Contract for Housing and Meal Plans

Incoming freshmen (First Time in College - FTIC) and freshman transfer residents are required to be on a meal plan regardless of their room placement. Meal plans consist of a combination of weekly swipes and declining balance dollars (DB). Weekly swipes are used in the all-you-care-to-eat facility called Marketplace at Doan and each swipe counts as one meal. Declining balance (DBs) are treated like cash on a debit card and used in retail locations such as Panda Express, Subway, C-Store, P.O.D., etc. A reload of DBs is added for the start of the winter semester.  Declining balance dollars roll over from the fall to winter semester, however, unused declining balance dollars are forfeited at the end of the winter semester.  

Upperclass and new transfer residents do not have a mandatory meal plan but may elect to purchase one for convenience. Block plans are available and include meals per semester that roll over from fall to winter. Students also have the option of creating their own meal plan using a combination of block meals and DBs or buying a traditional plan for a full semester experience.

Combination plans include a weekly meal swipe component and DBs. Meals per week must be used in the period designated and meal swipes re-set on Sunday, each week. As noted, all meal plan balances are forfeited at the end of the winter semester.

Meal changes are allowed through the first five days of each semester. Upgrades or reloading may occur at any time.

Students will rank their preferences for first-year living areas when submitting the housing contract, however housing assignments are first-come, first-serve based on the contract submission date and time. 

All residents will be able to find their mutual roommate(s) in the housing portal through the Roommate Selection process.

Students in special programs may not have preferences honored due to community limitations by the advisor. It is not possible to honor all requests, although every attempt will be made to do so. The final determination of room assignments rests with the university.

SVSU does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical impairment, disability or veteran status in the provision of education, employment, and other services.

Contract Submission through May 1st:

A student who notifies Housing Operations in writing by May 1st preceding the contract period to cancel the contract for any reason will be charged a $200 cancellation fee. 

Non-Enrollment or Not Attending:

Cancellations for non-enrollment received in writing prior to the official payment due date for fall or winter semesters, if approved by the University, will incur a $100 contract cancellation charge and may result in a $100 refund of the housing prepayment.

Failure to notify Housing Operations in writing by the payment due date of the semester will result in a $200 cancellation charge.

Still Enrolled and Special Circumstances:

At its discretion, the university will consider contract releases outside of the aforementioned criteria only if the circumstances are sufficiently extreme or catastrophic in nature. Requests of this nature must be submitted via the form on the Housing Portal and include supporting documentation.

Students will login to the Housing Portal using their SVSU credentials to begin the Housing Contract process.

1. Navigate to the left-hand menu and select "Housing Contract & Forms" 

2. Select the "Fall 2025/Winter 2026 Housing Contract" link in the list 

3. Review the contract terms and either sign or type legal name to move forward

4. Answer all required questions appropriately, select a meal plan from the available options, and rank housing room style preferences to move to the final step

5. Submit payment for the $200 prepayment, which is applied to a student's Fall balance.

6. Let the payment screen re-route back to the original contract page where a confirmation message awaits, and voila! 

Tuition, fees, housing, and meal costs are applied to a student’s account. Any unpaid balance could result in loss of services including classes and/or housing. All payments must be made by the published due dates. We encourage students to check mySVSU (Self Service) for account status information on a regular basis. All communications are made via the SVSU email account. Printed bills are not generated.

Cancellations or Deferrals by Resident.  The Resident will not be released from the Contract to move to off-campus housing or to commute during the contract period.  The University will release a a Resident from the Contract or defer the terms of this Contract to winter semester without any cancellation fee upon advance written notice if the Resident:

1. Graduates during the period.
2. Participates in an SVSU study abroad program during the contract period.
3. Participates in any SVSU-sponsored clinical, student teaching or other similar internship program outside a 30-mile driving distance during the contract period.
4. Reports for military duty before or during this contract period.

The university will release a Resident from the contract, subject to the cancellation fees below, if the Resident:

1. Is academically dismissed from the University. ($100 fee)
2. Written notice of non-enrollment actually received prior to the official University payment due date for the fall or winter semester ($100 fee).
3. Notifies Housing Operations, in writing, of the intent to cancel by May 1st of this contract period for any reason ($200 fee); or
4. Completely withdraws from classes after the official payment due date for the fall or winter semester (pro-rated housing and meal plan amount for any actual days in residence and a $200 fee).

This Contract will not be canceled or deferred due to any change in class content delivery format, such as online.  The University at its discretion will consider contract cancellations or deferrals outside the above criteria.  Requests of this nature must be submitted in writing to Housing Operations and include supporting documentation.  Requests that are approved will be charged a pro-rated housing and meal plan amount for any actual days in residence and are subject to additional cancellation fees.  The Contract will be reinstated by the University for any resident who is released due to withdrawal from the University and subsequently re-enrolls during the contract period.

The resident must comply with Housing Operations check-out procedures in order to complete withdrawal from Saginaw Valley State University. A resident failing to follow published check-out procedures may be assessed a minimum $100 improper check-out fee and $50 lost of key fee.

The University at its discretion will consider contract cancellations or deferrals outside the above criteria.  Requests of this nature must be submitted via the Contract Cancellation Request Form in the Housing Portal and include supporting documentation.  Requests that are approved will be charged a pro-rated housing and meal plan amount for any actual days in residence and are subject to additional cancellation fees.