UW System Offers Housing Refund

All UW System schools will issue prorated refunds for the rest of spring semester housing and dining expenses by the end of the spring semester to students who have already moved out of their university housing situations because of COVID-19, according to a UW System press release.

Reimbursements will not include the pre-coronavirus pandemic spring break period, but they will include the remainder of housing and dining expenses for 2020 spring semester.

Crediting the reimbursement money towards future semesters at the university is not an option due to federal financial aid disbursement rules.

“We recognize the tremendous upheaval this pandemic has inflicted on the lives of our students, and we appreciate their patience and their sacrifice,” said University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross in the press release. “This reimbursement is the right thing to do.”

Chancellors of the UW System schools agreed with the decisions to refund room and board costs to students in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the evolving situation that comes with it.

Update (March 21): UWM is also informing all residents of university residence halls that they must move out, but students who have nowhere to move to can apply for an exception to continue living in one of the residence halls, according to a UWM News press release.

Cambridge Commons and RiverView residents will be the first to move out and all residents of these halls must leave by March 27. The other residence halls will follow suit soon after.

Update (March 22): Students who were unable to move out of the residence halls before March 20, the original end of spring break, will still receive a refund for the time period after March 20.