Residential Life

JWU student studying in a residence hall

Residential Life is here to help you do more than settle in, offering a range of social programs designed to involve you in the campus experience from day one.

We manage the on-campus living experience for more than 600 students each year.

We have traditional halls that include living-learning communities.

With over 35 professional and student staff members, Residential Life offers a variety of services to resident students, including assistance with housing, roommate and community living, locating campus resources, and much more.

We ensure a safe and comfortable environment for everyone who lives and works in our residence halls. To this end, we'll guide and encourage you through your commitments and challenges.

Through leadership opportunities, residents can influence their residential environment and community in an environment that recognizes and celebrates our diverse population.

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Spring 2024 Move-In Dates

NEW STUDENTS: January 5, 2024, 1-4pm

RETURNING STUDENTS: January 7, 2024, starting at 10am

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JWU Charlotte Housing Options

On-campus housing includes traditional, suite-style living. There are 2 on-campus halls:

Cedar Hall North

Cedar Hall North houses first-year residents in 4-person suite-style rooms with two bedrooms, 2 people per bedroom. Each suite includes bathroom facilities and Wi-Fi internet access. Each hall has a game room with a pool table, foosball, air hockey, big-screen television, and video games. Each floor has study rooms, common areas, vending machines, and laundry facilities. All standard rooms have wireless Internet access.

Cedar Hall South

Cedar Hall South houses upperclassmen residents and has double and single suites.

Double suites are 4-person suite-style rooms with two bedrooms, 2 people per bedroom.

Single suites are 2-person suite-style rooms with two bedrooms, 1 person per bedroom.

Each suite includes bathroom facilities and Wi-Fi internet access. Each hall has a game room with a pool table, foosball, air hockey, big-screen television, and video games. Each floor has study rooms, common areas, vending machines, and laundry facilities. All standard rooms have wireless Internet access.

Room Dimensions: 16’ x 10.4’

Your suite common area includes:

  • Shower with shower curtain included
  • Lavatory
  • Vanity area w/four drawers and under-sink cabinet
  • Full-length mirror

Your room includes:

  • 1 Microfridge per bedroom
  • One 3-drawer dresser per student [24”d x 30”w x 29½”h]
  • One desk w/3-drawer pedestal per student [24”d x 42”w x 29½”h]
  • One desk chair per student [24½”d x 18½”w x 32”h; seat height 17”]
  • One extra-long twin bed per student [36”w x 80”]
  • One closet per student [34”w x 21”d]
  • Window [51”w x 70”h]
  • Height under the bed when raised to maximum: 31”

Floor Plan (922K PDF)

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Housing Application & Exemption Information

Thank you for your interest in becoming a part of our residential community at JWU’s Charlotte Campus. Living in a residence hall provides you with many opportunities to interact with other students in both an educational and social setting. Read through the instructions carefully, as they offer important information for securing campus housing.

Questions? Contact Res Life.

On-Campus Housing Requirement

JWU Charlotte has a 2-year residency requirement. All first and second-year students are required to live on campus. 

A housing exemption for the two-year residency requirement will be granted only for one or more of the following reasons. If you do not fit into one of the categories below, then you will not qualify for an exemption.

  • Over 24 years of age
  • Commuting from less than 50 miles while living with an adult family member or legal guardian (requires additional documentation)
  • Are married and/or have a child
  • Have a medical accommodation need requiring off-campus housing (requires additional documentation and approval from Accessibility Services)

If you meet one or more of these criteria, complete the Residency Exemption form located in the admissions portal. Once a decision has been made, you will receive a notification via email.

Applying for Housing

  • You must submit a deposit before you can complete a housing application.
  • The online system validates all new deposits overnight. If a deposit is submitted on March 19th, you’ll be able to access the online application on March 20th; if the deposit is submitted on March 26th, you can access the online application on March 27th; and so on.

Pricing

View online room and board rates for on-campus residence halls.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How does the online housing selection process work? Through JWU Link, our single sign-on system, you can complete your housing application and select a room and roommates online and in real-time. (To do so, your deposit must be paid in full.)

You can log into the system using your JWU ID number and password. (You can change your password to a more secure choice once you enter the system.) Upon entering the system, you will see some demographic data: your JWU ID number, email address, date of birth, and other personal information. If any information appears incorrect, students should contact us immediately.

Once you have verified that your personal information is correct, select the Application tab. In order to proceed, you must select a term.

You will then be assigned to a classification, which designates your campus and eligibility for housing selection. The classifications are Returning, Campus Transfer, and New. If your classification information appears incorrect, contact us immediately.

The system generates a unique screen name for you so that your identity remains confidential during the roommate compatibility search; it will remain screened until you choose to disclose it.

Once a final room has been selected, your full name, phone number, and JWU email address will be provided to all roommates.

How to Apply for Housing:

  1. Preferences Questionnaire: The questionnaire contains 16 questions pertaining to lifestyle, including sleep habits, smoking habits (if any), and room use preferences such as noise level, guests, sharing, etc. Once the profile has been completed, other prospective residents can view it in their search for a compatible roommate.
  1. Learning Communities: Tell us your Learning Community preferences (if any).
  1. Special Needs/Disability Accommodations: Notify us of any special needs or disability requirements. In order to be considered for special accommodations, you must first disclose to us if you are physically or learning disabled. Our office works with the Center for Academic Support (CAS) to help students select a room that fits their needs.
  1. Roommate Preference: Secure your roommate preference by entering that student’s JWU ID number, screen name, or date of birth; however, the student in question must already have completed their housing application. Having a confirmed roommate does not mean that you will automatically be placed together. Once you have selected a room, proceed to the Assign Roommates step.
  1. Application Agreement: Once you have selected “agree,” you will receive a postback message confirming receipt of your application. You will also receive an email confirmation. (If you do not agree to the terms and conditions, you will not be able to continue.)
  1. Option to cancel: If you're unsatisfied with how you answered any portion of the application and wish to start over, you can cancel it before the room selection phase. If you decide that you do not want to live on campus, you can cancel the application before the room selection phase. However, once you select a room and agree to the terms, the application cannot be canceled or changed.
  1. Room Selection: The room selection portion of the online process has two steps: 1) selecting a room and roommates and 2) completing of the room terms agreement. Students will be permitted to enter the room selection portion according to their assigned participation time. You will only be able to select a room from eligible halls and from rooms with available beds. You can hold a room for 24 hours before committing to it.
  1. Room Terms Agreement: Once you’re satisfied with your selected room, proceed to the Room Terms Agreement section. You must read each term and select the box next to the statement to indicate your agreement. Once all terms have been read and accepted, the agreement is submitted. Once you lock in your assignment, you cannot change it online.

What if I am unable to log onto the Housing Selection System? If you are unable to log onto the system, contact our office during normal hours of operation, Mon-Fri, 8:30am-4:30pm.

How does roommate selection work? One student requests; the other accepts. One student can select a room on behalf of the other(s), provided the other(s) has agreed to reside with them. Students who do not have a particular roommate in mind can also use the Roommate Match feature to locate a student who answered the lifestyle preference questions similarly; from there, students can send email messages to each other to arrange to secure a room together.

How many roommates can I select? You can select as many roommates as your room preference can hold. Availability cannot be guaranteed.

How are the rooms labeled in the system? All rooms are listed by a three-letter hall abbreviation and by the individual bed. For example, CHS120A-1 is Cedar Hall South, room 120A, bed 1; CHS120A-2 is Cedar Hall South, room 120A, bed 2. When you select a bed, you will also be able to see how many (if any) beds remain in a particular room. 

What if my roommates and I cannot be placed together? Availability cannot be guaranteed. If all roommates cannot be placed together — for example, if you want to select 3 particular roommates to make a quad room, but no quad rooms are available, you must choose your roommate(s) based upon what is next available (say, a double or triple). Whoever cannot be placed with you must log on at his/her assigned participation time to select housing.

When will I receive my housing confirmation and roommate contact information? You will receive an initial confirmation via email. We will send out an official housing information packet confirming your assignment in early August.

Guide to Understanding the Wildcat Room Selection Process

Review the Room Selection Process Guide (PDF) for information on navigating the Wildcat Housing Application.

Need More Information?

Contact the Res Life team by email or call us at 980-598-1800.

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Room Terms Agreement Cancellation Policy—FOR CHARLOTTE CAMPUS ONLY

As a one-time courtesy, Johnson & Wales University (JWU) will allow you to cancel your Room Terms Agreement (“Housing Contract”) in the fashion described below. Except as described below, your Housing Contract is legally binding and not waivable.

 

Canceling Your Housing Contract

To cancel your Housing Contract, you must do so through the Wildcat Housing System via Contract Release. Any other cancellation or form of notice does not qualify as an official cancellation. Once your cancellation is received, you will be notified via e-mail by Residential Life that your housing assignment has been canceled and stating the amount of the cancellation fee that you will be billed.

Current Residential Students – 2-Year Residency Requirement Met

This cancellation policy applies to current residential students that have fulfilled the two-year residency requirement as defined Johnson & Wales University. The two-year residency requirement is determined by the student’s first semester of enrollment at Johnson & Wales University. For example, a student enrolled at Johnson & Wales University for the first time beginning in fall 2022 is mandated to live on campus until fall 2024.

The cancellation policy does not apply to residents who have not fulfilled the two-year residency requirement. If a resident is mandated to live on campus and does not wish to live on campus, the resident must complete an Exemption Request.

A housing exemption for the two-year residency requirement will be granted only for one or more of the following reasons. If you do not fit into one of the categories below, then you will not qualify for an exemption. If the request is granted, an exemption appeal fee will not be assessed.

  • Students who are 21 years of age or older
  • Transfer students
  • Students who are single parents
  • Students who are married or have a domestic partner
  • Students who live with an adult relative within a 50-mile radius of the campus (as determined by JWU using GoogleMaps)

Please allow 7-10 business days for Exemption Requests to be reviewed and approval or denial emails to be sent.

If the Exemption Request is denied, a resident can submit a written appeal to Residential Life via e-mail. If the appeal is granted, you will be assessed an exemption appeal fee of $250. If the appeal is denied, you will need to submit a housing application and will then be assigned a selection time to choose a room.

Appeals must be received within two days of receiving the denial e-mail. Late appeals will not be accepted or reviewed. Please allow two to three business days for appeals to be reviewed and approval or denial emails to be sent.

Cancellation Fee Schedule:

If the cancellation occurs:

Prior to May 15: $0

May 15 Between and June 30: $250

On or after July 1st Cancellation Fee: $500

If canceling after the start of the housing term, students will also be charged a prorated amount until they officially check out of housing and return their keys. Check-outs must be completed no later than 48 hours after submitting a cancellation request.

JWU Approved Internship

If you cancel your Housing Contract prior to the start of the semester because you are completing an off-campus internship, you will not be subject to cancellation penalties. However, it is still required that you submit a cancellation request to Residential Life in the manner described above.

If you cancel after the start of the semester, you will be subject to the cancellation policy and fees.

Please note Residential Life will verify your internship before canceling your Housing Contract.

Financial Aid

If you defer payments through Financial Aid, you are responsible for any cancellation penalties assessed. Typically, Financial Aid does not cover cancellation penalties; therefore, students are individually responsible for assessments made to the student account.

 

Approved by OGC 3.21.22

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Learning Communities

Our Living-Learning Communities (LLC) seeks to provide JWU students with a unique, residential learning experience. An LLC is a residential clustering of students who share academic or special interests. Our Honors, Business, CFIT (Culinary & Baking), Holistic Health and Hospitality LLCs vary in organization, goals, and curricula but generally share the following characteristics:

  • Facilitate meaningful personal interaction among students, faculty, and staff outside the traditional classroom.
  • Focus primarily on first-year students.
  • Build nurturing, welcoming atmospheres to increase learning and student retention.
  • Located on a specific floor.
  • Encourage student participation in a variety of activities that foster learning.

Examples of programming previously offered to residents: Checkers Hockey game and tour with faculty members of the Time Warner Arena, Honors mixer with Honors Faculty members, Business dinner with a professor, and off-campus hiking trips with faculty. Baking & Pastry Arts students can look forward to tours of local bakeries and industry-related workshops.

All our LLCs are located in Cedar Hall North.

To qualify for any of our LLCs, you must be enrolled in a corresponding college of study, business, hospitality, be a baking & pastry major, or be a member of the honors program.

Space is limited. If you have any questions, contact our office at reslife.clt@jwu.edu.