WCU reserves a number of bed spaces in both WCU Housing and Affiliated Housing for incoming first-year students. For USH, first-year students are housed in Allegheny Hall, Brandywine Hall, and Commonwealth Hall. Incoming first-year students who are accepted with on-campus housing are recommended to complete the housing process within their advertised deadlines. Incoming students are not guaranteed their first preference of WCU vs Affiliated, a specific community, or a specific suite style.
Typically, first year students are assigned to one-bedroom doubles, three-bedroom doubles, or two-bedroom doubles with shared bathroom.
USH Affiliated Housing offers a limited number of bed spaces in all communities for incoming transfer students. Incoming transfer students are not guaranteed their first preference of WCU vs Affiliated, a specific community, or a specific suite style.
USH begins leasing for the following academic year in November. For the 2024-2025 term, current WCU students can begin applying for housing on December 18th 2023.
Both WCU Owned and USH Affiliated Housing offer a roommate matching service where applicants can create a profile and select roommates. For USH communities, all applicants can utilize the roommate matching portion located in the housing application in the USH Resident Portal. WCU and USH do not recommend utilizing outside companies that advertise roommate matching services, such as roomsurf.com, goingpotlluck.com, roommateclick.com, or any social media application. WCU and USH are not connected with these services and will not receive any information regarding the matches that you make on these sites.
Residents of USH communities must sign a Lease Agreement, an individual agreement that covers their assigned bedroom space and any common space shared with other occupants. Residents, however, are only responsible for the terms specified in their own agreement and will not be held responsible for unpaid rent or any individually incurred fees by roommates.
North and South Campus Leases are 9+ months in length.
Incoming First-Year students participating in the WCU Honors College and have a completed USH Lease Agreement will be housed in Honors College designated housing in Allegheny Hall.
The demand for on campus housing at WCU is high. In order to accommodate all the students who request on-campus housing, USH anticipates that a small percentage of students will start out the fall semester in a triple room, which is a designated double room that will temporarily house three students. The suite will have additional furniture to accommodate the residents and the three residents of the bedroom that is tripled will receive a rent credit. University Student Housing will work diligently to de-triple units as beds become available. This is a common practice and has occurred regularly in the past at WCU.
All applicants are required to submit a non-refundable and non-transferable $200 application fee at the time that the application is submitted. This fee is not a deposit and will not be returned to an applicant at any point. If a student applies and then decides that they are no longer interested in living with USH, this fee will not be returned.
“Affiliated Housing” means that USH communities are not owned by West Chester University.
University Student Housing, a division of the WCU Foundation , is responsible for the day-to-day management of the communities, including signing up and assigning students, as well as all facility-related issues. The University, however, hires, trains and supervises the Residence Life staff (resident assistants and professional staff) for each location and handles all student-related issues. Rent and any housing related fees are billed separately by USH and are not included on the West Chester University invoice.
All utilities are included in the rent except landline telephone service. Utilities included are electric, water, sewage, waste removal, and wifi.
USH operates six communities on the campus of West Chester University. Allegheny Hall, Brandywine Hall, Commonwealth Hall and University Hall are located on North Campus. The Village Apartments and East Village Apartments are located on South Campus.
Yes! All WCU rules and regulations apply, including, but not limited to, policies and procedures outlined in the Student Code of Conduct, Rams Eye View, and Guide to Residential Living.
No pets are permitted at USH communities. If you have a service dog, service dog in training, or emotional support animal, please contact admin@ushcommunities.org for any questions regarding the process.
Students living in the north campus residence halls are required to have a meal plan. This includes residents of Allegheny Hall, Brandywine Hall, Commonwealth Hall and University Hall. Meal plans are optional for students living at The Village Apartments and East Village Apartments. Meal plan billing for all students is processed via the student’s RamPortal.
For more information regarding the meal plan, please contact housing@wcupa.edu.
To secure housing in a USH community, all portions of the lease application must be complete. This includes:
• Pay $200 non-refundable and non-transferable application fee
• Applicant electronically signs the Lease Agreement, and other required documents in the Resident Portal.
• If the applicant is under 18, the parent(s) must also sign the Lease Agreement and other required documents. The documents will be emailed to Guarantor(s) to electronically sign via DocuSign.
• Guaranty of Lease electronically signed via DocuSign & approved guarantor(s).
• Applicants new to on-campus housing are required to complete their housing eligibility forms through their RamPortal before move-in. Please contact Residence Life and Housing Services at 610-436-3307 for questions.
Housing is not secure until all steps are completed.
Applicants electronically sign the Lease Agreement and other documents in the Resident Portal as a part of the application. Applicants are prompted to review the document, agree to the terms and conditions, and sign electronically. The electronic signature is a legally enforceable online leasing transaction.
