Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Fayette Square considered on-campus housing?
- Who can live in UM Housing?
- Can my spouse and children live with me?
- Are utilities included in the contract fee?
- Is there co-ed living permitting in UM Housing?
- How are roommates assigned?
- Are there handicapped units available in UM Housing?
- If I have a guarantor, what documents do I need to submit?
- Do I need to submit a SAR and the parental guarantor documents?
- Is there parking available?
- How does the parking assignment work?
- Where are the parking garages located?
- How do I pay for parking?
- Is there guest parking available at Fayette Square?
- Can I sign up for parking for a day, a week, a month, etc.?
- When can I move in?
- Can I ship things ahead of my move-in date?
- What size is my bed?
- Do I need to bring a mattress or a box spring?
- Can I remove furniture from my apartment and bring my own?
- What if I have a roommate conflict?
- Are pets allowed in UM Housing?
- How much does it cost to do laundry?
- What are some of the extra amenities at Fayette Square?
- How will I know if I received a package?
- When can I pick up my package?
- Can I mail packages from the UM Housing Office?
- What is the visitor policy?
- Where do residents go in case of a fire or fire drill?
- When are my installments due?
- I will be living in Fayette Square, what if my financial aid is late and I can’t pay the installments on time?
- How do I reserve the Skyline Lounge?
- What are some of the rules for reserving the Skyline Lounge?
- What if I unexpectedly have to leave school? Can I break my license?
Is Fayette Square considered on-campus housing?
- Yes, except in regard to your financial aid. With regard to financial aid, it is considered off-campus housing which will maximize your financial aid flexibility. For all other purposes, however, Fayette Square is considered on-campus housing.
Who can live in UM Housing?
- Anyone who attends or works for a University of Maryland System school may live at Fayette Square and Pascault Row. However, this campus is primarily comprised of students attending one of UM’s professional or graduate schools.
Can my spouse and children live with me?
- UM students living in UM Housing may have their spouse live with them for an additional fee. Unfortunately, due to he quiet, academic focused living environment, children under the age of 18 are not allowed to live in on-campus housing.
Are utilities included in the contract fee?
- All utilities, except for telephone service, are included in the contract fee. Basic cable and Internet are included as part of the utilities.
Is there co-ed living permitting in UM Housing?
- Co-ed living is permitted in apartments with 2 or more residents however those requesting co-ed living must fill their selected apartment type with all occupants agreeing in writing to living in a co-ed apartment.
How are roommates assigned?
- First, we match individuals based on their gender. We then work very hard to match people based on their program and year within that program. We have found that smoking and cleanliness are everyone’s biggest concerns, so it is in everyone’s best interest to be honest about these two things when filling out this portion of their application. Assigned roommate information is available through the Resident Portal starting in June. If you know you would like to live with someone specific who is or will be attending school, you may indicate that on your roommate selection portion of the application and we will match you with them. Please note that UM Housing does not, cannot, and will not under any circumstances discriminate based on age, race, national origin, creed, color, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.
Are there handicapped units available in UM Housing?
- Yes, there are several handicap-accessible units in Fayette Square and Pascault Row, as well as handicap parking spaces.
If I have a guarantor, what documents do I need to submit?
The parental guarantor documents are:
- the parental guarantor form
- a pay stub or bank account statement from the guarantor
- a copy of the guarantor’s driver’s license or a notary certification
Do I need to submit a SAR and the parental guarantor documents?
- No. You need to submit either your SAR (available at the FAFSA web site under your account) OR the parental guarantor documents. Both the SAR and the parental guarantor documents serve the same purpose: to show that you will have the funds to pay the monthly payments. Therefore, we only need one of the two.
Is there parking available?
- Yes. There are four parking options for Fayette Square residents: on-site parking ($135/mo.), limited spaces in the Baltimore Grand Garage ($80/mo.), limited spaces in the Fine Lot ($80/mo.), and unlimited spaces in the Lexington Garage ($60/mo.) The Lexington Garage is available for Pascault Row residents.
How does the parking assignment work?
- Fayette Square current residents who are renewing are given first priority as to where they would like to park. Because of this, most of the on-site, Baltimore Grand, and Fine Lot spots are taken before new and incoming students are considered. New and incoming students are automatically assigned to the Lexington Garage. If there are any remaining spots at the other three locations, there is a lottery at the beginning of the school year (usually around September 1st) where new and incoming students are randomly chosen for parking upgrades. If chosen, these students have the option to upgrade their parking. The lottery continues until all of the on-site, Baltimore Grand, and Fine Lot spaces are taken.
- Pascault Row residents coordinate their parking through the Parking Office after they have obtained their keys from the Housing Office.
Where are the parking garages located?
- On-site parking is located underground of the building. The Baltimore Grand Garage and Fine Lot are located at the corner of Fayette Street and Paca Street. The Lexington Garage is located approximately 3 blocks from the building on the corner of Lexington Street and Pine Street by the campus police station, across from Pascault Row.
How do I pay for parking?
- For Fayette Square - Parking can be paid in the same check or money order as your installments.
- For Pascault Row – payment is made directly to Parking Services either by the semester or for the year upon receipt of parking permit. If summer parking is needed, separate payment must be made for that time period.
Is there guest parking available at Fayette Square?
- Fayette Square residents are able to obtain guest parking passes through the Parking and Transportation Office. These passes are only available to individuals who have annual parking permits.
Can I sign up for parking for a day, a week, a month, etc.?
- Parking is assigned for the term of the license. Parking cannot be assigned on a daily, weekly, etc. basis. However, you can sign up to start parking at any time.
When can I move in?
