Under certain unusual circumstances, residents may terminate their contracts before the end of the Academic Year.

The request form is only an application for release from your Academic Year Housing Contract, to be reviewed by the Director of Residence Life and/or Placements Coordinator. The decision notification/email message will be sent to you via email once your application for release has been reviewed. A resident is not officially released from their contract until they have received WRITTEN notification/email from the Department of Residence Life (DRL). A resident should never enter into any additional off campus lease agreements until they have been officially notified of their release by DRL.

In order to be released from the legally binding housing contract, a resident MUST fill out the Contract Cancellation Request Form and provide documentation of the reason for the release. A resident must meet one of the reasons for release to be considered for contract cancellation, even if the Contract Cancellation Request Form is submitted before the listed deadlines. A resident is not officially released from their contract until they have received written notification/email from DRL. If the resident is released, he or she may be charged for placement in housing plus additional charges and may forfeit the entirety of their housing deposit.

Contract Cancellation Request Form (pdf)

Housing Contract

Students who submitted an application/contract during the Academic Year (this includes the Summer semester) are bound by the Terms and Conditions.

Please note, the following are established contract cancellation deadlines:

  • Fall Semester - April 30
  • Spring Semester - November 30
  • Summer Semester - April 15

Contract Cancellations Requests for your current Housing Contracts received after these dates are subject to late cancellation fees.

Request for Cancellation

Residents may request to cancel their Housing Contract by submitting a written Contract Cancellation Request Form to DRL via fax, mail, or email. Understand that only written notification/email from DRL of a cancellation approval will terminate their Housing Contract.

Grounds for Consideration

Requests for cancellation will only be granted for the following reasons:

  • Graduation at the end of the current term;
  • Total academic withdrawal/non-registration from all UIS classes (including online courses) for the remainder of the contract period;
  • Serious illness, medical or mental health condition which prevents me from attending class in-person;
  • Participation in academic-related experiences/internships off-campus and further than 40 miles outside the greater Springfield area;
  • Death in the immediate family;
  • Call-up or induction into active military service;
  • Academic suspension; or
  • Marriage.

Understand that it is the residents sole responsibility to provide all necessary supporting documentation and sufficient verification of the respective rationale and circumstances to the satisfaction of DRL.

Effective Date

If cancellation is approved, the effective date is the date the Request for Cancellation is approved by DRL. Residents must promptly and properly vacate the premises within forty-eight (48) hours of this date.

Fees & Charges

Residents are responsible for the following fees & charges schedule in the event: that 1) their Request for Cancellation is received by the date noted below and approved in writing/email by DRL, or 2) if the University terminates the resident’s contract.

  1. No fee for cancellations on or before April 30 for the fall term (or on or before November 30 for spring term).
  2. A $100 cancellation fee for cancellations between May 1 and May 31 (or between December 1 and December 15 for spring term).
  3. A $250 cancellation fee for cancellations between June 1 and August 1 (or between December 16 and January 7 for spring term).
  4. A $350 cancellation fee for cancellations between August 2 and the first day of class (or between January 8 and the first day of class for spring term).
  5. A $350 cancellation fee plus 50% of the room charge for cancellations on or after the first possible day of occupancy through the 10th day of class for the semester.
  6. A $350 cancellation fee plus 75% of the room charge for cancellations after the 10th day of classes for the semester.
  7. If a resident requests a cancellation due to induction into active military service, cancellation fees will be waived.
  8. If a resident requests a cancellation due to graduation, cancellation fees will be waived.
  9. If a resident vacates their assigned space before the end of the contract period without providing notice and receiving written approval for release, the resident will be held responsible for 100% of the contract balance.