FAQ - Living On Campus

What if I want to change my Housing assignment?

Room\Hall transfer requests will be accepted starting the 2 weeks of classes for the fall and spring semester. Email housing@fau.edu to facilitate transfers online. Your student account must be paid in full if you are requesting a room upgrade. Room upgrades will not be granted to students who have a balance due to the University. Room\Hall transfer requests are made based on availability and are not guaranteed.

I am having a roommate conflict. How can this be resolved?

We make every effort to resolve roommate conflicts. Before deciding to change rooms, please contact your Resident Assistant on your floor first to see what he/she can do to mediate the situation. Our Residence Education staff has been trained to help you with issues affecting you and your roommate.

Who can I talk to if I’m having a problem with my roommate?

If you are having a problem with your roommate or with another member of your suite or apartment, you should talk to your Resident Assistant.  Your Resident Assistant lives on your floor or assigned area, and is an upper-division student who has been carefully selected and trained to assist you throughout the academic year.  Very often the Resident Assistant will talk with their supervisors and help resolve your problem, usually with a meeting of all parties involved.  It is important that you maintain an open line of communication with your roommates so that you can talk about problems you may be having.  We expect our residents to treat each other as adults and discuss their differences openly.  That is the first step in resolving differences. If you continue to have problems, and have worked initially with your Resident Assistant, you may next contact your Resident Coordinator.  These individuals are full-time, professionally trained staff members who can assist you in taking additional steps.  Check with your Resident Assistant to locate the office of your Resident Coordinator.

I found my future roommate’s profile on a social networking site, and I don’t like what I see. Do you recommend I switch roommates before meeting in person?

We recognize that social networking sites provide a lot of potential information about your future roommates. However, we do encourage you to make contact with your new roommate before requesting a room change through our office. Impressions made through these websites are not always accurate pictures, and creates generalizations which may be false. In general, we do not make changes in room assignments until after the semester begins.

Can I stay in my room during University holidays?

Yes, in most situations. All Apartments and Residence Halls may be occupied during the Semester Break (December/January). This is done to provide additional security during this longer break.  There is no extra charge for staying during this break as it is part of the student’s contracted term. Apartments and Residence Halls may be occupied during the Spring Break in March as well. Students who do not need to stay on campus during breaks and University holidays do NOT need to remove their belongings.  We do ask, however, that they empty their refrigerators (to avoid spoilage) and power off electrical items such as televisions, computers, etc. during longer times away from campus.

What about break periods between contract terms?

Break housing is not offered to all students and limited on the Boca Raton campus and Jupiter campus.  Break housing between Summer and Fall Semesters is limited to upperclassman students only based on the criteria below.  New entering summer first year students are not able to receive break housing between summer and fall.  Break housing between Spring and Summer Semesters is limited and students must also meet the criteria below.  To be eligible for this, you must log on to the housing portal and request break hosing, and also:

  1. Have no disciplinary hold on your student account.
  2. Have a completed housing contract and housing assignment for the next semester after the break period.
  3. Have no past due university balance.
  4. Must be registered for the next semester after the break period.
  5. From a distance greater than 100 miles from campus.
  6. The student must have the ability to relocate to another space for break housing by the end of move-out and relocate to their future semester housing space within 24 hours. No exemptions are made for the timeframe to move.  Any items not removed within 24 hours will be disposed of immediately and not reimbursed by FAU Housing and Residential Education. 

We will send e-mail reminders about break housing availability and deadlines. If you have questions please call (561) 297-2880 or email housing@fau.edu .

I've read that all accommodations are furnished. What should I bring with me when I move in?

Residents need to provide their own linens, towels, desk lamps, cleaning supplies and trash receptacles. Students may also bring televisions, stereos and computers but may want to wait until they have received their roommate/ suitemate assignments to determine their specific needs.

While none of these items are required, we recommend you consider bringing the following items: 

  • Sheets, mattress cover, blankets, bedspread (beds are twin size, extra long – 36” x 80”), Pillow
  • Soap, shampoo, and other toiletries
  • Laundry basket and detergent (there are laundry rooms located throughout on-campus Housing facilities)
  • Small area rug (see question on carpeting)
  • Dishes, drinking cups, silverware, dish soap and towels. (Apartment residents will also want to bring pots, pans, etc. to use in their kitchens)
  • Alarm clock
  • Calendar/Organizer
  • Desk supplies (pens, pencils, notebooks and paper, desk lamp)
  • Dictionary and thesaurus
  • CD player, headphones
  • Computer, printer, surge protector
  • A good lock, if you bring a bike
  • Umbrella
  • Refrigerator no larger than 4.2 cubic feet
  • Electric Grill (i.e. George Forman Grill)
  • Cleaning supplies 

What items are not permitted?

