on the submission
deadline and email response dates below.
Submission Due:
Outcome Email Sent:
Notes
June 29, 2026
July 10, 2026
12-Month Graduate Housing Agreements Only
July 27, 2026
August 7, 2026
12-Month Graduate Housing Agreements Only
August 31, 2026
September 11, 2026
September 14, 2026
September 25, 2026
September 28, 2026
October 9, 2026
October 12, 2026
October 23, 2026
November 1, 2026
November 13, 2026
Last submission for partial refund of fall housing
November 16, 2026
December 1, 2026
November 30, 2026
December 11, 2026
December 11, 2026
December 23, 2026
Last submission for approval prior to the Spring billing period
January 4, 2027
January 15, 2027
January 15, 2027
January 29, 2027
February 1, 2027
February 12, 2027
February 22, 2027
March 5, 2027
March 12, 2026
March 26, 2026
April 1, 2026
April 12, 2026
Last submission for the agreement period and partial refund of spring housing
Appeal Explanation Guidance
In the appeals process, you will submit a detailed explanation of your situation that
is supported by your uploaded documents. This is your only chance to provide context
on your situation. We recommend being as detailed as possible so that individuals
reviewing appeals can have a thorough understanding of your situation, including the
dates when it occurred, how you were impacted, where you will be staying after moving
off-campus, and why living on campus is no longer feasible.
These details are most important when submitting an appeal for an unexpected financial
change and for primary caretaker status after moving in. Appeal length is typically
two or more well-written, descriptive paragraphs.
Appeal Supporting Documentation Guidance
The appeals process will require you to upload additional documentation that supports
your explanation. The guidance below does not guarantee release from the housing agreement,
and other documents not listed may still apply that support your reason.
Do not submit a signed lease.
Do not submit a letter of support.
Do not resubmit your explanation.
Documentation is on letterhead or contains official seals or logos.
Documentation has a clear date establishing when the information was provided and/or
the situation occurred.
You can upload up to 3 attachments, and if needed, you can combine additional documents
into a single attachment.
Documentation from the student’s Academic Department verifying completion of their
degree.
This requires the student to obtain a referral through the Student Accessibility Support Center (SASC). This process requires the student to submit documentation and participate in an
interactive process with a SASC counselor before submitting the housing appeal. SASC
counselors will determine if a referral is needed.
If a referral can be accommodated on campus instead of moving off campus, the appeal
will be closed, and the student will be assigned a new housing option.
This process can take multiple weeks.
Students upload the SASC email confirmation that refers them to live off-campus.
If a student uploads anything other than the SASC email confirmation, they will be
referred to SASC and are recommended to begin the process with SASC within 5 business
days of submitting an appeal.
Documentation must indicate the start date and the location of the external study.
Typically, students upload an offer, an acceptance letter, or an assignment email
that provides the required information.
A dated letter from a family member's healthcare provider confirming a diagnosis has
occurred or an equivalent medical treatment summary, and that a specific care/treatment
plan is occurring.
Documentation from the healthcare provider should list how the student is directly
involved with the treatment plan.
Documentation demonstrating that a previous home provider, head of household, or equivalent
family member is no longer able to provide the care, and you are replacing them. Potential
examples:
A parent deployed on military leave.
The death of their current primary caretaker.
The place you are moving to must be within commuting distance of campus.
Do not submit prescription information.
Termination or lay-off of the parent or legal guardian from their work.
Significant reduction in parent or legal guardian work hours.
Expense details for an unexpected, out-of-your-control item, such as major damage
to the parents' home, replacement of a vehicle due to an unexpected loss, or personal
or immediate relative injury resulting in significant medical expenses.
Loss of financial aid, loan, or scholarship from aid or loan service after the move-in
date, as long as you have exhausted all other available resources offered through
the Office of Financial Aid, including loans.
Eviction from primary residence.
Do not submit:
Tax returns.
Checking / Savings Account Information.
Credit card bills.
