Incoming Students

2025-2026 Addendum for Graduate and Non-Traditional Housing

2025-2026 Terms and Conditions Addendum for Graduate and Non-Traditional Housing

Applicability
This addendum is applicable to all graduate, professional and non-traditional students residing in University-owned graduate and non-traditional housing and to all residents in the South Campus Gateway.
Eligibility
1. To reside in the Gateway, residents must be 21 years old as of August 1 of the contract year.
2. Only graduate and professional school students are eligible to reside in studio and one bedroom housing in the Gateway, Graduate and non-traditional housing.
Contract Offer and Acceptance
1. Resident acknowledges that, in addition to the terms of this Addendum, the resident is bound during the contract term by the Terms and Conditions and Residential Living Handbook.
Contract Duration
1. Graduate and Non-Traditional Contracts
  1. This contract is effective for one (1) full academic year, autumn through spring semesters, or for such portion of the academic year(s) as may remain at the time this contract is signed.
  2. Prior to the end of the contract term, graduate and non-traditional contract residents will have an opportunity to renew their contract.
  3. Graduate and non-traditional residents who are withdrawing from classes or otherwise no longer attending the university are required to submit advanced notice of their departure no later than 45 days prior to the last day of classes for the semester that they wish to depart.
  4. If the resident gives less than the required 45 days’ notice of intent to vacate, rent will be charged for 45 days from the date the vacancy notice is received. In the event that the resident gives more than 45 days’ notice of intent to vacate, rent will be charged through the date on which the apartment is vacated and keys returned.
2. Veteran’s House Contracts
  1. Residency in the Veteran’s House is limited to one academic year (autumn to spring semesters), except as described in iv.
  2. Students who move in for spring semester will be offered the option to remain for one additional academic year.
3. If the Graduate or non-traditional housing resident is graduating, the resident must vacate the premises no later than 48 hours after commencement, giving the proper advance vacate notice of 45 days.
4. If the resident has not checked into the contracted apartment by 12 p.m. of the beginning date of the contract, the apartment will be automatically reassigned unless the resident has notified the Housing and Residence Education Office in writing that they will be checking in at a later time or date.
Terms of Contract
1. The apartment shall not be used for unlawful purposes, for any purpose contrary to federal, state, or local regulations or laws or university guidelines, rules or policies, or in such a manner as to constitute a nuisance or annoyance to the residential community.
2. The university reserves the right to relocate residents pursuant to Section 22 of the Terms and Conditions to other apartments in order to comply with local, state and federal law.
Utilities
1. The university agrees to provide reasonable amounts of heat, electricity, gas and waste disposal consistent with university policies during the contract services period.
2. Gateway residents are responsible for the water bills for their unit. Charges for monthly usage will be added to their rent statements.
3. Non-traditional housing utilities are provided as specified on the contract.
Rent and Payments
1. Rent will be charged and prorated from the date on which the resident picks up the apartment key or from the beginning date of the contract, whichever comes first, pursuant to Section 6.D.
2. All monthly rent payments are due on or by the first day of each month.
3. All rents are payable to The Ohio State University. Payments may be made with Visa/MasterCard/Discover/American Express online or by phone and will include a $2 credit card processing fee. Payments may be made in person by personal check, traveler’s check, money order, or Visa/MasterCard/Discover/American Express without any processing fee. Payments may also be mailed to: Housing and Residence Education, 950 Lincoln Tower, 1800 Cannon Drive, Columbus, Ohio, 43210.
4. Rent charges for occupancy less than a full month shall be computed on the basis of a daily charge equal to 1/30 of the monthly rent times the number of days that the resident and/or their belongings occupy the apartment.
Delinquent Payments
1. If rent payment is not made by the end of the day on the fifth business day of the month, it will be considered delinquent. For payments received after the fifth business day of the month, a late penalty of $15 will be imposed in addition to the rent, plus an additional $2 for each day thereafter, up to a maximum late penalty of $25.
2. If the resident’s payment by personal check is returned by the bank for insufficient funds, a $30 processing fee will be charged.
3. Residents whose rent payments have been returned three times for insufficient funds in checking accounts will be required to pay future rent by money order.
4. The university shall have the right to repossess the apartment should the resident’s rent be in arrears and remain unpaid for 30 days after the receipt of notice of default. The resident agrees to cover any deficiency in rent and expenses for any damages that the university may have sustained as a result of the resident’s use and occupancy of the apartment.
5. If a charge assessed to a credit card is challenged by the resident and, after research, is deemed valid, a $30 charge will be assessed to recover research/processing time.
6. Accounts that are delinquent for more than 60 days or that remain due upon departure will be billed to the resident’s university account. A hold may also be placed upon the resident’s student records until the resident provides payment to the university.
