UNF Housing FAQs

Financial Questions

• Where do I pay for my housing?
  The preferred way to make payments is online through your myWings account with an e-check or with a credit card. You can also make a payment by check at the Student Financial Services Office in Hicks Hall. For a full list on where and how to pay, visit our UNF Housing How to Pay webpage.
• I have Florida Prepaid Dormitory. What do I need to do?
  You should have marked that you have Florida Prepaid Dormitory on your housing contract. For Main Campus Housing, the Department of Housing and Residence Life automatically bills Florida Prepaid Dormitory for the Fall and Spring semesters. For Flats at UNF, residents must submit a Deferment Request Form requesting their rent to be paid with Florida Prepaid Dormitory.
• What type of room will Florida Prepaid pay for?

  Florida Prepaid Dormitory will cover the cost of a double occupancy air conditioned space. Historically, Florida Prepaid has approved payment for the following residential rooms:

  • Double Occupancy in Osprey Cove
  • Double Occupancy in Osprey Landing
  • Double Occupancy in Osprey Hall
  • Double Occupancy in Osprey Crossings
  • 2 Bedroom (4 person) in Osprey Village
  • 1 Bedroom (2 Person) room in Osprey Village
  • Double Occupancy in Osprey Fountains
• Can I live in an area that is not approved by Florida Prepaid?
  Yes. If you elect to live in a more expensive room, Housing will bill Florida Prepaid at the highest approved room rate and you will pay the difference between the cost of an approved room and your assigned room. If you are assigned to a room not fully covered by Florida Prepaid, you will need to pay the difference or defer the remaining portion to financial aid by the published Housing due date. Occasionally, due to high numbers of students and late registrations a student may be assigned to a tripled room. In this case, Florida Prepaid will only pay the cost of the assigned room.
• Can my Florida Prepaid Dormitory plan be used for the summer semester?
  Florida Prepaid discourages using your dormitory plan for summer because you will not get the full benefit of your plan since it is a shorter semester. However, if you want to use your plan for summer the purchaser of the plan can contact Florida Prepaid asking them to approve payment for summer housing. Once approved, UNF Housing will bill Florida Prepaid for your rent.
• Can I use financial aid to pay my rent?
  You may be able to pay all or a portion of your rent with financial aid if you have enough aid posted on your account after meal plan and tuition/fees. The Department of Housing and Residence Life will automatically defer all or a portion of rent against any posted and accepted financial aid. If there is enough to cover all expenses, you will be cleared for move-in. If there is a portion of the housing rent not covered by accepted financial aid, the portion not covered must be paid by the Housing rent due date to avoid a late payment fee.
• What does "defer my rent" mean?
  Since the housing payment is due before financial aid pays out, if you have enough posted and accepted financial aid reflected on your account after subtracting your meal plan and tuition and fees, you may wait until financial aid pays out to pay all or the remaining part of your rent. Only payment for the portion of rent that your financial aid will cover can be delayed until financial aid disburses. The Department of Housing and Residence Life will automatically defer all or a portion of your rent. The rent balance not covered by financial aid must be paid by the Housing rent due date to avoid a late payment fee.
• I have financial aid but not enough to cover all of my housing.
  The Department of Housing and Residence Life will automatically defer all or a portion of rent against any posted and accepted financial aid that is remaining after your meal plan and tuition and fees. The portion of rent not covered by financial aid must be paid by the Housing rent due date to avoid a late payment fee. Also, if your financial aid does not pay out as initially expected, you may owe an additional amount for rent at the time financial aid is disbursed.
• My financial aid is not reflected on my awards screen. How will this affect deferring my rent?
  If you do not have any financial aid reflected, we will not be able to defer your rent. You will need to pay your rent in full by the published Housing due date. It can take 4-6 weeks for UNF to be notified of any federal funding you may be receiving. We suggest you complete your FAFSA no later than March 1st for each academic year to avoid this problem.
• I’m in verification. What does this mean and how does this affect my housing status?
  Each year the federal government randomly selects about a third of all students to verify the information submitted on their FAFSA. Specific documents are requested to confirm that the information entered on the FAFSA is accurate. You must submit these as soon as possible because your financial aid will not pay until this process is completed. If you are selected for verification, One Stop Student Services can help you determine the necessary documents to submit. Your housing will continue to be deferred until mid-term, after which, if your aid does not pay out because of verification, you may be asked to pay your housing by means other than financial aid.
• My financial aid has not paid for my housing yet. What does this mean?
  There could be several reasons for this. The best thing to do is to contact One Stop Student Services and they will be able to assist you.
• Is the due date for housing the same as the due date for tuition?
  Yes, the due date for housing is the same as the due date for tuition.
• My parents pay my bills. Can I have correspondence sent to them?
  All correspondence from the Housing Office is sent to the resident's UNF osprey e-mail address. Paper invoices are no longer sent.
• I’m a new student and will be attending Summer B and Fall. Do I send in $100 with each contract?

