FAQs

Application, Contract, and Room Assignments

Do I have to live in a residence hall?

No, you don’t have to, but we highly recommend it. You will find that living in the residence halls is much more convenient than living off-campus. You are closer to classes, meals are prepared for you, and you won’t have to drive to a laundromat or hunt for a parking space close to campus. Your residence hall bill will be provided on your FDU statement, so you won’t have to keep track of several bills. You will also enjoy cable television and free, high-speed internet access on campus. In no other living situation will you meet as many people as you can in the residence halls. Additionally, studies indicate that students living in residence hall situations maintain a higher GPA and graduation rate than those who live off-campus.

When can I apply for fall housing?

New students to Fairleigh Dickinson University receive housing information upon their admission to the University with their Admissions Acceptance Package from the Office of Admissions. A Residence Hall Deposit ($200) is required of all resident students. New students’ housing applications are due May 1 for Fall applicants and December 1 for Spring applicants.

Room Assignments

For new students, Housing and Residence Life will assign students their rooms during the summer based on application information and other considerations.

When will I receive my room/roommate assignment?

Once your Housing Application has been processed, you will be able to view your room, roommate, and suitemate information via MyHousing. Applications will be processed by July 31st. If you do not have your housing assignment information by the end of the 2nd week of August, please contact Housing and Residence Life at  fduhousing@fdu.edu.  Due to privacy restrictions, we cannot give out specific room assignments or roommate information over the phone or through e-mail.

Can I change my preferred roommate once I have submitted my application?

Yes, Housing and Residence Life understands that your plans may change during the summer months or perhaps you met someone during orientation that you would now like to be paired with as roommates. All requests will be considered but are not guaranteed. The deadline to submit your request is July 15 via MyHousing.

What is the charge for breaking my contract?

While there is a procedure to request the contract to be cancelled, you may be forfeit any deposit as well as be charged a fee to cancel.

Am I allowed to have a car on-campus?

Yes, all vehicles, including motorcycles, scooters and motorbikes on university property must be registered with the Department of Public Safety.

How do I get matched with a roommate?

Roommates are matched based on the answers provided on the Housing & Meal Plan Application, so it is very important that you are thoughtful and honest in your responses to the lifestyle questions and your choices. If you are requesting a specific roommate, you will both need to request each other.

How can I request a room change?

After you have lived in the halls for a few weeks during the fall semester, you will have the opportunity to request a change. Room changes are not permitted during the first three weeks of classes. The room change period will begin on the fourth week of classes.

What To Bring

What furnishings are provided in each room?

Most residence hall rooms contain the following for each resident:

  • a bed
  • desk
  • desk chair
  • nightstand
  • dresser
  • double-door wardrobe or closet
  • window blinds or shades

What can’t I bring?

To see a list of prohibited & restricted items, click here. 

Can beds be lofted or bunked?

Installation of prefabricated lofts is not allowed and bunking of beds.

Can I use cinderblocks or bed risers?

Cinderblocks and bed risers are not allowed. All rooms are equipped with a metal-frame bed. You can adjust the metal frame to raise your bed and allow for extra storage.

What are all these linens mailing I am getting?

We have made packing for college easier through our partnership with Our Campus Market (OCM). Here you can find anything you need to personalize your room, including sheets for our Twin CL mattresses!

What is the size of my bed so I can purchase linens?

All rooms are equipped with extra-long beds, so students will need extra-long sheets. Our mattresses are twin extra-long (36” x 80”) You can fit twin extra-long sheets to a regular mattress, but the opposite does not hold true.

What are items I should consider packing?

  • Additional Lighting (Non Halogen Deck/Floor Lamp) Recommended for Village Rooms
  • Adhesive Hooks and Strips (that do not damage the wall; for example Command Strips)
  • Area Rug
  • Air Fresheners (Non Plug-In)
  • Batteries
  • Bath Tote/Bucket/Shower Caddy
  • Bedding (Mattress Pad, Foam Topper)
  • Bicycle w/ Bicycle Lock
  • Personal size Blenders
  • Can Opener
  • Clock
  • Curtain Rods (for closets on the Florham Campus)
  • Television
  • Digital TV/Blue-Ray/DVD
  • Dry Erase Board
  • Fan
  • First Aid Supplies
  • Ironing Board/Iron
  • Keurig-type coffeemakers (single serve with automatic shut off and without a hotplate);
  • Laundry Detergent
  • Medication/Pain Relievers
  • Mini Garbage Can
  • Video Game Consoles
  • Surge protectors
  • Microfridges rented from the University-approved vendor, or personal refrigerators, must be under 4.4 cubic feet
  • Microwave (No more than 800 Watts) only one per residence hall room
  • personal computers.

Please check our prohibited items page for items that are not allowed in the residence halls.

How can I secure my bike?

Bike racks are provided throughout the residence halls.

Is there internet access in the residence halls?

All residence hall rooms have wireless internet. Routers are prohibited on-campus.

Is telephone service provided in the residence halls?

There are no active landlines in the residence halls. However, there are emergency phones to contact the Department of Public Safety on the exterior entrances of the residence halls.

How much does it cost to do laundry?

Doing laundry in the residence halls is free for residents.

Safety and Privacy

How can I help keep the residence halls safe?

All residence hall doors are locked 24 hours per day and you must have your FDU ID access card to enter. Safety in the halls is a shared responsibility between residents and the university. Much of the safety relies on the residents not lending their ID cards to anyone or allowing strangers to enter the residence halls. Our Department of Public Safety patrols in and around buildings regularly.

How private are my student records?

Federal law, specifically the Buckley Amendment to the Family Educational Right to Privacy Act (FERPA), prohibits us from granting anyone who does not have an educational need to know, access to your educational record without your written permission. In short, we can’t share your educational/judicial records with anyone (family members included) unless you ask us to.

Policies

Is there a curfew?

You are expected to set your own boundaries.

What is the overnight guest and visitation policy?

One of the most common areas of roommate conflict involves the hosting of overnight guests. Visits by overnight guests are limited and require prior written approval from your roommate and/or suitemates for each visit. Click here to review our Guest & Visitation Policy.

Leadership, Jobs, and Events

How do I become a Resident Assistant (RA)?

The RA selection process starts near the end of the fall semester. Keep your eye out for recruiting information posted in the halls.

How can I get involved in events and activities in the residence halls?

Talk to your RA and other residents to get the scoop on how to connect. You can also get involved in the Residence Hall Association and attend its weekly meetings.

Check out the bulletin boards in your hall. RAs post flyers for all sorts of university & building events and many are free! Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @fdumetrohousing for the Metro campus and @fduflorhamhousing for the Florham campus for the latest information.

Academic Breaks

Will my residence hall be open during vacation breaks?

Fall Break

During Fall break the halls are open and meal services run on a modified schedule. Students who need to stay during Fall break may do so at no extra charge.

Thanksgiving Break

During Thanksgiving break the halls are open, but there is no meal service. Students who need to stay during Thanksgiving break may do so at no extra charge.

Winter and Spring Break

During winter and spring breaks the halls are closed, and there is no meal service. Students staying over winter or spring break will need to pay an additional fee. Students who need to stay over winter or spring break must apply online for each break period when the application is made available.

Academic Year-Round Housing

Linden 6, on the Metro campus, is the only residence hall that offers academic year-round housing (August to May). The cost for Winter & Spring Break Housing, at a reduced rate, is already included in the room rate. Linden 6 residents still need to apply for Winter or Spring Break.