 Items that are not permitted include: 

  • Candles and/or incense
  • Illegal drugs
  • All pets, except fish (see below)
  • Weapons, including all firearms and ammunition, explosives, knives, and any other dangerous articles or substances
  • Halogen lamps
  • Toasters with open heating elements (unless the student lives in Innovation Village Apartments North or South, or in University Village Apartments)
  • Appliances with exposed heating elements

Can I bring my pet?

Possession of animals, other than fish as defined below, are prohibited. Any cost associated with the possession of an illegal animal will be charged to the responsible resident(s) or to all residents of the room/apartment, (damaged furniture, cleaning, pest control, etc.). Feeding or petting stray or wild animals is prohibited. Fish, may be maintained as pets, as long as they are kept in fish tanks which are no larger than 10 gallon capacity. Residents are responsible for maintaining the tanks and are responsible for any and all damage caused by the fish or the tank.  This policy shall not effect service animals or emotional support animals approved by the Student Accessibility Services.

Are microwave ovens provided?  What about refrigerators?

Residents of Glades Park Towers, Heritage Park Towers, Indian River Towers, and Parliament Hall, may bring a small refrigerator and/or microwave.  Refrigerators should be 4.2 cubic feet or smaller and should have a maximum of 400 watts at 120 volts.  Microwave ovens should be 1.5 cubic feet capacity or smaller and should have a maximum of 1100 watts at 120 volts. 

Remember, each University Village and Innovation Village apartment unit has a full-size refrigerator-freezer.

Is carpeting provided?

Carpeting in student rooms IS NOT provided in Glades Park Towers, Heritage Park Towers, Indian River Towers, or Parliament Hall.  Carpeting IS provided in the following areas:

  • University Village Apartments
  • Innovation Village North Apartments
  • Innovation Village South Apartments

How can I connect my device to the FAU network?

High-speed internet access is provided in all Residence Halls and Apartments as part of the housing rate. Students will be able to connect their device(s) to the FAU Network by connecting to the FAU WIFI, for faster connections we recommend plugging their device(s) to one of the data ports located in each room. Please keep in mind that the campus network is a shared resource and its transmission speed will vary depending upon network traffic load. Before connecting your device(s) with the FAU network please make sure to have it registered at talon.fau.edu For details on how to register your device(s), please visit the https://fau.edu/student/technology/ .NOTE: To take full advantage of the fast internet that you have available, please make sure to keep any wireless printers, Bluetooth speakers, and devices that create a hotspot OFF while not in use since they interfere with the WiFi and drastically lowers the speed and signal.

Can I connect my television up to a cable-TV connection?

As part of your housing here at FAU, we offer cable services through Xfinity on Campus. You can stream more than 100 live TV channels and thousands of Xfinity On Demand shows and movies directly to your laptop, desktop, and mobile devices while staying connected to the FAU campus network. You can record and watch two shows at once, you have 20 hours of recording storage, and you can download and watch even when you are offline. Includes channels such as HBO, CINEMAX, ESPN, and much more. The Xfinity Stream app is available on the App Store, Google Play, the Amazon Kindle, on your Roku TV, Samsung Smart TVs, and LG Smart TVs. The instructions to set up can be found at the following link: https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/activating-xfinity-stream-smarttvs If you would like to use Xfinity on Campus on your TV but it is not compatible, we recommend that you get a Roku from this list of supported Roku devices found on this link: https://support.xfinityoncampus.com/hc/én-us/articles/115004909567

What do I do if I have a problem with my cable service?

Most issues can be self-resolved by visiting the Student technology site at https://fau.edu/student/technology/. There you can find guides on how to connect all of your devices to the School network. If after following the instructions, you are still experiencing problems, please create a work order to get in contact with the Technology Team. You can create a Work Order by following this link www. fixit.fau.edu

Can I bring a vehicle to campus?

Yes.  You must register your car or motorcycle with FAU Parking Services on the FAU Parking Services Website .

I was charged for residential damages/fees. How do I appeal those charges?

All residential charges can be appealed by e-mailing us at housing@fau.edu to be reviewed by the Associate Director for Residential Education. You will be notified of the results of the appeal afterwards

For more information please visit Contracts and Forms webpage.