  No. The $100.00 processing fee is a one-time, non-refundable fee and is only required for the first contract that you submit.

• I have a Housing Hold on my account.
  This is generally a result of a past due housing charge. Once you pay the balance due, the hold will automatically be released from your account. It can take up to 4 hours for this automated process to run.
• I have a Financial Hold on my account and the Student Financial Services Office says it’s because of housing.
  A financial hold is the result of having a past due balance at the University. It is not necessarily a housing balance. Holds are generated automatically once the due date on any charge passes. The only way for this hold to be released is to pay the balance due. If the balance due is related to housing, we will be happy to review your account with you to determine why the hold was generated. If the hold is not related to an outstanding housing balance, we cannot remove it.

Triples Room Questions

• How big are these rooms?
  All of the rooms in Osprey Crossings, Osprey Landing, and Osprey Cove were designed with the intention of being utilized as triple rooms. The rooms are approximately 380 square feet, including the bathroom.
• What furniture is in the rooms? Will I have my own?
  In all triples, we provide a twin extra-long bed frame and mattress (80 inches), dresser, desk, and chair for each student. In most cases, two beds will be bunked. There are also three closet-areas, one for each resident.
• Won't it be cramped in the room with all that furniture?

  Storage space will be limited to the closet or closets and under the beds. Here are some creative, yet safe ways of arranging furnishings in order to save space and maximize the amount of open floor space:

  • Bunk any unbunked bed
  • Make an 'L' formation with two beds, or dressers or desks
  • Use your refrigerator as a nightstand
  • Make use of all flat surfaces (tops of desks, dressers, refrigerators, etc.)
  • Bring storage drawers or boxes that fit under your bed
  • Move dresser or shelves into your closet
  • Hang a shoe organizer inside your closet
  • Bring a small stool to reach the upper levels in your closet

  Each student should restrict the items they bring to campus, particularly by leaving least essential items (e.g., winter clothing) at home. A practical rule of thumb would be to restrict your possessions to what fits in/on your desk, dresser and a closet. Roommates are strongly encouraged to speak with one another prior to move-in day and to ensure that unnecessary duplications (e.g., TV, stereo, fan, refrigerator, and curtains) are avoided. Families who travel to campus for move-in day should plan to take back home with them items such as empty trunks and suitcases or duplicated items.