Security Deposit
1. Upon acceptance of the contract, the resident shall pay a security deposit equal to one month’s rent.
2. Upon proper termination of the contract, the security deposit will be applied to the resident’s rent charges for the final month of the resident’s contract.
3. The resident agrees that upon vacating the apartment, they will be held financially accountable for any unpaid rent owed by the resident as well as for the cost of repairs and/or cleaning the apartment, beyond reasonable wear and tear.
4. The resident’s liability to the university for damages shall not be limited to any amount.
5. If there are no damages or losses, the resident’s security deposit shall be applied to the last month’s rent. Notwithstanding any such application, the resident shall remain liable for all damages and losses and all rent and other rent and payments accrued through the termination date of their contract. Failure to discharge all such liabilities will result in the denial of further registration and enrollment with the university and of graduation and with the placement of a financial hold on the resident’s student records, including transcripts.
6. The university will provide the resident with a written itemized list of any amounts applied for the above purposes and will return any overpaid fees after the termination of the contract and delivery of the apartment back to the university.
Activity Fee
1. The resident agrees to pay an activity fee each semester to be used for social activities or other activities that may be offered.
2. The fee will be collected with the rent during the first month of each academic semester.
3. All unpaid activity fees will be deducted from the resident’s overpaid fees at the termination of the contract.
4. The fee is established by the Residence Hall Advisory Council and may be changed by the council in accordance to its constitution and bylaws.
Contract Termination
1. Upon termination, the university may change the locks to the apartment, mailbox(es), and drawers(s) and charge all costs associated with such a change to the resident.
2. The resident understands that the university may also terminate this contract in accordance with Section 26 of the Terms and Conditions upon discovery that the resident has unpaid fees or charges, current or previous, with the university or that the resident was otherwise ineligible for a contract offer following a behavior and conduct hearing.
Services and Maintenance
1. All breaks, damages, and need for general repairs should be reported to the maintenance staff via the service request system-go.osu.edu/servicerequest. No charges will be made for repairs that arise from normal wear and tear. Residents will be assessed for all damages that are considered more than normal wear and tear.
2. Residents living in Gateway and Neil Building apartments agree to accept responsibility for cleaning their kitchens and bathrooms.
3. After regular business hours, emergency maintenance (e.g., no heat, no electricity, stopped-up toilets, water overflow, etc.) can be reported by calling 614-292-4357.
4. Requests for maintenance service by the resident will constitute authorization to enter the apartment.
5. The university will conduct fire/safety/health and preventative maintenance inspections periodically.
Keys and Security
1. At check-in, the resident will be given an apartment key. Residents are responsible for security of the key.
2. At check-in, Gateway residents will also be given a mailbox key and prox card.
3. Gateway residents should contact Gateway Security staff, located in the Gateway parking garage located at 75 E. 11th Avenue, should they be locked out and need access.
Inventory
1. Upon picking up keys to their apartment, the resident will want to complete a service request at go.osu.edu/servicerequest to note any damages or missing items from the room/apartment. They must complete no later than a week after the move-in date.
2. All damages not listed through the service request system will be charged to the resident when the apartment is vacated.
Apartment Transfers
1. Applications for transfer can be filed with the Housing and Residence Education office.
2. When a transfer is approved, a $50 transfer charge will be assessed. Each transfer must be completed within three calendar days after the apartment becomes available.
3. The resident acknowledges and agrees that if moved to another room due to a change in assignment, resident will be required to pay the pro-rated differential cost to the university in the case of a room with a higher rate or, in the case of a room with a lower rate, should receive a refund in the pro-rated amount of the differential from the university.
Behavior and Care of Furnishings
1. The resident agrees to ensure that guests will not act in a disruptive or noisy fashion and residents agree to be responsible for their guests’ actions.
2. In the Neil Building graduate, non-traditional housing, the university furnishes:
  1. An efficiency apartment with a bed, desk, desk chair, stove/oven, dresser, bookcase, refrigerator and a microwave.
  2. A 4-bedroom for 4 with a bed, dresser, desk, desk chair, bookcase, stove/oven, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, table and chairs, couch, lounge chair, table and lamp.
3. In Gateway apartments, the university furnishes each apartment with a bed, desk, desk chair, dresser, couch or lounge chair, bar stools or dining table and chairs, stove, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal, washer and dryer.
4. All furnishings are permanent and must not be removed by the resident.
Withdrawal from the University and Contract Inactivation
1. The parties agree that the contract may be inactivated under the conditions listed in Section 16.B.
2. Written documentation and request must be given to Housing and Residence Education before the first day of classes of the semester or session for which one of the following conditions exists:
  1. Withdrawal from the university after paying fees but before classes begin
  2. Non-attendance or non-enrollment
  3. Enrollment for eight or fewer credit hours through the first Friday of the semester
  4. Affiliation with special university programs away from the campus area for the entire semester
  5. Academic dismissal
  6. Graduation from The Ohio State University
  7. Marriage
3. The resident agrees to the terms and conditions and its addendum until written approval is given to their request for contract inactivation.
