Residency Requirements Prior to Fall 2022

Carthage College has long been committed to the residential nature of a college education; it is one of our core values. The best collegiate experience is one where the curriculum and the co-curriculum are seamlessly integrated. Given that the educational benefits of a residential education are many and well-documented, Carthage enforces the following residency policy:

All full-time undergraduate students between 18 and 22 years of age will be guaranteed a residential space in Carthage housing through the housing sign-up process. Any student not registered for 12 or more credits is ineligible for housing.

All full-time undergraduate students are required to live in Carthage housing and be enrolled in a meal plan until they reach senior class standing. Upon reaching senior standing, students may choose to live off campus or may participate in the housing selection process in order to secure Carthage housing. Senior class standing will be determined according to the number of academic credit hours completed. Students attaining senior standing during the academic year are able to opt to live off-campus the following academic year. Housing contracts are for the entire academic year and cannot be broken; contracts currently in progress must be fulfilled. Residential students are responsible for all of the terms of the housing contract.

Exceptions to this housing policy include:

• Students choosing to commute from their parents’ or legal guardians’ primary address, that has been established for at least a year, within 30 driving miles of Carthage College
• Students who are 23 years of age or older
• Students who are married
• Students with dependent children
• Students with veteran status
• Students who are a ward of the state
• Students who have achieved independent status according to federal financial aid guidelines

Residency Policy Exemption Applications must be completed and approved. Contact the Office of Residential Life at housing@carthage.edu or 262-551-6169, or stop in the Office of Residential Life on the main floor of The Tower to obtain the form.

Exemptions to the residency requirement are not guaranteed and will be examined according to housing capacity needs and documentation provided. All exemptions are made at the sole discretion of the director of Residential Life. Since the College must meet its financial obligation, first consideration must be given to ensure capacity occupancy in the residence halls. The Office of Residential Life reserves the right to deny housing to any applicant. These policies apply to all students including prospective students, new students, and returning students.