We Are...   Housing and Residence Life

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is required to live on campus?
All freshmen and sophomores who are under the age of 21 are required to live on campus. Limited exemptions are granted for specific reasons through an application to the Director of Housing and Residence Life. For more information on the residency requirement click here.

Can I choose where I want to live at Marshall?
All students can indicate a preferred residence hall and room type. Every effort is made to meet these preferences. If a student is not placed in the hall of first preference or the desired room type, his/her name is placed on a waiting list for the requested room, and they will be contacted when their name is reached on the waiting list.

How do I apply for campus housing?
Simply go to the Housing and Residence Life website and apply online at www.marshall.edu/housing/howtoapply.asp and complete and submit the form. A $200 deposit is required with your housing contract.

Do I get to pick my roommate?
If you know someone you would like to room with, both applications and deposits must be received together. If they are not mailed together, the request will be noted and efforts will be made to honor them, but the placement is less likely than if the applications are received concurrently.

What should I bring with me and what can I not bring?
Click here for a printable list of items you will want to bring to campus, as well as prohibited items.

When will I receive my room assignment, roommate's name and my bill?
Bills are sent the first week of July for fall semester and mid-December for spring semester. Room and board is typically due at the same time as tuition. Room assignments should be made two weeks after the application and payment are received. If you have not been notified by this time, contact us and we will notify you of the status of your application. To receive your roommate's name and address and email or mailing address, please contact our office.

Can I get a private room/single?
Single rooms are assigned based on availability for returning students. Single rooms are only available to incoming freshmen students who have medical necessity. Any student who wants a single room but is not assigned one in the initial assignment process will have his/her name placed on a single room waiting list for the hall of his/her first preference. These lists will stay in effect for that academic year.

How do I receive mail?
Each resident is assigned a mailbox within his/her residence hall. All mail should be addressed to the student by:

Name
Room number and hall name
Marshall University
Huntington, WV 25755

Can I move out anytime I want to? Will I be penalized if I do?
You may move from one room to another at any point in the semester as long as we have space available and you have permission from the Housing Assignment’s Office. If you wish to move off campus before the end of your contracted period, penalties will apply.

Do I have to be a student or enrolled full-time to live on campus?
You must be a full time student to live on campus.  If you live on campus and need to drop below full time you must receive permission by submitting a letter detailing the classes you are dropping and your reasoning for dropping.  Permissions are granted on case by case scenarios.  Your judicial record with the university will affect your request.

Do you have to be a certain age to live in the residence halls?
All full time students are permitted to live in the residence halls.

What if I want to switch rooms or change roommates after I get to Marshall?
The Department of Housing and Residence Life works with students to assist them in making room changes. See your Residence Director for moves within the building. Contact the Department of Housing and Residence Life central office for moves to another hall, or to change from one type of room to another (single or double room).

Are the halls open during vacation & holiday periods?
All residence halls except Twin Towers West, Twin Towers East, the First year Halls, Gibson and Haymaker are closed for holidays and vacation periods. Check the university calendar for specific dates of break periods. Students who need to stay at Marshall University for work, athletics, academics, or due to distance from home, etc., should request Twin Towers as their permanent housing assignment. Prior approval is always necessary to stay over any break period. Click here for information about break housing.

Can I leave my stuff in my room over holiday break periods? Over the summer?During the academic year, students may leave their items in their individual rooms during holiday breaks (including between fall  and spring semester if you plan to return). Over the summer all belongings must be removed from the room before moving out and the room returned to its condition upon check-in. Any student belongings left in the room will be removed and disposed of. All belongings must be returned at the end of the school year or immediately upon leaving student housing. The Department of Housing and Residence Life assumes no responsibility for items left in the halls, so residents are encouraged to take any valuables home during school breaks.

What if my plans change and I am unable to attend Marshall or live on campus?
Request for withdrawal from MU or on-campus housing should be addressed in writing to the Department of Housing and Residence Life. Refunds, if applicable, will be based upon the date cancellations are received. In order to receive a refund of your deposits, fall cancellations must be received in writing before May 15 and spring cancellations must be received in writing ten business days or more prior to the official opening date of housing.
Is there a roommate selection service?
Presently, we do not offer a roommate selection survey service, prospective roommates can email each other, and may look at each other’s social network account (MySpace or FaceBook).

Which residence halls are for freshmen?
FY North, FY South, Twin Towers East, and Buskirk Hall

Which residence halls are for both males and females?
All of our halls are coed except for Buskirk Hall, which is all female. 

Is phone service provided?
No. Residence Hall rooms are not equipped for a telephone line.

Is there wireless Internet connectivity in the student rooms?
Yes, but only in FY North, FY South, Haymaker, and Twin Towers. Wireless Internet connectivity is also located in the lobby of each residence hall.

Are there kitchens and laundry facilities in every residence hall?
Kitchens are provided in Holderby and Buskirk Halls.  Laundry facilities are provided in all residence halls.

Where do I park?
Parking permits can be obtained from the MU Parking office and paid for at the Bursar office. Click here for more details. http://www.marshall.edu/parking/FAQ.htm

What about refrigerators, microwaves, or carpet?
Not all rooms in residence halls are carpeted. You may bring your own carpet; microwaves are only permitted in Marshall Commons and FY North & FY South Halls; refrigerators larger than 2.3 amps, hot plates, George Foreman grills, toasters or other appliances with large heating elements are not permitted in the residence halls.

How safe are the halls?
Marshall University and the Department of Housing and Residence Life work extensively to provide maximum safety for all of the halls. Most of the residence halls are equipped with cameras, professional and student security services, RAs living on each floor and on duty each night, and random police patrols by the MU Police Department.   

Are portable air conditioners allowed?
No. All residence halls have air conditioning EXCEPT Holderby Hall.

Are pets allowed?
Pets are prohibited in all of the residence halls. The only exception for all of the above is for fish in 10 gallon aquariums or smaller.

Do I have to have a meal plan?
All students living in the residence halls are required to have a meal plan. The various meal plans can be seen on the Sodexo website. Click here for more information. http://www.marshalldining.com/plans.html

Is drinking allowed in the halls?
No. Students living on campus may not consume alcohol in the residence halls.

Is smoking allowed in the rooms or in any other areas in the residence halls?
Smoking is not permitted in rooms or any other areas in the residence halls.

Am I allowed to decorate and paint my room?
You may decorate your room anyway you like as long as the decorations are not permanent. Painting of student rooms is permitted by permission of the Assistant Director of Housing and Residence Life and a fee of $50.

What are the benefits of living on campus?

• Better grades. Students who live on campus perform better academically.
• More friends. Students who live on campus meet more people, friends are close by to study and hang out with, forming friendships during college that last a lifetime.
• Easy living (On-campus students enjoy the convenience of being close to classroom buildings, the library, the REC, Student Center, and tons of campus events).
• Enhanced technology such as computer labs and wireless connectivity.
• Smooth transition. Each floor of the residence halls has a Resident Advisor, who is a full-time, upper-class student trained as a resource to help students adjust to college life.
• Living Learning Communities. Students will experience a living environment where residents share the same interests or major.  
• Leadership and involvement. By living on campus, students are more likely to get involved in various exciting activities and organizations.