Rights & Responsibilities

Revised: August 2019

Incoming, full-time, first-year undergraduate students who live more than 15 miles away (residing with their parent/guardian at their permanent residence) are required to live in University-owned or leased housing for their first two years of enrollment. Students who reside with their parent/guardian at their permanent residence within 15 miles can opt-in or volunteer to live on campus and remain on campus in subsequent years by participating in the housing selection process for returning students. Transfer students will be exempt from the two-year housing requirements.

Requests for exceptions must be made in writing to Admissions (for first year students) and the Senior Director of Housing Operations (for returning students).

Exceptions are made for:

• Students over the age of 20 at the point of enrollment.
• Military veterans
• Married students
• Students with dependents

Changes after Enrollment

Students admitted as resident students may request to change to commuter status for their second year by submitting a written request to the Office of Residence Life.  Residence Life staff may verify a commuter request with information on file for Financial Aid or may request a copy of a parent’s Driver’s License.  If approved, your commuter status will be confirmed in writing by the Residence Life Office. If you are not approved, you will be expected to participate in the housing selection. 

Eligibility for Commuter Status for East Falls First & Second year students

For students under the residency requirement, permanent residence is defined as the domicile where one or both of the student’s parent/guardians legally reside.  A family-owned apartment or house that is not the parent’s primary legal residence is not a “permanent residence.”  Thomas Jefferson University defines a commuter student as an individual who commutes daily from his or her permanent residence.  

A student falling under the residency requirement is not eligible to commute from an apartment off-campus, or from any location other than their parent/guardians legal primary residence   Furthermore, a student who signs a lease for any facility other than their permanent home shall be regarded as living off-campus in violation of the residency requirement and subject to sanctions.  Please consult with the Office of Financial Aid to determine the impact of being a commuter student on your aid package.

Thomas Jefferson desires to provide a fair and equal opportunity to students eligible for commuter status. A student who attempts to manipulate this process or present false information, with or without the assistance of parents, will be regarded in violation of the Community Standards and will be subject to disciplinary action.  Furthermore, a student who violates these terms will be assessed the housing costs for each semester in which such breach has occurred.