Housing FAQs

Residence halls follow the academic calendar in terms of when housing begins and ends each semester. The residence halls typically open for the fall semester in late August/early September, and close in December. For the spring semester, the residence halls typically open in January and close in May.

Residence halls remain open for the duration of the fall and spring semesters, meaning that they do not close for Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, or Spring Break. Students are welcome to stay on campus over those break periods, though dining is not included during those times.

However, the residence halls do close for Winter Break (between fall and spring semesters) and for summer (between spring and fall). Students who wish to stay on campus during winter or summer will need to sign up for winter or summer housing, respectively, which is not included in the cost of academic year housing.

For specific opening and closing dates, please visit the pages below:

Fall Opening

Fall Closing

Spring Opening

Spring Closing

Students with extenuating circumstances are welcome to email us at housing@bentley.edu to request permission to arrive to campus before the scheduled date. The request should be no more than one day prior to your scheduled arrival date. All requests are subject to review and are not guaranteed to be approved.

Students who are part of certain groups (athletes, student employees, etc.) that are required to be on campus before the start of the semester will be approved to arrive early and do not need to submit a request. The student's supervisor/coach will coordinate that arrival directly with the Residential Center.

Yes, the academic year housing contract and cost includes Spring Break and Thanksgiving Break, and residence halls remain open during that time. The Winter Break period in between semesters is not included in the academic year housing contract, and students must depart campus during that time. Students returning to their fall room for the spring semester are welcome to leave items in the room over Winter Break but will not have access to the residence halls during that time.

Students with a demonstrated need to remain on campus during the Winter Break period will be eligible to apply for Winter Break Housing, which is not included in academic year housing and comes at an additional cost. The application will be available in the Housing Portal beginning in November each year. More information about this process can be found here.

The Winter Break period in between semesters is not included in the academic year housing contract, and students must depart campus during that time. Students returning to their fall room for the spring semester are welcome to leave items in the room over Winter Break but will not have access to the residence halls during that time.

Summer housing is available for current undergraduate students who are taking summer courses at Bentley, working at a job or internship in the Boston area, or working an on-campus job at Bentley. Summer housing is not included in the academic year housing contract and comes at an additional cost. The application is typically available beginning in April. More information about summer housing can be found here.

Returning students select their housing for the next academic year in a process that runs from February to March. The process involves students signing the housing and meal plan contract, registering their roommate group, and then selecting from available housing options. More information about housing selection for returning students can be found here.

We offer a variety of housing options across campus! First-year students typically live in our traditional residence halls, which feature a collection of rooms on a hallway with shared bathrooms. Upperclass (sophomore, junior, senior) students typically live in suites and apartments. Both of these options feature 1-4 bedrooms sharing a bathroom and common area; suites feature a small kitchenette (mini fridge, microwave, and sink/counter) while apartments feature a full kitchen. Much more information about our housing options can be found here.

All students who sign the Housing and Meal Plan Contract are responsible for the costs associated with their housing assignment and/or meal plan. Each housing option and meal plan has its own corresponding rate, which is charged per semester. Students are responsible for accessing and reviewing rates when requesting, or agreeing to, a room or meal plan change to an option with a different rate.

The 2024-2025 housing and meal plan rates can be found here: 2024-2025 Room & Board Rates

The University will assume no liability, directly or indirectly, for loss or damage to personal property by fire, flood, theft, or any other cause. Every resident is encouraged to review their family’s personal property insurance coverage (if applicable) and to obtain appropriate coverage. Renters insurance may be another option depending on your personal circumstances.

Unfortunately we are unable to offer housing to graduate students at this time. If you are looking for off-campus housing options, please refer to Bentley's Off-Campus Housing website.

Incoming Fall Students:  The housing contract and application will be available starting in late May, with assignments communicated in late July. More information will be available here and sent via email to incoming students at that time.

Incoming Spring Students:  The housing contract and application will be available starting in November, with assignments communicated in late December. More information will be available here and sent via email to incoming students at that time.

Our team is dedicated to helping you find the housing option that best fits your needs, based on what availability we have on campus. If you would like to explore possibilities for a room change, please contact your Residence Director. For more information about how to contact them, please click here.

Please note that, due to the high number of students living in campus housing this year, options for room changes are very limited. If you are seeking a room change due to a disagreement or conflict with a roommate, the first step will be for our team to assist you in resolving that situation. Your RD and RA will be able to assist you with this mediation process.