Room assignments will be emailed in June. Room assignments can also be viewed in your Resident Portal under “assignment and roommate information”.
All USH residents are required to have a guarantor (or guarantors) on file who meets the USH Occupancy Guidelines and Qualifying Criteria. Click here for more information.
• Current WCU students can apply, while space is available beginning mid December.
• Incoming First-Year students should follow the steps outlined in their housing email.
• Incoming Transfer students should follow the steps outlined on their housing email.
The $200 deposit paid to WCU covers the $200 acceptance fee. Applicants are required to pay a $200 non-refundable and non-transferable application fee for housing. If a student chooses Affiliated Housing, they will pay the $200 non-refundable application fee at the time they apply.
The WCU Residence Life and Housing Services staff is available to assist with roommate mediation to help resolve any conflicts that arise. If mediation is unsuccessful, occupants may request a room change. Room change requests are not guaranteed and will be granted based on availability.
Certain suite styles have limited availability. If you do not see the suite style that you are looking for when it is your time to select a room, this suite style has reached full occupancy.
USH partners with Microfridge to deliver microwave/minifridge combined units. You can order one here so that it is delivered before you move in.
Yes. There is a shuttle that runs directly between South Campus and North Campus each day that classes are in session from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Shuttle hours vary during weekends and summer months. Schedules are available here .
To terminate your lease please follow the lease termination process here.
To terminate your lease please follow the lease termination process here.
The $200 Lease Termination fee is waived through June 1st. After June 1st, all applicants must submit the fee.
Many students find success utilizing word of mouth and social media. Any current WCU student, who does not currently reside in a USH community and meets the USH Occupancy Guidelines and Qualifying Criteria, is eligible to apply. A current USH resident is not able to take over a lease for another USH resident.
If a replacement is not found, you remain responsible for the terms of the Lease Agreement, including payment.
Check, Money Orders, or Cashier’s checks can be dropped off at the rent drop boxes in each of our communities or mailed to the address below:
USH Resident Accounts Office, 202 Carter Drive, West Chester, PA 19382.
Credit/debit card and ACH payments can be made online 24/7 via the Resident Portal.
Please note: paying with a credit/debit card includes a 2.95% convenience fee. ACH payments have no additional fee included.
The first payment for the fall semester is due August 1 st . The first payment for the spring semester is due January 3rd . Note: Some residents have conditions which require them to make payment at an earlier date. If you have been approved with conditions, please reference your lease agreement or call us for more details.
For additional payment information, continue to the link here.
Most banks have a daily transaction limit, and may inhibit your ability to make a payment online. Contact your bank prior to making a payment to inquire how much you can charge to your card in one day.
Absolutely! It is the responsibility of the student, however, to secure enough financial aid through loans, grants, and scholarships to cover the cost of housing in addition to tuition, meal plans or other University fees. You must pay your full WCU tuition and all other fees before WCU will release available funds to USH. Financial aid awards can vary from year to year, so students are encouraged to calculate their needs and apply for aid well in advance to the start of the school year. You may be required to pay out of pocket if financial aid is not available prior to move-in.
Late Charges. Rent is due on the 1st day of the month, regardless of whether this date falls on a weekend or holiday. There will be a late charge due if Rent is not paid. A late charge is a fee that is considered additional Rent, and is due immediately. The late charges are:
•$50.00 if Rent is not received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the 4th day of the month, regardless of whether this date falls on a weekend or holiday.
•An additional $100.00 if Rent is not paid by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the 10th day of the month, regardless of whether this date falls on a weekend or holiday.
For residents who authorize funds to be disbursed from WCU to USH via the Financial Aid Authorization process, late fees will be charged if the resident and/or borrower fails to complete financial aid documents resulting in delayed awards, if an outstanding balance is not paid in full by September 15th for the fall semester and February 15th for the spring semester, or if financial aid is not disbursed as a result of the resident changing their status with USH and/or WCU. If financial aid is delayed as a result of the state or federal government, late fees will not be applied.
Financial aid goes directly to the University’s Financial Aid Office and is not disbursed to USH. After the University takes out the appropriate amount of tuition, meal plan, and other fees, the student is responsible to authorize a fund transfer of their refund to USH. Please note that payment plans with the University, or additional charges added to your RamPortal account, may affect the amount of aid initially authorized to USH.
For the fall semester this authorization must take place no later than August 15 th , or your move in date, whichever comes first. For the spring semester this authorization must take place no later than January 15 th or your move in date, whichever comes first.
For additional information please contact WCU Financial Aid.
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