Reservation Fee | Students

As part of the housing application process, applicants are required to pay two non-refundable fees: an administrative processing fee and a housing reservation fee. These fees are essential for securing housing and maintaining quality of service. Applicants are encouraged to plan for these to avoid delays in securing their housing.

  • Payments must be made by credit or debit card through the Housing Portal.
  • All fees submitted during the application process are non-refundable.
  • Applicants who reapply must pay a new administrative processing fee for each application.

To support housing operations and maintain high-quality service, Columbia Residential will charge a $20 administrative processing fee for each housing application after July 1, 2025. This fee offsets administrative costs associated with processing applications, which require staff time and resources.

  • Applicants may cancel their housing selection once to choose another unit without submitting a new application.
  • After a second cancellation, a new application and administrative processing fee will be required.
  • To avoid reapplication, applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully review their options before finalizing their housing selection.

To accept a housing offer, student residents must pay a non-refundable $750 reservation fee. This payment is credited to the Student Financial Services account after move-in and applied toward the first month’s rent. No additional credits will be issued after move-out.

  • If a student accepts a housing offer but later declines to move in or withdraws from the University, the reservation fee will not be refunded.

Exceptions to this policy are rare and only considered in cases of significant, recent, and unexpected events that require the cancellation of a housing offer.

  • Students experiencing such circumstances may submit a request for an exception, including supporting documentation, through the designated form.
  • Requests must be submitted within 10 days of cancellation.
  • For detailed guidelines, refer to the Fee Waiver Request.