Housing Assignments Info

All students are required—to the extent that housing is available—to live on campus for their first three years. We will continue to apply semesters spent in “study away” programs toward the three-year residency requirement. Students are guaranteed the opportunity to live on campus during their fourth year. (See note below.)

Students may choose to live off campus at the completion of their third year. Students who wish to live off campus must notify Housing and Residence Life (HRL) in writing of their plans by the published deadlines. Students choosing to live off campus should be aware that they will be subject to all city ordinances, particularly those related to occupancy, noise, parking, and litter.

Active students still bound by the three-year requirement who do not have an on-campus housing assignment will be contacted to make arrangements for an assignment. Students will be charged for the room size to which they are assigned. Students who do not follow through on an assignment request will be charged for the room size most commonly occupied by members of their class year.

Note: Our long-term goal is to provide on-campus housing for all students during their first three years and for any senior who wishes to remain on campus. However, new construction and renovations may result in a temporary shortfall in housing availability. In some cases we may modify the three-year residency requirement, resulting in some juniors as well as some seniors living off campus. In addition, during the new construction and renovation process the university may temporarily suspend the four-year housing guarantee for seniors. We look forward ultimately to providing housing to any seniors who wish to remain on campus.

Students returning to Duke after a leave of absence of any kind remain subject to the Board of Trustees policy requiring all Duke undergraduate students to live in university housing for three academic years (Six semesters) as a Duke student. Resident students who take a leave of absence for personal reasons may return as residents provided they follow the HRL procedures and deadlines. Duke guarantees housing to all of its full-time undergraduate students, save those who are not eligible due to disciplinary sanctions. 

You may contact housing regarding your residency while your return application is under review. Students without a housing assignment will be required to apply and will be assigned once they have been approved for return. Students with a housing assignment, who are separated from the University, will have their housing cancelled and will be required to reapply once approved for return.

Students returning to Duke from a leave of absence (and who are subject to the residency requirement noted above) who fail to request housing will receive an assignment and be financially responsible for the term of the assignment.

Housing and Residence Life (HRL) works in conjunction with the Student Disability Access Office (SDAO) to ensure consistency in evaluating special housing accommodation requests. The Student Disability and Access Office reviews requests and shares approved student accommodations with HRL. Students with approved accommodations will be offered priority for placement in an available space that meets their accommodations.

Students who wish to be considered for reasonable accommodations must submit current documentation (i.e., medical/educational/diagnostic reports) from licensed physicians, psychologists, or other qualified professionals as well as supporting historical records and materials. For the purpose of receiving consideration for reasonable accommodations at Duke University, an individual must have an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

Information regarding the process to request an accommodation can be found on the Student Disability and Access Office website

Students returning to Duke after a separation of any kind should work with the Time Away Office to manage their return process. You may contact housing assignments regarding your residency status while your Time Away Return Form is under review. 

• Students without a housing assignment will be required to apply and are assigned once approved for return.
• Students with a housing assignment, who take time-off from the University, can decline housing and apply once approved for return.

Duke is committed to encouraging and sustaining a learning and work community that is free from prohibited discrimination and harassment. The institution prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status, in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid, employment, or any other institution program or activity. It admits qualified students to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students.

HRL affirms the sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and preferred names of its students and staff and strives to create environments where everyone can flourish.

All gender housing refers to individual rooms or suites where the gender of the roommates is not taken into consideration when the room is assigned through the assignment process. All gender housing is located across East and the Upperclass Campuses. While this is intended to support students who identify as LGBTQIA, this is available to all students who feel they would be more comfortable in a all gender room/suite or feel they could provide a safe and inclusive space for another student regardless of gender identity/expression, sexual/romantic orientation, or any other factor.

If you have any questions about Gender Inclusive Housing, you can contact MJ Williams, the Director of Housing Assignments and Planning in HRL, or Angel Collie, Interim Director of the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity.