Waitlist Frequently Asked Questions for Boca Raton Campus Current Students

 

1)  I received a notification that I am waitlisted, what does this mean? Students who are notified that they are waitlisted will remain active for housing placement as long as they do not cancel their Housing Contract. Housing assignments for waitlisted students will be made throughout the summer and up through the second week of fall classes. Waitlisted students have two options:

1. 1. Stay on the housing waitlist. The housing department will provide frequent updates to waitlisted applicants and their waitlist number will refresh in real time on the Housing Portal. We anticipate being able to accommodate many students from the waiting list, especially in the weeks preceding fall opening.
   2. Waitlisted applicants may cancel their housing application. There is no financial penalty as long as cancellation occurs prior to being assigned a space. In order to cancel, you must complete the Housing Cancellation form at fau.edu/housing/cancellation/. This gives you the flexibility if you sign a lease elsewhere and/or if you no longer need on-campus housing, you may cancel without any financial penalty.

2. I submitted everything on time, I don’t understand why I am on the waitlist? Demand for on-campus housing is very high. We have seen a surge in the last two years in the number of returning residents who want to live on campus. In prior years, our return rates hovered around 50-55%. In the last two years, these rates have risen to over 70%.

3. What are my chances of receiving a space if I continue to stay on the waitlist? This depends on how many students also continue to stay on the waitlist, and how many students cancel their Housing Contract. Based on our experience from last year, we expect to accommodate more than 400 students from the waitlist before the first day of fall classes. At the same time, many students who are on the waitlist make alternative arrangements and cancel from the waitlist. This means that students who are in a position to wait for a space can often be accommodated to live on campus. Please note, this is not a guarantee. Every student’s circumstances are different. If you are in a situation where you can wait, it can often increase your chances for being able to obtain a space.

4. In what order was the waitlist determined? The waitlist number is primarily determined by your year of entry and tuition deposit.

5. Does a student who lives outside of the area have a better chance of getting pulled from the waitlist than someone who resides in commuting distance? A student’s living distance from the university may be taken into consideration, however, priority is primarily based on the criteria explained previously in question #4.

6. What do you recommend for out-of-area students who are placed on the waitlist? You can review the list of off-campus properties on the Off-Campus Housing website offcampushousing.fau.edu/. FAU does not own or manage any Off-Campus Housing properties, and these are third-party listings that you would be responsible for communicating with directly. We do encourage students to remain on the waitlist if their circumstances allow them to do so.

7. Will I know if I have an assignment before the Fall semester begins? Housing assignments will be made throughout the summer and up through the second week of fall classes. Please continue to check your FAU student email throughout the summer for important housing status updates.

8. If I am on the waitlist and I have not been assigned a space, do I still have to adhere to Cancellation fees and criteria for contract termination? Students who are waitlisted may cancel their Housing Contract without a financial penalty. This is option 8 on the cancellation form. You may cancel your Housing Contract prior to being assigned without financial penalty. However, once you receive an assignment, you must adhere to the Terms and Conditions of the Housing Contract. It is extremely important that you cancel your Housing Contract prior to being assigned housing if you plan to find other housing options.

9. If I do not get housing for Fall, will I be able to fill out a Spring only Contract? If you remain on the waitlist and are not assigned housing for the fall semester, we will offer to transfer your Housing Contract to the spring 2026 semester. We will send communication to your FAU email address in September to confirm if you would like your Housing Contract transferred to the spring 2026 Contract term.

10. Will waitlisted students be matched with their requested roommates? This is subject to availability at the time of the assignment. It is unlikely that we will be able to but we will make every effort to accommodate individual requests.

11. I know someone with an assignment who intends to cancel. Can I have their spot? No, assignments are made based on your placement on the waitlist.

12. If I am selected from the waitlist, will my preferences be honored? Preferences will be taken into consideration. This is subject to availability at the time of the assignment.

13. Who can I contact to find out an update on my waitlist status? The housing office can be contacted via email at housing@fau.edu or by phone at 561-297-2880. Housing office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

14. What if I am selected from the waitlist but do not want to accept my assignment, my roommates and/or cannot afford the assignment? When we assign students from the waitlist, we do consider their room type and roommate preferences, however, they are subject to availability. If you have parameters that restrict what you are willing to accept for on-campus housing, you may want to consider other alternative options for Off Campus housing. Demand is very high and we will likely be limited to what is available at the time of assignment. Please note, once a student is assigned from the waitlist, they will be bound to the terms and conditions of the housing contract. This includes being financially liable to the costs for on-campus living. It is important you consider your financial circumstances prior to being assigned.