Graduate Housing & Cost of Living

Unless pre-approved for early arrival, all first-year dorm move-ins begin on August 30, 2012, and expire May 25, 2013. All students must successfully complete the housing draw or other announced renewal procedure each year if they wish to remain in housing for the following year.

Payments begin on the first day of the housing contract for each student. If a student has an academic change of status, they must notify the Housing Department and vacate their room within seven days of your termination date. Princeton University expects all residents to fulfill the terms of their housing contracts and holds them financially responsible, unless there is a change of status or an extenuating circumstance. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the Housing Department of a status change.

Unless pre-approved for early arrival, all first-year apartment contracts begin August 30, 2012, and expire June 30, 2013. All students must successfully complete the housing draw or other announced renewal procedure each year if they wish to remain in housing for the following year.

Payments begin on the first day of the housing contract for each student. Roommates may have contracts that start on different dates.

Given the University’s interest in maximizing access by enrolled students to all available housing spaces, several rights are reserved by the Housing Department to respond to empty spaces within shared apartments. These include placing a new student in the open space, relocating and consolidating remaining students.

Only students who have an academic requirement to arrive prior to August 30 are allowed early arrival. Please consult with your department prior to submitting the housing application to verify if you must arrive on campus during the summer. This date cannot be any earlier than July 1 and must be pre-approved by the Graduate School. If you are approved for a summer arrival, you will be contacted by the Housing Department prior to your arrival; walk-ins and students without academic verification will not be accommodated unless the student has the Housing Department’s approval and the contracted unit is ready for occupancy.

Enrolled students who are away from the University for part of the year may temporarily contract their apartment to other enrolled graduate students or Princeton University faculty and staff during their absence. All temporary contracts must be approved by the Housing Department. Only residents who have a contract for their apartment for the following year may temporarily contract their unit for the summer. Residents who become ineligible during the year and who must vacate are not permitted to temporarily contract their unit for the remainder of the contract year. Graduate students who are taking a leave of absence from the University are not eligible to temporarily their apartment because they are no longer enrolled graduate students.

If enrolled graduate student status ceases, the contract may automatically be canceled and the resident must vacate within 30 days if they live in an apartment or seven days if they live in the Graduate College/Annex. Princeton University expects all residents to fulfill the terms of their housing contracts and holds them financially responsible, unless there is a change of status or an extenuating circumstance.

Students who wish to be released from their apartment contracts before June 30 are required to submit a Notice of Intent to Vacate to the Housing Department using it's online housing system, not less than 30 days prior to vacating. Unless renewed or approved for an extension, all apartment residents must vacate on June 30. No personal property may be left in the unit or on the premises after the contract end date.

The student who desires to terminate their dorm/Annex agreement must submit a Notice of Intent to Vacate to Housing Department at least seven days prior to their departure. The resident will continue to be charged for occupancy until proper notification has been received, the room has been vacated and the keys have been returned.

First-time apartment residents must submit a full security deposit equal to the assigned unit’s monthly rate when they accept their apartment contract and prior to when they move in. No occupant will be issued an apartment key unless the security deposit has been collected in advance.

All units are cleaned before new residents move in, and residents are expected to leave their units in good repair. Immediately after a resident vacates a unit, it is inspected by the Housing Department superintendent. A charge for any abnormal wear and tear is assessed against the security deposit.