Frequently Asked Questions for Housing and Residence Life

The Application Process

Q: When should I start looking into housing options?
A: You may begin looking into on campus housing options the moment you think you want to attend CSUF.
Admitted students may apply online. For information on the housing application process, please visit our How
to Apply for Housing page.

Priority period for newly admitted students: February 21st – March 22nd 2013
This application period was for all newly admitted students to CSU Fullerton for Fall of 2013. Applications
submitted after March 22nd, 2013 are being placed on a waitlist.

Q: Do I have to be admitted to CSUF to apply for housing?
A: Yes.

Q: Is there an application fee?
A: No, the application process is free.

Q: Do I have to send a deposit with my housing contract/license?
A: Yes. When offered a contract, you will be required to make an initial payment of $350 along with your signed
License Agreement to reserve your space. Of this initial payment, $100 will be a security deposit; the remaining
$250 will be applied to your overall housing fees.

Q: Are freshmen guaranteed housing?
A: Spaces are limited, so housing cannot be guaranteed to all freshmen. The residence halls that opened this
past fall are designated specifically for freshmen and have capacity for 1,062 students.

Q: When will I know if I have housing?
A: New students began receiving their offers on April 5th, 2013. Those on the waitlist will be notified about their
status after April 26th and will receive periodic updates throughout the summer.

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The License Agreement

Q: When should I turn in my License Agreement?
A: Once you receive your housing license agreement offer, you must return all required materials by the
deadline. Failure to meet all deadlines as indicated with your license offer will result in losing your space and
going to the bottom of the waitlist.

Q: How much does it cost to live in the residence halls?
A: For 2013-14: $12,726 for students who select the 5-Day (unlimited access all you care to eat) meal plan with
$100 Declining Balance per semester, and $13,346 for students who select the 7-Day (unlimited access all you
care eat) meal plan with $200 Declining Balance per semester.

Q: Does Financial Aid pay for housing?
A: Financial Aid does not pay Housing directly. Financial Aid funds are dispersed to the student’s bank account or a check is mailed; the student is then responsible for making payments to Housing.

Q: Do I have to pay for it all at once or in installments?
A: You may pay all at once, or you can break up your fees into installments. Details are included in your license
agreement packet. Your initial payment of $350 which is due when you submit your license agreement must
be paid in full and from your personal funds because Financial Aid is not available until the beginning of the
academic year.

Q: Will I receive bills in the mail for my housing payments?
A: No. It is the resident’s responsibility to ensure that payments are made on or before the scheduled due dates
listed in the license agreement. Electronic statements will be emailed to the students campus email address
one week prior to the due date.

Q: Can I cancel my License Agreement before I move in?
A: You may cancel your license agreement by written notice to the housing office or by going to the housing
website at: www.fullerton.edu/housing by July 22nd, 2013. A non-refundable $50 processing fee will be applied.

After this date, license agreement terminations will only be considered if you meet the criteria outlined in the
Terms and Conditions of the Housing License. Terminations after the start of the license period are made
at the sole discretion of Housing and Residence Life. A 30-day room only charge will apply per the license
agreement.

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Room and Roommate Assignments

Q: How many people live in the apartments/residence halls?
A: Double Apartments: Six people reside in the three-bedroom apartments -- two per bedroom.
Single Apartments: Four people occupy the four-bedroom apartments -- one per bedroom.
Residence Halls: Double occupancy (two per room) with community bathrooms.

Q: How can I get a single bedroom?
A: Priority for the apartments is given to the sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students. This space is
provided based on request, application priority and availability.

Q: Are the apartments co-ed?
A: No. The apartments are single-sex, although the floors are co-ed.

Q: May I request to live with a specific roommate?
A: You will receive a roommate request/selection form in June. You may use the form to request a person (of
your same gender) to be your roommate. That person must then also request to live with you, or you most likely
will not be placed together.

Q: What if I don't know who I want to live with? How will you select my roommate and apartment-mates?
A: Answer the questions on the roommate request/selection form and list your interests, hobbies and needs. If
you know the kinds of characteristics you'd like a roommate to have, list those as well. Housing and Residence
Life will then attempt to match students based on the information provided from these forms.

Q: When will I find out which room I'm in and who my roommate and apartment-mates will be?
A: Information regarding your room assignment and your roommates will be available August 2nd.

Q: When do I move in?
A: Residents for 2013 - 2014 will move in on August 21st.

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Life in the Halls

Q: Is there a meal plan?
A: Yes, all residents of student housing will have a meal plan. Several options are available. Refer to the
Residential Dining FAQ for more details.

Q: Do I need a special parking permit?
A: No, all students use the same university parking decal, which is good for any student parking lot.

Q: Can I have overnight guests?
A: Yes, you may have overnight guests. They may not stay more than three nights during a two-week period
without approval from the housing office.

Q: Is alcohol allowed in the residence halls?
A: Alcohol is not permitted in the residence halls. In the apartments, students who are at least 21 years old may
drink in the privacy of their own apartment as long as everyone assigned to and present in the apartment is 21
years of age or older.

Q: Is smoking allowed?
A: As of August 2013, CSUF will be a smoke-free campus. Specific details will be available when students
move in.

Q: Can I have a pet?
A: Fish are permitted in bowls or aquariums that hold no more than 5 gallons of water. No other pets are
allowed.

Q: Who cleans up the rooms?
A: Students are responsible for cleaning their own apartments and bedrooms. All public areas are cleaned by
the university staff. The bathrooms in the residence halls are cleaned by our Housing custodial staff on a daily
basis excluding weekends and holidays.

