Off-Campus Housing

If you will be an incoming student for Spring 2025 that meets a qualifier, or are a returning student who has a change in status impacting one of the criteria for off-campus release, please email reslife@gustavus.edu to request application access. The off-campus application for 2025-2026 will open in January and be due February 1.

As a four-year residential college, Gustavus requires that all full-time students live in college housing. However, there are circumstances for which students may receive an exemption to the college's policy.

Consideration for approval - Students granted off-campus residency must meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • student who is married
  • student living with and responsible for dependent child/children
  • living in the Saint Peter area with their parents/guardian (*within 15 miles from campus)
  • part-time (below 2.0 credits) for the ENTIRE academic year [for 2024-2025 with the changes to the academic credit system, the requirement will change to below 8 credits.]
  • veterans of military service (having been deployed and/or providing DD214 paperwork); Those in ROTC, Reserves or basic training do not receive exemption. Residential Life follows the college's definition that is also used for FAFSA requirements - veterans include those who have completed active duty or have been deployed for reasons other than training)
  • 23 years of age or older on/by the first day of class in September
  • home ownership (student name is sole name on mortgage)
  • student who is 21 years of age by the first day of fall semester class AND has not been enrolled full time at any institution of higher education during the immediate past two years.
  • Master of Athletic Training Program 3+2 - student opting out of housing for 4th year at Gustavus (first year in the MAT) who has lived on campus for 3 years, applied (by November 15) and been accepted into the MAT program, and deposited by February 1. This will be confirmed by MAT program. Failure to be deposited or complete the form by the deadline will result in a student no longer being eligible for the 3+2 housing exception.
  • Master of Athletic Training Program 4+2 - Post-Baccalaureate Applicant entering the program for a 2-year masters degree. 

Those who have applied for and been approved for the 9th Semester program may also apply for off-campus release. Note that program's application and approval via the Provost's office is required, and approval for off-campus release will be pending verification of registration hours/credits and status with that office. Contact Director of Residential Life Anthony Bettendorf if you have questions about housing and 9th semester status. Contact the Provost's office directly if you have questions about the 9th semester program.

Rising Seniors who do not meet the above criteria may apply to be added to an off-campus wait list. The wait list will only be used if all on-campus housing is filled. 

  • All those requesting off-campus housing should submit the off-campus housing application at housing.gac.edu prior to the deadline.
    • New/incoming students who meet a qualifier, or for those that have had a status change since the deadline closed - please email reslife@gustavus.edu with more detailed information about which criteria you meet; we will make the off-campus application available upon request to those that qualify.
  • Please note that signing a lease is NOT a qualifier for off-campus housing. You will still receive a room assignment and be responsible for costs of both housing contracts - do not sign any lease agreements! The college is not obligated to grant permission to students who have entered into rental agreements before proper approval has been given.
  • If you do not meet one of the qualifiers for off-campus housing, you must submit a housing agreement and room-type application and go through the Room Selection process for a housing assignment. 
  • To be considered for the wait list, complete an Off-Campus Housing Application in the online housing (by the posted deadline in the Spring). Students wishing to live off-campus may list anticipated/desired roommates in the field in the off-campus application for reference, but groups are released based on their Fall on-campus housing groups/assignments, not desired roommates for off-campus. So a group of four Seniors with a Fall assignment of a Southwest Apartment, who have all applied for off-campus housing, may be released if Residential Life has need of opening up an apartment in Southwest, for example. Otherwise all Room Selection ranking guidelines and processes are applicable to the selection process.
  • Note that if you live off campus, your Gustavus aid will be reduced by $500. If you have specific questions about your financial aid package and how it's affected by off-campus permission, contact Financial Aid at x7527.
  • Students who do not qualify for off-campus housing based on the required qualifier(s) but are seeking accommodation must go through the medical accommodation process.
  • Those requesting accommodation for significant financial hardship should contact the Residential Life office for appeal only after exhausting all other options for loans/financial contribution. Requests will be reviewed by the Director of Residential Life in coordination with the Financial Aid office (release form required, please submit to the Residential Life office).
  • If you are enrolled FULL TIME in student teaching away from the immediate St. Peter area or a for-credit internship outside of the immediate St. Peter area (e.g. no additional courses are being taken on campus during the semester), you may be eligible to live off-campus. Submit the online off-campus housing application for consideration. 

Wait list notifications: If the wait list is activated for off-campus releases, students will be notified by the Residential Life office via email, with a deadline for accepting or declining the offer to be released off campus. If this occurs it would be over the course of the summer, based on the need to make on-campus spaces available.