Policies

Eligibility

All undergraduate students are required to live on campus in a University-owned facility or University-related fraternity house unless they receive formal approval to reside off campus or commute from home (with a parent or guardian in residence).  Non-traditional-age students may live in a home or privately-owned rental unit.

To be eligible to live in a University-owned or supervised facility, a student must be enrolled in a minimum of two full credit courses.

The number of students approved to live off campus is determined each year. Applications are approved individually and on a rolling basis until the maximum number is reached. Approval to live off campus is not guaranteed and students are warned against signing a lease for off-campus accommodation until they have received written approval from Housing Services.

Once approval is granted, the student has sole responsibility for locating a rental property, negotiating with the landlord and signing a lease.

Because of liability concerns, the University is not involved in inspecting non-University-owned facilities located off campus and cannot determine whether the facility is safe, sanitary and in compliance with local ordinances. Students and parents are advised to note that there is a Lewisburg borough ordinance that limits the number of unrelated persons living together in a rental unit to three. 

The University does not provide residential life services for those living off campus and does not approve facilities or directly supervise students off campus.

Judicial review

The conduct record of each off-campus living applicant is reviewed. Students who have received loss of off-campus living privileges will be required to live on-campus. Appeals are reviewed by the Dean of Students.

Fraternities & Sororities

For fraternity or sorority members, approval to live off campus is contingent upon their organizations filling their houses or hall suites to capacity. A complete alternate list must be submitted before the applicants receive final approval to live off campus. Students who disaffiliate with a Greek-letter organization are required to reside on campus and may not apply for off-campus housing consideration.

Application

Housing Services, in conjunction with student leaders, including Bucknell Student Government, have examined the policies and procedures for living off-campus. While the four-year residency and the permission requirement to reside off-campus has not changed, the process and timeline  for the 2012-13 academic year has been revamped. 

The past practice of first-come, first-served has been replaced by a seniority-based system. Rising seniors now have priority. The outcome, a multiple-step process contained in myBucknell, affirms the University's commitment to a full residential experience and a cooperative and respectful relationship with Lewisburg neighbors.  Details of the application process can be found here

Seniority

The approval to live off-campus is based on seniority, with rising seniors being provided the opportunity to apply first.  If a senior misses the opportunity to apply within their scheduled week, they can apply during the next scheduled senior application period, however, they will then be randomly placed within that pool of students.  Student applications will only be accepted during the allotted time for their respective class.