Residential Life-East Falls Campus

Incoming full-time first year students who have a primary address greater than 15 miles away from the East Falls Campus are required to live in University housing for their first two years of enrollment. Students whose primary residence is within 15 miles of East Falls Campus can opt-in to the residency requirement by choosing to be admitted as a resident student their first semester. Transfer students are exempt from the two-year housing requirement.

First and second-year students who are under the residency requirement are guaranteed housing for their first two years. Juniors, seniors and graduate students, as well as transfer students, are not guaranteed housing.

We accept housing applications for full-time first and second-year Thomas Jefferson University - East Falls undergraduate students with 12 credits or more per semester. Failure to maintain 12 credits may lead to termination of the Housing Agreement at the discretion of the Office of Residential Life. Students who lose their eligibility must inform the Office Residential Life within two (2) business days and may be subject to cancellation charges.

When space allows, we accept applications for full-time rising juniors and seniors, transfer students, and full-time graduate students. However, we only guarantee housing to first and second-year students, and housing for other students is based entirely on supply and demand.

Students may submit an Appeal for two purposes: to appeal their required participation in Thomas Jefferson University – East Falls’ Two-Year Residency Requirement, or to petition to be released from a signed contract.

Appeals to the Two-Year Residency Requirement will be considered for the following reasons:

• Students with a primary address within 15 miles of Thomas Jefferson University – East Falls
• Students who are or will be over the age of 20 at the beginning of this contract’s dates
• Military veterans
• Married students
• Students with legal dependents
• Extenuating financial circumstances, which requires documentation in the form of a report from Student Accounts or Financial Aid showing a significant change to financial circumstances
• Extenuating medical circumstances, which requires documentation from a medical provider that will be reviewed by Student Health Services and/or Student Accessibility Services.

Appeals that students submit to petition for a contract release will be considered for the following reasons:

• Upcoming military service
• Marriage, occurring after contract signature
• New legal dependents after contract signature
• Extenuating financial circumstances, which requires documentation in the form of a report from Student Accounts or Financial Aid showing a significant change to financial circumstances
• Extenuating medical circumstances, which requires documentation from a medical provider that will be reviewed by Student Health Services and/or Student Accessibility Services. 

For approved appeals that release a student from their contract after the contract dates have started, we follow the Tuition Refund Schedule for housing refunds, and also prorate meal plan refunds by the day.

Students who live on campus in the fall semester and study away during the spring semester are not required to appeal.

Students who wish to appeal after signing the contract should email [email protected] with supporting documentation. All appeals are reviewed by at least two staff members in the Office of Residential Life.

Students are responsible for the full academic year's financial commitment, covering both semesters, and all Housing Agreements are considered binding contracts once signed.

The University can terminate the Housing Agreement under the following circumstances:

• Graduation, Study Abroad, or withdrawal from the University.
• Disciplinary action or violation of the Agreement by the student.
• Approval through the Appeals process.

Students can pay their housing fees through their student account. Housing fees will appear on the tuition bill. If you received financial aid and the disbursement includes room fees, the financial aid monies will go directly towards paying the housing fees. Please be advised that not all academic terms are budgeted by financial aid, which is dependent on the academic program. Students should consult with the Office of Financial Aid regarding what housing fees their financial aid covers.

All Thomas Jefferson University students are required to have Health Insurance. Please refer to the Student Health Services website for more information.

College and University Vaccination Act Effective August 27, 2002, this law requires that all full-time college students who live in university housing show proof that they have been vaccinated against meningococcal disease (bacterial meningitis). Refer to Student Health Services for more information on vaccination requirements.

Please be sure to follow all University processes related to health forms and immunization records. Students who have a Deans Office Health Hold on move-in day due to not turning in required health forms and immunization records will not be permitted to move into the residence halls.

We strongly encourage residents to obtain sufficient renter's insurance coverage for their personal belongings before their move-in date. This coverage can be acquired either through a parent/guardian's homeowner's insurance policy (if applicable) or through an individual renter's insurance policy. Students are required to ensure their property has the necessary coverage, whether through a parent/guardian's homeowner's insurance policy or through individual renter's insurance coverage.

Students who are approved for a leave of absence, including medical leave, will be required to vacate their on-campus housing assignment. Residential Life will initiate the housing termination process upon receiving official confirmation of the leave from the Registrar's Office. We follow the Tuition Refund Schedule for housing refunds, and also prorate meal plan refunds by the day for students who are approved for a leave of absence or medical leave of absence. See Housing Agreement for more information.

Please refer to the University's Equal Opportunity Statement.