International Student and Scholar Services

• On-Campus Housing
• Meal Plans
• Meal Plan Pricing

On-Campus Housing

International first year undergraduate students are required to live on campus for two years. Transfer students are required to live on campus for the fall through spring semesters.  Married students and students over 21 years old may file for an exemption to live on campus.

Students may choose to live in any of the residence halls except  the Village which is for upper classroom who have lived on campus for the prerequired number of semesters. Most international students choose to live in the Hart Hall Global Living and Learning Center a unique residential community that is focussed on academic excellence and social responsibility within a global context. Each floor has a Graduate Resident Mentor and a Faculty Resident Mentor to assist students with their academic and social matters. Each floor has a lounge, kitchennette, study lounge and wireless internet.

Residents of Hart Hall are required to register into a one credit IST190/390 course each semester. This course requires attendance at six events out of hundreds of events per semester and writing a one page double spaced reaction paper for each of the six events  or participating in a discussion, if one is held after the event. Students also complete 10 hours of approved community service each semester.

Upon completion of their on-campus residency requirement, students may elect to live off campus. There are affordable housing options for students within walking distance or a short bus ride from the SUNY Oswego Campus. The local newspaper the Palladium-Times lists rentals in their classified section. The ISSS office has a list of local landlords.

The Off Campus Association is a recognized organization of the Student Association and is a resource for the students at SUNY Oswego. The OCA offers many services for students who choose to live or are thinking of moving off campus. The OCA provides interested students with a housing list of available apartments, as well as other written information which makes moving and living off campus easier and safer. The OCA does its best but does not gurantee that the information on the housing list or in the OCA office is accurate. It is the responsibility of the landlords to update their information at the OCA office.

Information for student tenants:

Agreement or leases between landowners and student/tenant(s) are private contracts. The State University of New York  at Oswego wants students to understand that if they become tenants in any premises, SUNY assumes no obligation for damages or payment of rent. University sanctions will not be employed to assure payment of financial obligations or to resolve differences between tenants and landowners. Students are indiviually responsible for their actions under municipal, state, and federal laws. International students who violate such laws should be aware of any possible consequences to their visa status.

The Rules of Renting:

1. Always get everything in writing and make a copy of it, no matter how insignificant
2. Don't rent the first place you see. Shop around
3. Get a copy of the lease for each person. You are entitled to one
4. Ask every question you can think of. Remember, the only wrong question is the one not asked
5. Take good care of your rental unit. Your security deposit depends on it.
6. Find out how energy efficient the dwelling is.
7. Do some research about the local laws (noise, garbage, recycling), neighborhood, and land owner(s).
8. Know the people you're going to live with before you live with them.
9. You can't park on the streets of Oswego from November 1 to April 1 between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. If you have a car, you will need off-street parking.

   Information courtesy of The Off-Campus Association