- You are able to move-in the day your contract begins or any day after. Contracts start on the first Monday of August for Fayette Square and in early August for Pascault Row. Some academic programs require an earlier move-in date than August. If you are needing housing to start in the summer you will need to make sure to contact the housing department so they can arrange summer housing for you. If your program does not start prior to the first Monday of August you may not be given summer housing.
Can I ship things ahead of my move-in date?
- No. The management office does not have the capacity to hold or store things before you are scheduled to arrive and there are no storage units on the site. Any items shipped to the management office prior to your scheduled move-in date will be placed in your designated apartment at the cost of $20 per item. This charge will be added to your contract fee and due with your first installment upon move-in.
What size is my bed?
- Bed sizes depend on the type of apartment. The e-mail sent to you with your contract will state your bed size. All beds in Pascault Row and as of the Fall 2012 all beds in Fayette Square will either be full or queen.
Do I need to bring a mattress or a box spring?
- No. These are provided in each room.
Can I remove furniture from my apartment and bring my own?
- You are welcome to bring whatever furniture you feel is necessary, but removal of furniture is prohibited. It belongs to the site and cannot be removed or stored.
What if I have a roommate conflict?
- The UM Housing staff encourages all residents to work out their differences on their own before bringing it to our attention. If roommates cannot work out their differences, the roommates may request mediation with the Assistant Director of Housing, who will assist the parties in coming to a resolution and possibly make roommate assignment changes if there are open spaces in apartments available.
Are pets allowed in UM Housing?
- The only pets permitted at are fish, provided they are in tanks no larger than 10 gallons and all roommates agree to their presence. This does not apply to service animals.
How much does it cost to do laundry?
- Fayette Square - Laundry is $0.75 to wash and $0.75 to dry. Laundry facilities are located in the basement of the historic building and on the even numbered floors in the tower.
- Pascault Row – Laundry is $1.00 to wash and $1.00 to dry. Laundry facilities are located in the basement of the building.
What are some of the extra amenities at Fayette Square?
- Extra amenities include a business center in the lobby, a fitness center on the second floor, a courtyard, study lounges on all of the odd numbered floors, a coffee machine with free coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, tea, hot chocolate, and more, several vending machines on the second floor in the fitness center, 24/7 security at the front desk, and the Skyline Lounge on the 15th floor.
How will I know if I received a package?
- When you receive a package you will be notified via e-mail (ensure your spam settings allow notifications from our office e-mail, which is umbhousing@umaryland.edu). Upon move-in, register for the resident portal. The e-mail that you register with will be the e-mail where you will be notified if you have a package.
- You then come down to the housing office and sign the package log and pick up your package.
When can I pick up my package?
- Packages can be picked up from the housing office between 8:30-9:00pm Monday thru Friday and 10:00am-4:00pm on Saturdays.
Can I mail packages from the UM Housing Office?
- No. The UM Housing staff is unable to be responsible for shipments leaving the site. If you need to mail something, there is a US Post Office less than one block from the building located on Greene Street. There is also a UPS store in the Hilton Hotel on the second floor inside of the hotel. The Hilton is located on the corner of Paca Street and Pratt Street.
What is the visitor policy?
- Residents are responsible for visitor conduct. Visitors are permitted to stay no more than 3 consecutive days without the consent of your roommate(s). Visitors must be accompanied by the resident they are visiting at all times.
Where do residents go in case of a fire or fire drill?
- Residents are to exit the building by stairs and meet on the opposite side of Fayette Square in front of the Westminster Church or for Pascault Row across the street in front of the Lexington Garage. In Fayette Square please do not exit the stairwell into the lobby area, instead proceed from the stairwell directly to the outside of the building (this is to maintain the air seal and to reduce the spread of smoke into the stairwells).
When are my installments due?
- Installments are due based on your payment plan. If you have a Guarantor, they are able to make monthly installments which would be due on the 1st of every month. If you are paying with Financial Aid, you will make two installments that cover six months each. Your fall payment is due 10 business days after the refund disbursement date or by October 1, whichever comes first. The spring payment is due 10 business days after the refund disbursement date or by March 1, whichever comes first.
- Pascault Row residents occupancy fees are due based on their tuition bill due dates. They should contract the billing office with questions regarding payment.
I will be living in Fayette Square, what if my financial aid is late and I can’t pay the installments on time?
- If your financial aid is late, we will need a statement from the financial aid office with the schedule disbursement date on it verifying that your aid is late. You will not be assessed a late fee is this is done before the payment due date.
How do I reserve the Skyline Lounge?
- You can reserve the Skyline Lounge by coming to the front desk and filling out a form at least 3 days prior to your date of use. You can pick up the keys 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time.
What are some of the rules for reserving the Skyline Lounge?
All of the rules are on the reservation form, but some important ones include:
- All guests attending the function in the Skyline Lounge must be escorted in by the resident who reserved it. Security officers are not permitted to let guests in; the resident must come down to the front gate and get them.
- No alcohol is permitted in the Skyline Lounge.
- Residents are responsible for bringing trash bags and cleaning up after their events.
- The key to the lounge must be returned to the front desk immediately at the conclusion of the event. This is important in case someone has requested it after you.
What if I unexpectedly have to leave school? Can I break my license?
- The only time a resident is permitted to get out of the license completely is if they are no longer a student at the University of Maryland (which will require supporting documentation). All other reasons are not automatically entitled to letting a resident out of their license. If this becomes your situation, please let us know as soon as possible. If another student is willing to take over the license, we can assign it to them as soon as possible (as long as there are no other vacancies within Fayette Square).
- However, if there is not another student ready to take over the license, the resident will be obligated to pay monthly payments. All situations calling for license breaking will be reviewed by the director for a final decision.