• I'm concerned about my ability to study and rest in the triple. What can you suggest?
  Roommates in a triple should discuss issues that affect any one student's ability to study in the room or get the proper rest. Issues include: daily schedules for being in and away from the room; hour to rise and hour to go to bed; frequency and number of visitors; and use of phone, computer, TV, stereo, radio, etc. that affects another's ability to study or rest. Your RA will be available to prompt discussion of these issues with all residents of the room. The RA also will help resolve any difficulties that may come up during the semester. Also, there are several study spaces on your floor, elsewhere in your building, or on campus. Each resident in the room will need to take personal responsibility for helping to make the best of this situation. Each resident should be especially courteous, considerate of others and sensitive to the concerns of others this semester. Practically speaking, this means tangible things like keeping your space clean and picked up, talking through problems and not letting them go unresolved, being patient and flexible as you negotiate and compromise on sleep/study/socialize matters, and not to undermine relationships by talking about roommates behind their backs or causing dissension among room/floor mates.
• I don't have to pay the same price for housing as everybody else, do I?
  The rent for a triple occupancy room reflects a discount from the double occupancy rent.
• I'm worried my grades might suffer because I have these extra roommates. Does that happen to students in triples?
  No; based on previous experience at the University of North Florida, and according to a number of national research studies done over the years; being housed in triple rooms has no effect on grades. Moreover, studies also show that being tripled does not affect students' adjustment to college life, and that tripled students are as likely as others to participate in student organizations and to report satisfaction with their academic and social experiences.
• How long do I have to stay in the triple?
  Triple assignments will remain for the entire academic year (Fall and Spring).
• Why are rooms tripled?
  Tripling the rooms was necessary in order to continue our ability to accommodate as many UNF students as possible. It also gets students into the residence halls where they want to be.
• Some Universities put students in lounges? Will that be done at UNF?
  No, lounges will not be utilized.
• Why isn't more housing being built at the University?
  Housing and Residence Life currently has no new construction underway but anticipates exploring the additional bed space in the future. In Fall 2014 UNF purchased The Flats at UNF which added an additional 480 beds. As space demands increase, new facilities will be considered for construction

About Living-Learning Communities

• What is an LLC?
  A living-learning community (LLC) is an organized on-campus living arrangement. Students often taking a common course(s) live in close physical proximity, which increases the opportunities for curricular and co-curricular interactions and supplementary learning opportunities. These communities are intentionally designed opportunities to enhance education by expanding the "classroom" learning environment with the world around you to include your residence, UNF academically and socially, as well as the greater Jacksonville communities.
• Why should I consider participating in an LLC?

  Benefits to you include:

  • Live and meet people with similar interests and goals
  • Developing a team to support your academic and life initiatives
  • Developing self-awareness and life purpose
  • Maintaining a higher GPA
  • Interacting with professors and staff outside the classroom
  • Involving yourself in meaningful connections with Jacksonville through community-based projects to enhance your resume and set yourself apart from the crowd in the job market
  • Having exclusive access to academic and leadership opportunities such as study aboard and hands-on theory to practice capstone opportunities
  • Influencing social change in the UNF and Jacksonville communities
• How do LLCs work?
  You connect with students, faculty and staff who have an interest in the LLC program's mission, goals and learning objectives. In general, LLCs provide intentional opportunities for students to engage with other students socially and academically, explore opportunities within and outside of the classroom, and transform the global picture related to your area of career, major or interest. Most programs have a 1-3 credit hour course associated and will have weekly meetings in the residential area to focus their learning and involvement in the community.
• What is a Learning Community Assistant?
  Learning Community Assistants (LCAs) are upper-class student leaders whose job is to support the Living-Learning Community experience by connecting the LLC students to each other, planning events around the communities’ focus, and working closely with faculty and staff associated with their LLC to bridge the academic and living environments. LCAs usually share similar interests and majors as the LLC students, live on the same floor, and often are alumni of the LLC program themselves.

The Application Process

• What is the application process for LLCs?
  1. Step 1: Complete a Housing Contract, online through myHousing.
  2. Step 2: Select Living-Learning Community application and explore the available LLCs, including the expectations, agreements and commitments involved.
  3. Step 3: Select interested LLCs and complete the essay components for each
  4. Step 4: Submit the LLC application.
  5. Step 5: Check your UNF Email for acceptance, roommate and room selection information

  Once received, your application will be reviewed by the appropriate LLC advisory council for a decision on admission. You will be notified via your UNF email account regarding your LLC admission status. Each LLC has its own review timeline, but most programs will review applications and begin making application decisions by early March. Admission decisions are for one academic year.

  If you are admitted to an LLC, you will need to identify a roommate and select a room within the appropriate LLC building and floor during LLC room selection. Details regarding room selection will be emailed to you via your UNF email account. 

  If you do not meet the eligibility requirements, or the LLC has reached capacity, your housing assignment will be based on the preferences in your general housing application. 

  If at any point you wish to withdraw an application, or for questions regarding the general housing application, meal plans, payment information, etc., please contact housing@unf.edu or call 904-620-4663.