4. The resident who officially withdraws from the university during the semester or session must remove all personal belongings and officially check out at their hall office and return the room key/key card within 48 hours of withdrawal from the university. If the resident fails to vacate within 48 hours, the university may take possession of the assigned space, change the locks to that room, drawer(s), and mailbox(es), and charge all costs associated with such change to the resident.
5. After this contract has been inactivated, if the resident becomes enrolled full-time at their respective campus, the resident agrees to fulfill any balance of the term with the university (unless inactivation is a result of graduation or marriage).
Contract Cancellation
1. Once signed, a Housing Contract may be cancelled by the resident if written notice is received by the Housing and Residence Education office no later than the following date(s):
  1. For a contract commencing autumn semester—May 15.
  2. For a contract commencing in the spring semester—December 15.
  3. For a contract commencing in the summer session—April 30.
  4. Current residents who complete a Housing Contract Renewal for the next academic year, the cancellation deadline is March 31.
2. Written notice of cancellation must be made to Housing and Residence Education. Notification by other means or to other university offices will not be accepted and will not constitute cancellation.
Security Deposit Disposition
1. Submission by the student of the Housing Contract and the security deposit reserves a space in the university housing.
2. In response to the request to reserve space, Housing and Residence Education will attempt to acknowledge in writing that appropriate materials have been received and that space is being reserved.
3. If the resident, through appropriate procedure as outlined in this Section, releases the reserved space by written notice to Housing and Residence Education (received and/or postmarked by dates indicated), the security deposit is refundable as follows, provided the resident has complied with the terms and conditions of the contract:
  1. Full refund when written notice of space release is received or postmarked by the applicable contract cancellation date outlined in Section 17.
  2. Forfeiture (no refund) of the security deposit if the notice of space release is postmarked and/or received after the contract cancellation date outlined in Section 17.
  3. Forfeiture (no refund) of the security deposit if departure from housing results from academic dismissal, withdrawal, or non-enrollment during the term of contract.
4. If space is not available, and/or the contract is not accepted by Housing and Residence Education, the security deposit will be refunded in full.
5. After serving the purpose of reserving space for the beginning semester of the term of contract, the security deposit will be applied to the last month’s rent.
6. Where the resident has forfeited their security deposit under this Section, the resident shall also be charged monthly rent until the apartment can be reassigned to a new resident. Reasonable efforts will be made by Housing and Residence Education to reassign all vacant apartments as soon as possible.
Surrender of Premises
1. The resident’s rent and occupancy will cease when he/she has completed the following items of business:
  1. Surrendered the apartment key;
  2. Surrendered a mailbox key (Gateway residents); and
  3. Provided in writing a forwarding address where he/she may be contacted and where any further correspondence may be sent.
2. If the apartment or furnishings require cleaning or the appliances or equipment need repair, reasonable wear expected, the outgoing resident will be responsible for this expense.
3. If the resident or anyone claiming under the resident continues in possession of the apartment or any part thereof beyond the termination of this contract (the vacate date), the resident will be responsible for paying prorated rent on a day-to-day basis for each day they remain in the apartment beyond the termination of this contract.
4. If no prior permission for an extension of the vacate date was given by Housing and Residence Education, the university reserves the right to force the removal of a resident in the case that an apartment has already rented to a new resident, or to assess the resident $50 per day holdover charge.
Grievances
1. Complaints/grievances sometimes arise regarding conditions of occupancy. When a resident has a complaint/concern, they are encouraged to discuss the matter with the Housing Coordinator to seek resolution on an informal basis. When a complaint/concern is not promptly resolved, the resident may file a formal grievance to secure a resolution.
2. Should the resident desire to file a formal grievance, they should do so in writing and present the grievance to the Housing Coordinator. A meeting will be held with the resident to determine all the facts pertaining to the grievance and to advise the resident of the resolution within five business days. If the resolution is not satisfactory to the resident, they may appeal to the Assistant Director of Housing and Residence Education. If the grievant is not satisfied with that decision, they may appeal to the Director of Housing and Residence Education.
Joint and Several Liability
Each resident that executes this contract shall be jointly and severally liable for the payment of rent and for damages against the university in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of this contract. The university can at its option proceed against the resident of its choice without proceeding against the other(s), and, in doing so, the university will in no way relinquish or diminish any legal remedies against the remaining resident(s).
Entire Agreement
This contract contains the entire agreement between the parties unless otherwise stated and supersedes all prior agreements.