Returning Student Housing Selection Processes

The information below is a synopsis of the major components of housing selection for returning students. For more in-depth information, we encourage you to read through our 2024-2025 Housing Selection Information Guide.

Overview

Each spring semester, the Residential Center conducts a housing selection process for returning students to select their room assignment for the upcoming academic year. This is a multi-step process that begins in February and concludes with the actual selection in late March. Students are given agency throughout the process to create their own roommate groups and then to select their housing assignment from a list of available options, all of which is done via the online Housing Portal.

Timeline

• February 5 – 23:  Sign 2024-2025 Housing and Meal Plan Contract
• February 5 – March 1:  Complete roommate registration
• February 13:  Cluster appeals due (if applicable)
• February 16:  Defined Community Application due (if applicable)
• February 26:  Priority numbers sent to students who completed the contract
• March 7:  Group numbers sent based on registered roommate groups
• March 18:  Selection date/time sent to each group; Room availability visible in Housing Portal
• March 19 – 22:  Housing Selection, part 1
• March 25 – 28:  Housing Selection, part 2

Process Steps

1. Students review and sign the 2024-2025 Housing and Meal Plan Contract. This is the official, legal agreement between the student and the University regarding living on campus. Students will also be required in the same application to update their emergency contact information.
2. After completing the contract, students will immediately be able to start registering roommates. To do so, the student requests their desired roommate(s) via a module in the Housing Portal. Each roommate must then log in to confirm the request, and all students within a group must have requested and confirmed each other. Students may form groups of 2, 4, or 5, or they are welcome to proceed without any roommates (individual).
3. Once roommate registration is complete, each group (or individual) will receive their official housing selection date and time, which is when they are able to log into the Housing Portal to choose their actual housing assignment. At their assigned selection time, each group will have three minutes before the next group’s time activates. This does not mean that they only have three minutes to select their assignment, but rather that during those three minutes, they have priority ahead of any other groups that fall later in the process. Students are encouraged to begin considering their options in advance of their selection time.

Housing for Students Studying Abroad during 2024-2025

• Students going abroad in Spring 2025 will fully participate in the above housing selection process. During the fall semester, once the Residential Center confirms they are still planning to go abroad in the spring, we will remove their housing for the spring semester.
• Students going abroad in Fall 2024 are not eligible to participate in the standard housing selection process, but should still sign the Housing Contract by the February 23 deadline if they plan to live on campus when they return in the spring. Once the Residential Center receives confirmation that they are committed to a fall abroad program, those students will be removed from the process. They will then select housing during the spring selection process that runs from October-December 2024.

Resources

• Follow the Residential Center on Instagram for updates and reminders: @livingatbentley
• Students are encouraged to reach out to the Residential Center with any housing selection questions:
  • Phone:  781-891-2148
  • Email:  housing@bentley.edu
  • The Residence Director for each area of campus can also answer questions from students in their building(s). Please visit the staff webpage for how to contact your Residence Director.
• The Residential Center will be hosting several drop-in hours in February and March, where professional staff members will be available to answer any housing selection questions. These drop-in hours will be held in Student Center suite 320 on the following days:
  • Mondays 11:00am – 12:00pm (2/12, 2/19, 2/26, 3/4) 
  • Wednesdays 2:00pm – 3:00pm (2/14, 2/21, 2/28, 3/6) 
  • Fridays 3:00pm – 4:00pm (2/16, 2/23, 3/1, 3/8) 

Students returning from study abroad or a leave of absence for the spring 2025 semester will participate in a special housing assignment process that takes place in November/December 2024. Students will be able to indicate their preferences and roommate groupings for spring 2025, and our dedicated staff will work to find assignments that best match those preferences.

Detailed information will be sent via email to students' Bentley email addresses (and will be available here) beginning in late October 2024. Please check back at that time.

Bentley University provides equal opportunities for all students with diagnosed disabilities (as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act and with documentation from a specialist) and/or religious needs by way of reasonable accommodation. The petition process for a Housing & Meal Plan Accommodation is a pre-selection process, with all approved applicants securing an appropriate assignment before their respective housing selection/assignment process begins if the materials below are submitted by the respective deadline. Please note that this is an application process that is subject to review* by the Housing Accommodation Committee. The Committee will review all petitions and communicate a decision to the applicant.

Each applicant must complete all steps below to apply for a housing and/or meal plan accommodation, including:
1. Full completion of the online form** (link below).
2. A self-written statement from the applicant detailing the specific style of housing they are requesting and why their medical or religious situation necessitates this accommodation.
3. (medical accommodation requests only) Attachment of supporting documentation in a detailed typed-letter, on letterhead, with a hand signature and date from a medical specialist. This letter must include the following information: diagnosis, symptoms and impact of diagnosis, treatment plan and history of treatment, recommended accommodation, and an explanation of the direct correlation between the symptoms/impact and the recommended accommodation (i.e. why the accommodation is necessary to prevent a significant impairment). All medical documentation must be either originally written in English or translated to English by a professional translation service.

To be considered prior to the respective housing process, this form must be completed by the following dates:
·    Returning Students for Fall 2024: Due by 4:00PM on Friday, February 16, 2024
·    New Students for Fall 2024: Due by 4:00PM on Thursday, June 20 2024
·    Students Returning from Abroad/Leave for Spring 2025: Due by 4:00PM on Thursday, November 14, 2024
·    New Students for Spring 2025: Due by 4:00PM on Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Petitions received after the above deadlines will be reviewed by the Committee and a decision will be communicated to the applicant within 2-3 weeks. Students who submit a petition after their respective deadline and are approved for an accommodation after housing processes are underway or completed may not be able to receive a housing option that meets their approved accommodation, depending on availability. If a space later becomes available that meets the accommodation, it will be offered to the student.

If you have any questions about this process or would like more information, please contact HousingAccommodations@bentley.edu.

Please click here to access the Housing and Meal Plan MEDICAL Accommodation Form.

Please click here to access the Housing and Meal Plan RELIGIOUS Accommodation Form.

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*Students must submit documentation from their medical specialist to be considered for a medical accommodation. Students submitting a request for a religious accommodation do not require supporting documentation. Please note that housing accommodations may not be approved if the impact of the respective disability or religious practice does not warrant a specific housing accommodation for the student to be able to function successfully in a university housing setting.

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**As of October 7, 2022, the Housing and Meal Plan Accommodation Process has fully moved to an online format. The previous paper/PDF accommodation form will no longer be accepted; all petitions must be submitted using the online form at the link above.

All housing options on campus are gender-inclusive. Any students may choose to live together regardless of gender. Bentley University is committed to creating an affirming community for our trans, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming students. The Residential Center will work with students to find a housing situation that is affirming and will support each student's academic growth. If you would like to speak with someone regarding your specific request, please contact our office at housing@bentley.edu.

When you are ready to return to campus, follow the Leave of Absence/Return process. Then email housing@bentley.edu to request housing.