Commuter Application

Huntingdon students are expected to live on campus unless they reside with a parent at a permanent residence, as determined by the student’s original Application for Admission, within 45 miles driving distance of Huntingdon College, or meet other conditions by which they qualify for consideration to attend Huntingdon as a commuter student, as defined below.

Please be aware that Residency/Commuter status directly affects a student’s financial aid package.

The deadline for completing the Commuter Student Application submission and approval process is May 1 (or within 10 days of deposit for new students who deposit after May 1) for fall semester. For spring semester the deadline is December 1 for returning students and January 1 for new students enrolling spring. Any student who is approved for commuter status but whose application does not meet the deadline will incur a late fee of $500.

It is important for applicants to read the following information carefully and to comply with the requirements for filing the Commuter Student Application by meeting the correct procedure and deadline for the term of attendance and commuter status under which they are requesting consideration.

Commuter Student Fee

A $1,000 Commuter Student Fee, payable annually in the first semester of attendance as a commuter student, will apply to students who are approved to enroll with Commuter Status, with the exception of those who are approved for Commuter Status because they are married or have dependents of their own.

The Commuter Student Fee covers the following benefits:

• A Commuter Meal Plan, valued at $600, including dining hall meals and Flex Points for use in campus dining options. If the first semester of attendance is the fall semester, any unused portion of the Commuter Meal Plan will roll over into the spring semester.
• 24-hour access to the Caroline Slawson Campus Commons.
• Designated commuter parking.

Please Note:  If the Commuter Student Application process has not been completed and approval has not been granted by the May 1 deadline for fall semester or by January 1 for the spring semester, the student will incur a $500 late fee, if approved for Commuter Status.

Commuter Student Status Criteria

The decision on whether a student is approved for Commuter Status is made by the Office of Residential communities, subject to consultation with the Dean of Students.. Students who meet one or more of the following criteria may be considered for approval to attend Huntingdon College with Commuter Status as long as the Commuter Student Application Process is completed and the approval is granted by the May 1 deadline for the fall semester or the January 1 deadline for the spring semester:

• Reside with a parent at a permanent residence, as determined by the student’s original Application for Admission, within 45 miles driving distance of Huntingdon College.
• Be married.
• Reside with a dependent child or children for whom the student provides more than 50% of the dependent’s (s’) support.

Students must meet eligibility requirements for requesting off-campus housing, and all information provided to the College must be accurate. Students who provide the College with false information before or after the off-campus living request process will be subject to sanctions that may include separation from the College. Additionally, if a student occupies an address that is not the residence listed on the Commuter Application, they will be subject to the full room and board price of the current semester. Huntingdon College reserves the right to (1) verify employment of the parent, guardian, or custodian; (2) request additional documentation; (3) interview all parties involved; and (4) confirm a student’s residence at any time, which may include an on-site visit.

For the purposes of the commuter agreement, ‘occupying’ a residence is not determined solely by maintaining an official permanent address or legal domicile on paper. A student is considered to be occupying an alternate location if they spend a substantial amount of time at that address, regardless of their official permanent residence status. This includes, but is not limited to, sleeping at the alternate location, keeping personal belongings there, or utilizing the space as a living area. Furthermore, hosting social gatherings, parties, or other events at a location will be considered an act of occupying that space. If a student is found to occupy an address that is not the approved permanent residence listed on their Commuter Application, they will be subject to the full room and board price of the current semester and may be subject to further disciplinary sanctions.