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Housing Requirement

Research into the residence experience indicates that students who live on campus tend to earn higher grades, express more satisfaction with their college experience, are less likely to drop out, are more involved in campus activities, and experience greater personal growth. In short, the residence experience contributes significantly to a student's education.

For this reason, Whitworth has made living on campus part of its educational design.

Students are required to live on campus for the first two years after their high school graduation, regardless of how many credits they have earned through Running Start or another institution. Students whose high school graduation took place fewer than two years ago but who are married, living with their immediate family, have dependent children living with them, have certain physical/psychological limitations, or below full-time enrollment may be exempt from this requirement. However, they must submit a housing waiver for approval. Violation of this policy could result in the student being charged the double-room rate regardless of residency. It should be noted that the trustees have not included "financial reasons" as a valid reason to waive the policy.

Students who graduated from high school more than two years ago are not required to live on campus, nor do they need to complete a housing waiver. (However, it's always a good idea to let financial aid know you're planning to live off campus, as some aid is tied to on-campus living.)

Students may complete a housing waiver by going to www.whitworth.edu/housingwaiver. Your Whitworth username and password are required. Contact the help desk at 509.777.3911 or helpdesk@whitworth.edu if you have any problems accessing the waiver.

In many instances, financial aid awards decrease when a student chooses to live off campus. Your decision to move off campus could have serious and unintended financial implications. Whitworth strongly recommends that you contact the financial aid office to inquire about possible changes to your award before you complete a waiver.

When considering living off campus, please be aware of the different stressors that you may experience:

  • Purchasing and making your own meals (unfortunately, Whitworth doesn't have resources to help students with meal costs)
  • Extended travel time and difficulties getting to campus, especially in poor weather
  • Having to track separate bills every month (e.g., your internet provider, utilities and rent to a landlord)
  • Household chores become your responsibility, including purchasing cleaning supplies and finding the time to clean
  • Campus resources are further away, and many off-campus students report the lack of community that on-campus residents enjoy

Overall, living off campus requires increased independence and personal responsibility, greater financial responsibility and improved time-management skills, which may be demanding for some students, particularly those adjusting to college life. Frankly, these hurdles are enough to making living off campus a much worse "deal" than living on campus.

Students who cancel their spring room reservation after the fall term begins will be charged $250. Exceptions can be made for students who attend a Whitworth-sponsored study abroad program or who transfer, go on hiatus or withdraw from the university. Exceptions will not be made for students who continue at Whitworth but make the decision to move off campus at midyear.

Please allow at least two weeks for a request to be processed. Requests that are received in April (while the housing lottery is ramping up) may not be completed until the end of the month; please make appropriate plans with regard to the housing lottery and the possibility that your request will be denied.