Each bedroom (traditional halls, suites, and apartments) contains:

• Bed frame with a mattress (80 inches, extra-long twin size)
• Desk & chair
• Dresser
• Closet or wardrobe, depending on the layout of the room

Suites and apartments also feature a common room including soft seating (sofas/chairs) and coffee/end tables, as well as a bathroom with a sink, toilet, and shower. Suites feature a small kitchenette (mini fridge, microwave, and sink), while apartments feature a full kitchen (stove/oven, refrigerator, sink). Only North Campus apartments have microwaves.

Any other items are the responsibility of the student to provide. Please see the Student Handbook for information around what items are and are not allowed. Note that no outside furniture is allowed in the residence halls, and all provided furniture must remain in your room/suite/apartment.

All beds on campus feature Twin XL mattresses (80 inches). The height of the bed frame is adjustable, with the highest setting providing about 30" of space beneath.

Please utilize this list of suggested items when deciding what to bring for your room. For information about what items are prohibited in the residence halls, please refer to the Student Handbook.

Wi-fi internet access is available in all residence halls. More information about the networks and how to connect can be found here.

Click here to submit a request for help if you have problems with accessing wi-fi on campus.  

Bentley provides Xfinity On Campus (XOC) via digital streaming for all residential students. More information about this service and how to get connected can be found here.

Please note that we no longer support physical coaxial cable connections on campus (all connection to XOC must be digital through smart TVs, streaming devices, smartphones, computers, etc.)

Laundry facilities can be found in each residential building, with the exception of the Falcones (laundry facilities are only in Falcone North). Washers and dryers operate by using LaundryConnect™, and require payment via their secure app.

For emergency issues, such as flooding, toilets not flushing, etc.:

• Call the Residential Center at 781-891-2148 during business hours (M-F 8:30am-4:30pm)
• Call the University Police at 781-891-2201 after hours

For non-emergent issues such as broken furniture, damage, etc., submit a work order online.

For any issues with the laundry machines not working properly, please email your Residence Director and submit a ticket with Automatic Laundry.

For information about Xfinity on Campus and related troubleshooting, please review this article. You can submit a helpdesk ticket for support by emailing helpdesk@bentley.edu with your problem or concern.

Work orders must be submitted online, and the work order portal can be accessed here. If you have trouble with the system, contact Facilities Management at 781-891-2208.

All combination or lock change requests are managed by the Residential Center. Room combinations are only changed when the occupants of the room change (i.e. if someone moves out of your room) or when there is a security concern. If you are worried about the security of your combination, please contact your Residence Director.

For issues related to Bentley ID cards, please visit the Card Office in the University Police station during business hours (M-F 8:30am-4:30pm) or call University Police after hours at 781-891-2201.

Your first step should always be to contact a Resident Assistant from your building. If you are unable to reach the RA, please do the following:

• During business hours (M-F 8:30am-4:30pm):  call the Residential Center at 781-891-2148
• After hours and on weekends, call University Police at 781-891-2201

Resident Assistants will be available in your building/area's RA office beginning each night at 7:30 p.m.

We do not have a residency requirement - undergraduate students are able to request on-campus housing or seek off-campus housing/commute regardless of their class year.

Unfortunately we are unable to offer housing to graduate students.

Please visit Bentley's off-campus housing website for more information.

No pets are allowed in residential buildings, except for fish in tanks no larger than 10 gallons. Those found with unauthorized pets are subject to fines, conduct action and cleaning costs. Service and emotional support animals living in the residence halls are not considered “pets” and any questions regarding such animals should be referred to the Residential Center and Student Accessibility Services. Emotional support animals are subject to an approval process prior to coming to campus, which will require the student to submit a request form and supporting medical documentation.

Certain items are not allowed in the residence halls due to health and safety regulations. For a complete list of prohibited items, see the Student Handbook.

Approved posters, flyers, and banners may be posted on painted concrete block and other wall surfaces in lobbies, stairwells, and throughout the hallways.  Please avoid posting flyers directly on hall, suite, or apartment entrance doors.  Banners, posters, flyers or other signage may not be hung on the exterior of any buildings, windows, doors, etc. without express permission from the Residential Center.  You may not distribute flyers or other materials door to door within the residence halls.  Masking tape is the only tape approved on all surfaces deemed appropriate for posting. Approved materials may not be secured to any glass surfaces especially on entrance/exit doors. Sponsoring organizations and individuals are responsible for removing all postings within 2 (two) days after the event

During quiet hours, noise emanating from a room, suite or apartment should not be audible in a hallway or abutting room. Quiet hours are in effect from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday evenings, and from 1:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, except as modified by the academic calendar. 24/7 quiet hours may be enforced during certain times of the academic year (i.e., final exam periods).