Future expenses that will not occur during the agreement period.
Currency exchange rate increases are known variables when students select housing
and do not qualify as unique changes.
If you intend to sign a lease or incur costs off campus, you must include the cost
comparison worksheet for review.
Frequently Asked Questions: Release from Housing After Agreement Period Commenced
Appeals for leave during a semester due to external study or a doctoral student completing their degree outside of the traditional
end of a semester typically receive a response within 7 business days.
Appeals for an active medical/psychological condition that requires the student to
live off campus are dependent on the process with the Student Accessibility Support
Center. This can take multiple weeks due to the various components of the process.
Appeals for an unexpected financial change or new responsibilities as a primary caretaker
after moving in receive responses based on the appeals board submission and outcome
deadlines listed in the chart on this website.
If approved during a semester, charges will end on your check-out date but no later
than November 15 for fall semesters and April 15 for spring semesters. Moving out
after these dates will result in a full-semester charge. This includes students who
withdraw during the semester.
If approved between the fall and spring semester, students with an approved release
must check out by the start of the spring housing semester to avoid any spring billing.
Graduate students must move out by noon on December 31.
While not recommended, students may check out prior to an appeal response. If an appeal
is approved and a student meets the proration criteria, the end billing date will
be the check-out date.
Students who are seeking release during an agreement period are not charged the early
termination charge in the following situations:
The student has graduated from the University.
The student withdraws from the University.
Student enters active duty in the US military.
Student leaves on an approved external study from the University (e.g., study abroad,
clinical rotation, academic internship).
Student with a SASC referral for an active medical/psychological condition that requires
the student to live off campus.
Students participating in an SBU Study Abroad Program, clinical rotation, student
teaching, or other external study with the primary location outside of Suffolk County,
and no regular attendance on campus.
If you cannot move out by the undergraduate spring housing billing start date listed
on the Campus Residents Rates and Fees website, you will incur a spring bill for the nights until you complete a check-out.
The “Fall End of Semester Plans” process in the Housing Portal will allow you to select
a check-out date no later than the Friday before spring semester classes begin. As
you are not a student with an on-campus purpose for the spring semester, you must
be moved out by this date.
If denied, the student can request reinstatement of on-campus housing, which may be
in the same or a different room type.
No, students can only submit one appeal for release. All decisions are final.
Residents who are removed from housing as a result of a student conduct meeting finding
of responsibility and applied sanction of dismissal or suspension shall leave the
respondent ineligible for a refund of room fees, and the student will be responsible
for all amounts owed.
Most students will need to join the on-campus housing waitlist, as your on-campus
housing priority was forfeited when you canceled or terminated your agreement.
Students who had housing during or the semester prior and take a documented medical
leave through the university, participate in an SBU external study, or take U.S. military
leave will retain eligibility to return to housing in the first semester they return
to on-campus classes. External study students must be enrolled in SBU credits related
to their external studies or transfer credits back in once the program ends.
If a student is released from financial liability during an agreement period and subsequently
requests to move back in during the same agreement period, a charge for the gap period
may be assessed. Exceptions will be made if the break in occupancy was due to an official
medical leave, a call to active duty in the US military, or an approved external study.
Questions regarding the process for someone with an active medical/psychological condition
that requires the student to live off campus can be directed to SASC@stonybrook.edu and reside@stonybrook.edu
Due to the nuanced situations surrounding appeals for an unexpected financial change
or new responsibilities as a primary caretaker after moving in. Students appealing
for these reasons who want guidance on how to prepare an appeal or what documents to include may schedule a meeting
with a staff member in the Housing Administration Office. They are available for phone
or Zoom meetings. While our staff do not serve on the Appeals Board, they are familiar
with the processes involved. Housing Administration cannot speculate on the likelihood
of approval or advocate for approval. To request an appointment, please email reside@stonybrook.edu, including your SBU ID number, availability Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM,
and your phone number unless requesting a Zoom meeting. You can have only one meeting
with our office regarding your appeal.
