License Agreement Release Process

The Office of Student Housing and Residential Life is committed to providing an on-campus living experience that enhances and contributes to a student’s academic success. When applying for on-campus housing, every student agrees to the Student Housing terms and conditions by electronically signing the License Agreement. The License Agreement is a legally binding contract enforceable for the duration of the contract period. 

License Agreement Cancelation Requests

If a student wishes to request a cancelation of their housing contract, they must complete the "License Agreement Cancellation Form" found in the Student Housing Portal "Forms" menu. Students who do not initiate the cancellation process will remain bound by the Student Housing License Agreement and will be charged all housing fees for their assigned space during the entire contract period.

Canceling before move-in

Students who wish to cancel their housing contract before move-in, must complete the License Agreement Cancellation Form on or before the first payment deadline for the fall semester or the January payment deadline for the spring semester to avoid having additional charges posted to their student account.

An automated email will be sent upon submission of this form. The housing application fee is non-refundable.

Canceling after move-In

Students who need to cancel their housing license agreement after moving into their assigned living space for any reason, must go through the release process and are subject to a 30-day notice requirement. 

The Housing License Agreement Cancellation Form is only a request for release and not guaranteed to be approved. Students are not released from their housing License Agreement until they receive a written notification from the Student Housing Office.

How to submit your cancelation request

  • Submit the License Agreement Cancellation Form via the Student Housing Portal "Forms" menu. This is a 30-day notice to move out and approval is not guaranteed upon submission of this form. 
  • Your request will be reviewed and an email update will be sent to you within 7-10 business days. Note: Business days does not included weekends or campus holidays. 
  • If your request is approved, you will receive an email confirmation with Student Housing Vacating Instruction and self checkout via the Student Housing Portal. 

Note:  All students released from the housing license agreement, regardless of the reason, must move out of their space and follow all move-out procedures and steps for the cancelation to be considered finalized.  

Important: You should not enter into any off-campus lease agreements until you have been notified of your release. Signing an off-campus lease is not sufficient reason for release from your prior commitment to the Student Housing License Agreement. 

Reasons for release 

Students who are requesting to be released from the license agreement must choose at least one reason from the two available categories. Please note, the student may need supporting documents before their request is approved and are responsible for contacting necessary departments to obtain the required paperwork.  

Category 1: Approved Reasons

A student no longer enrolled at CSUN because of a transfer to another university or college, leave of absence from studies, disqualification or withdrawal is no longer eligible for Student Housing and will be automatically released.  

  • Status confirmed with registrar; no additional documentation necessary 

A student who is studying abroad, such as International Exchange or National Student Exchange (NSE), must submit a request to be released from the license agreement during the period in which they will be abroad. You must be accepted to a program with the International and Exchange Student Center.  

  • Status confirmed with International and Exchange Student Center; no additional documentation necessary 

A student graduating from CSUN is no longer eligible for Student Housing once they are no longer enrolled and must submit request to be released from the license agreement during the period in which they will have graduated.

  • Status confirmed with Office of the Registrar; no additional documentation necessary 

A student who must fulfill a student internship or military requirement which requires residency away from campus or commuting at least 50 miles from campus must must submit a request to be released from the license agreement during the period in which they will be away from campus. The proper documentation must be submitted to our office for verification. 

  • Student must upload a registered letter of enlistment or official internship offer. 

Students who get married after having signed the license agreement are eligible to be released by submitting a copy of the marriage certificate. Release may not be granted if the marriage was already valid prior to signing the license agreement. Family housing may be an option if space is available. 

  • Student must upload marriage certificate; date and names on certificate must be legible. 

If a medical or psychological condition has developed or degraded since signing the license agreement, students must submit documentation to the Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) Office for review and determination of a housing accommodation. DRES will provide Student Housing with:

  1. Confirmation of what accommodations would be required for the student to remain in Student Housing and
  2. Determination if the circumstance warrants release if Student Housing cannot facilitate the recommended accommodation

If DRES does not approve an accommodation or does not determine that the circumstance warrants release if not, the request will be denied.

Pregnancy: If a student is pregnant, documentation must be submitted to DRES for review. Should the student wish to continue living on campus, family housing may be an option if space is available.

  • Student must submit documentation to DRES at their request. 

Category 2: Requests Requiring Review

The following reasons for release may be approved at the sole discretion of the Housing Release Board. The Housing Release Board is comprised of University officials from across the institution who make an independent evaluation of whether a request demonstrates and warrants a reasonable change in personal circumstance to be released.  Decisions made by the Housing Release Board are final and cannot be appealed.

If a student’s financial situation has changed drastically beyond their control since entering into the license agreement and that it is clearly not feasible for the student to continue in residence, the student will be asked to supply letters and supporting documents from their employer or guardians’ employers, bank statements, loan information, and any other financial documentation to demonstrate the change.

Submit documentation that demonstrates what has changed since signing the license agreement. 

Housing Release Board 

The Housing Release Board is comprised of University professional staff from various departments and reviews each request on an individual basis.

All requests requiring review are evaluated by the Housing Release Board, and a written decision is typically sent to the student within 10 to 15 business days after the request has been reviewed. Students who submit a request by the deadline will be assigned to a specific meeting date and notified accordingly.
 
As part of the request, students submit a written statement and any supporting documentation in advance of the meeting. Students may choose to attend the Housing Release Board meeting to provide additional context for their request, or have their documentation reviewed without being present. During the meeting, the Board reviews requests individually. Students who attend the meeting are seen on a first-come, first-served basis based on order of arrival, with each in-person review typically lasting approximately 20 minutes. 

*All decisions made by the board are final and cannot be appealed. 

Things To Consider Before Submitting a Request

If you do not meet one of the  Category 1 reasons for release and you plan to submit a request to be released from your license agreement, consider the items outlined below first. 

  • The following reasons are generally not considered acceptable for cancellation through the Student Housing release process: 
    • Dissatisfaction with the assigned room location 
    • Roommate conflicts 
    • Vacancies left by roommates or suitemates 
    • Desire to live off-campus in non-university housing 
    • Desire to move back home with parents 
    • Dissatisfaction with services provided, including but not limited to meal plans, Living Learning Communities (LLCs) or Themed Living Communities (TLCs) 
    • Financial aid covering a portion, but not the full amount of housing charges 
  • Speak with your resident advisor and/or community director about your concern(s) and discuss solutions that can be found within the Student Housing system. The Housing Release Board will not approve a release request if a mediation or room change can remedy the situation or has not been conducted.
  • Meet with representatives from other on-campus departments that may be able to find a solution to your concern. For example, if you have a medical condition that is best treated with a specific style of building/room, you should speak with the DRES Office. If you are seeking financial assistance, please contact the Financial Aid Office to determine whether you qualify for the MataCare Grant, or reach out to the Basic Needs Office to inquire about eligibility for an Emergency Housing Grant.
  • The Release Board does not recommend signing a lease with an off-campus unit until you have been approved for a release from the license agreement by the Housing Release Board. You may not be granted a release from the license agreement, in which case you may then find you are simultaneously bound to the on-campus license agreement and the off-campus lease.   

Refunds 

If you are eligible for a refund and do not have any outstanding balance with the University, a refund may take 2-3 weeks to process once your cancellation request has been approved and you have fully vacated the space, including removal of all personal belongings.