• Are there certain requirements that a student must meet in order to apply?
  Yes, there are certain requirements for students to be accepted into the program. For more details about the programs see the information for each of the communities on our website.
• Does it cost extra money to be living in an LLC?
  A core experience for participating in a Living-Learning Community is arriving to campus early for a 1-2 day retreat. There is a $50 early move-in fee, which covers meals and other supplies for that experience. Beyond the initial early arrival fee there are no other required costs or fees for participants. However some programs may later decide to have t-shirts and events that may require additional funds but not required.
• Are there any requirements to participate in the LLC?
  Yes. Most programs ask you to be enrolled in an academic course for at least the Fall and some for the Spring in order to participate with this program. Some of these courses are taught in your own residential area! Be sure to review the program expectations noted in the Community Agreement you will review and sign (if you have not done so already) to continue to be an active member of the community.
• When is the deadline to apply for LLCs?

  The projected deadline to apply to a Living-Learning Community is:

  • Rising Sophomore and Upper-Class Students - April 1, 2024
  • Incoming First-Year Students - June 4, 2024

  
  To complete an application you must complete a housing contract first.

• How selective is the acceptance process?
  It depends on the availability of space in the program. Generally, there is a selection process.
• How are people selected for the program?
  The program's advisory team determines the students to accept into the program. The advisory team is made up of faculty, staff and students working on the overall mission of the program. To be considered by the advisory team, your application must be completed in full.
• How will I know if I have been accepted into a program?
  Once you complete the application you will receive a confirmation message. Save this message as a verification of your completed application. Applicants will begin to receive decisions via the email account listed on their application one week after the priority consideration deadline. After that date, applicants will be notified 1-2 weeks after their application is submitted.
• Can I join an LLC in spring or summer?

  The Living-Learning and Theme Communities are available for eligible students who have a Fall-Spring Housing Contract. LLCs are not able to admit spring only students. LLC programs do not operate during the summer term. 

Locations & Roommates

• Where will I live?
  The Living-Learning Community you join will determine which residence hall you will live in. View the Community Comparison table for locations and program capacity information.
• What if I don’t have a person in mind to room with?

  If you did not know of a person who will be a member of your community, no problem! Feel free to utilize the Housing and Residence Life Roommate Search System to seek out other students within the program.

  *The ability to search for roommates is available in myHousing in the lifestyle preferences section: it's an option that will be available to you after you have submitted a Housing contract.

• Does everyone that lives in an LLC occupy an entire housing building or does it go by floors?
  It depends on the LLC. Honors Community occupies an entire building - about 150 students. Most of our programs occupy just a floor or house of about 50 students. See our "LLC Quick Reference Sheet" for more details on our website.
• When is LLC room selection?
  Stay tuned for details on when LLC Room Selection will take place. Information and instructions will be sent to LLC members UNF account. Make sure to participate on this process.

Information to Know

• Can I live with a non-LLC roommate?
  Yes, if space is available. During LLC Room Selection there is a phase in the process where LLC students can attempt to pull-in a non-LLC roommate into an LLC designated room.
• What if I can’t pull-in my non-LLC roommate?

  During LLC room selection, if you are unsuccessful at pulling in a non-LLC roommate then you have a choice to make. You can either:

  1. Decide to remain in the LLC and live with another LLC student.
  2. Cancel your LLC status and participate in general room selection.
• What are important dates I need to know about?
  Check out our important dates webpage. Other important dates can be viewed on the UNF calendar.
• I have specific questions. Who can I contact?

  For specific LLC related questions, please email livinglearning@unf.edu or call (904) 620 - 4663.

• Can I Join an LLC Mid-Year?
  LLCs are designed as a full academic (fall-spring) experience during which students form strong community ties through the orientation, shared class, and social experiences. Therefore, joining mid-year is difficult because students arriving mid-year can have difficulties integrating into an already established group. Additionally, most of the courses that are associated with the communities are only offered in the fall semester, and enrollment in these classes are a core part of the LLC experience. Consideration for joining mid-year is on a case by case basis, and ability to join varies by community.