Q: Who takes care of maintenance and repairs?
A: All maintenance and repairs in residence halls, apartments, and public areas are completed by our Housing
maintenance staff. You should report all problems on a Maintenance Work Order Request Form available
online or in the housing office. Most requests are handled within 48 hours of receipt of the request by our
maintenance staff. If the problem cannot be fixed immediately, you will be notified as to the status of the repair.

Frequently Asked Questions for Residential Dining

Cal State Fullerton Housing and Residence Life is excited to offer residents a fun, nutritious, and exciting residential dining program that will feature three food service options. The Gastronome serves fresh, wholesome, cooked-from-scratch and prepared-to-order meals throughout the day. The Late Night Café serves an array of pizza, hot and cold sandwiches, snacks, treats, and beverages after The Gastronome closes to meet the needs of students with evening classes and activities or looking for a late-night pick-me-up while studying. The Community Market will stock a wide array of packaged and fresh produce, foods, and household goods with extended weekday and weekend hours.

How do the meal plans work?
Residents living in the Residence Halls have the choice of two meal plan options: 7-Day Unlimited Plan and 5-Day Unlimited Plan. These plans allow students unlimited access to the Gastronome; the 7-day plan covers every day of the week, and the 5-day plan is valid Monday-Friday.

Residents living in the apartments may choose a block meal plan with either 112 or 80 meals per semester or may select to upgrade to either of the Unlimited plans. With a block meal plan, one block meal is deducted each time the student enters The Gastronome. Students may use as many meals as they wish each day; a meal will be deducted each time they enter The Gastronome.

All meal plans also include a declining balance amount. These dollars may be used to purchase items in the Late Night Café, the Community Market, or to pay for entrance into The Gastronome for a guest.

May students opt out of the meal plan?
All students living in either residence halls or apartments must participate in the meal plan program, and may not opt out of the program.

Can students change their meal plan?
Residents may change their meal plans near the end of Fall Semester with the changes effective for Spring Semester.

What types of food is served?
The Gastronome features an extremely diverse menu everyday throughout the day. Many items are customizable and prepared-to-order where students select the meats, vegetables, and sauces they want in their individual dish. The facility features six food stations: (1) Freshly prepared pizzas and pasta, (2) Made to order deli sandwiches, (3) Grill with burgers and specialty sandwiches (4) International kitchen featuring authentic world cuisines and home-style favorites, (5) prepared-to-order exhibition station with a rotating menu, and (6) The Granary (bakery). In addition, there are many self-service stations including a soup and salad bar, Belgian waffle bar, breads, cereals, soft-serve frozen yogurt, beverages, and coffee. Numerous theme meals, celebrations, and special events are presented throughout the year.

Are vegetarian items be available?
A wide selection of vegetarian and vegan items are available in The Gastronome, Late Night Café, and Community Market. All prepared-to-order items have a vegetarian option.

What hours are the dining facilities open?
The Gastronome is open Monday-Friday, 7:00am-8:00pm; and Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am-7:30pm.
The Late Night Café will be open Monday-Friday, 7:00am-8:30am and 8:00pm-1:00am.
The Community Market will be open Monday-Thursday, noon-midnight, Friday, noon-10:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 2:00pm-10:00pm.

Will items are available for students with food allergies or dietary restrictions?
There are many options for students with common food allergies (e.g. peanuts, tree nuts). Items are identified throughout The Gastronome indicating when they contain peanuts and similar ingredients. Options can be prepared specially for students with other allergies or dietary restrictions (e.g. gluten free, sugar free, low sodium). The chefs and dining staff are happy to work with students with other dietary needs or requests. Students with allergies or dietary restrictions should see one of the dining managers to discuss their needs, and learn more about safe, healthy, and nutritious options available to them.

May residents host guests using their meal plans?
Yes, each resident’s meal plan includes 8 guest meals per semester which students may use to host guests, family, friends, or themselves if they run out of block meals.

Is there a credit for unused meals?
There is no credit or refund for unused meals.

Do unused meals and declining balance dollars carry forward from Fall Semester to Spring Semester?
Unused meals from the block meal plans expire at the end of Fall Semester and do not carry forward. Remaining declining balance dollars do forward from Fall Semester to Spring Semester and are added to the new allocation. All meal plans and declining balance dollars expire at the end of the academic year.

Can Declining Balance dollars be used in other food service or retail locations on campus?
Declining Balance dollars may only be used in the Late Night Café, Community Market, and The Gastronome. They cannot be used at any other dining or retail facility on or off campus.

Can additional declining balance dollars be purchased?
Additional declining balance dollars may be purchased at any time. Information is available on The Gastronome’s website.

Can students with block meal plans purchase additional meals?
Students with block meal plans may purchase additional blocks of meals during the semester. Information is available on The Gastronome’s website.

Can faculty, staff, guests, and students not living in the residence halls or apartments eat in the dining facilities?
Everyone is welcome to eat in the dining facilities. People without meal plans may pay a cash price to enter The Gastronome. The Late Night Café and the Community Market both accept cash and credit cards for purchases.

Can students not living in the residence halls and apartments purchase meal plans?
Non-Resident (also called Voluntary) meal plans are available for non-residents. Information is available on The Gastronome’s website.

Will dining options be available during Winter Recess and Spring Break?
Dining options are available for students remaining in the apartments or extended stay floor of the residence halls during Winter Recess, and those remaining on campus during Thanksgiving weekend and Spring Break. While the Gastronome is not open, either the Late Night Café or the Community Market will be available.

Are there jobs available in the dining facilities?
There are a large number of employment opportunities in The Gastronome, Late Night Café, and Community Market. Positions have flexible hours to work around students’ class schedules, and include cashiers, servers, bussers, dishwashers, baristas, stockers, cooks, and student managers. An internship program will also be available for students with an interest in marketing, sustainability, or culinary services. Priority for all positions will be given to students living in the apartments or residence halls. Information is available on The Gastronome’s website.