PROVO, Utah, Sept. 23, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Brigham Young University has announced significant changes to its student housing program, including that after their first two semesters, undergraduate, single students will no longer be required to live in on-campus or off-campus contracted housing.
The changes will be effective fall semester 2022, said a a news release from BYU.
“Graduate students and married students have always been able to live anywhere, but the forthcoming change will provide this option to all undergraduate, single students after completing their first two semesters at BYU,” the news release said.
Additionally, off-campus contracted housing will be available only to BYU students. Details about eligibility for BYU off-campus contracted housing are available on the off-campus housing website.
“These decisions were made in an effort to better serve our students and provide them with more options,” said Student Life Vice President Julie Franklin. “We have been hearing from and listening to our students’ concerns with BYU’s two-mile housing radius. Beginning in fall 2022, students who have completed their first two semesters at BYU will enjoy greater flexibility when choosing where to live.”
Other considerations for the decision regarding BYU’s student housing program include “the challenges third-party, off-campus landlords face when requiring non-BYU students to abide by the CES Honor Code and BYU’s student housing policies,” the news release said.
“Like many universities, BYU will continue requiring students to live their first two semesters in BYU housing or off-campus contracted housing,” Franklin said. “Research repeatedly shows that students who initially have this close association with their fellow students have a better and more successful college experience.”
Single undergraduate students can still choose to live in BYU on-campus or BYU off-campus contracted housing after their first two semesters. Single students choosing to live in non-contracted off-campus housing after their first two semesters will continue to be required to abide by the CES Honor Code and BYU’s student housing policies, the news release said.
All students were notified of these decisions through email, which contained further details about the forthcoming changes in BYU’s student housing program. More information is available here.
Landlords of BYU off-campus contracted housing were also notified at the same time.
The forthcoming changes to the student housing program apply only to BYU. No changes are being made to student housing policies or programs at BYU–Hawaii, BYU–Idaho or Ensign College.
