Off-Campus Housing Policy
All students enrolled in undergraduate baccalaureate degree programs at Cal Maritime are required to maintain residency on campus and participate in a residential meal plan. However, students may be exempted from living on campus if they meet eligibility, submit an off-campus petition, and are approved for off-campus status by Residence Life.
Please note: You must complete a housing application before completing an off-campus petition. Both the housing application and off-campus petition are in the same form.
IF SUBMITTING AN OFF-CAMPUS PETITION:
Due to a number of factors, including Cal Maritime's integration with Cal Poly, changing
federal laws regarding FAFSA, and updated directives regarding accommodation approvals
from the Office of the Chancellor, off-campus petition decisions will be delayed,
and you may not receive a determination until May or later.
We understand this may disrupt your ability to plan for Fall 2025; we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
We will provide updates and petition decisions as soon as possible.
Please click the StarRez link below to access the off campus petition.
Students who are 25 years of age or older prior to August 1 at the start of the academic year.
No documentation is required.
Students who are in 5th year academic year standing and who have lived on campus for seven or more semesers at Cal Maritime.
Enrollment status will be confirmed by the Registrar’s Office.
Students who are married or in a domestic partnership.
Students must provide appropriate supporting documentation, such as a marriage certificate, certificate of registered domestic partnership, civil union, or other recognized status.
Additional documentation, such as joint bank statements or shared medical coverage, may be requested.
Students with full-time, court-ordered parental custody of a child / children.
Students must provide appropriate supporting documentation, such as the child’s / children’s birth certificate with the student listed as a parent, or a court order establishing custody.
Students who have served on active duty for at least 24 months.
Students must provide appropriate supporting documentation, such as a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Students who are currently on active duty may supply written documentation of their active status.
Students who are studying abroad or participating in an internship that requires a specific off campus living arrangement to complete the academic / internship requirements.
Students must provide appropriate supporting documentation, such as course information or internship requirements, that verify a specific living arrangement is required for the successful completion of the academic / internship requirement.
Additional documentation may be requested. Study abroad or internship experience must meet university academic program requirements for graduation completion.
Students who have graduated from high school, attended a community college with a minimum of 30 completed credit hours, or were homeschooled, within a 25-mile radius of Cal Maritime.
Please note: The following criteria is not based on your home residency, but the location of where you completed your education prior to enrolling in Cal Maritime.
Students must provide appropriate supporting documentation to show proof of graduation, attendance, or residency. Students who have been homeschooled must provide appropriate documentation of homeschooling along with proof of parent or legal guardian residency within the 25-mile radius.
For the list of approved high schools and community colleges, please view the map and click the below link.
This list is subject to change. If your high school or community college is not listed, please contact Residence Life for more information.
Students who demonstrate financial hardship based on the Financial Aid's review of 2025-2026 FAFSA and CA Dream application data.
Financial hardship petitions will be reviewed and assessed by the Financial Aid Office.
Please note: Residence Life does not accept or review financial information.
To determine financial hardship eligibility, students must have financial aid awarded for the 2025-2026 academic year that includes a Federal Pell Grant, and have accepted ALL financial aid offered, including federal direct loans.
If you are a CADAA student, please submit your petition and follow up with the Financial Aid Office directly.
Failure to accept all loans will automatically result in the denial of your financial hardship petition. Be sure to accept your loans on your PeopleSoft Student System for 2025-2026 as soon as they become available.
Students may be asked to provide additional documentation on their financial status by the Financial Aid Office.
You will be notified via email to your CSUM account once a decision is made.
If you have any questions regarding your financial aid eligibility, please contact the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@csum.edu.
Students with a disability or health condition which prevents the student from living on campus.
Health accommodation petitions will be reviewed and assessed by the Accessibility & Disability Services Office (ADSO).
Please note: Residence Life does not accept or review health information.
Students must provide appropriate supporting documentation, such as a verification of diagnosis which includes how the student’s disability or health condition prevents the student from living on campus. Health documentation must be provided by an appropriately licensed health practitioner, on an official letterhead from the practitioner / facility, within the past calendar year. To submit documentation, students will need to complete the online application located on the ADSO webpage.
Students must submit a release of information form to support consultation between the ADSO and their treating practitioner.
Students will be contacted by the Disability Coordinator to schedule an appointment to review the student’s health accommodation information.
Documents submitted to the ADSO that are indicative of a diagnosed condition do not automatically constitute approval for health accommodations (e.g., single room, off-campus, etc.). Students must engage in the ADSO's interactive process to support consideration of their request for accommodation and subsequent decisions arrived at by the ADSO on their behalf.
Any recommended accommodations received by the ADSO from treating practitioners and/or educators are considered suggested recommendations only. They do not guarantee the outcome being sought as those service providers are not uniquely positioned to navigate the continuum of available tiered accommodations and resources offered at Cal Maritime. This is the purview of the ADSO per guidance captured in the CSU's Policy for the Provision of Accommodations and Support Services to Students with Disabilities.
For more information, please contact the Accessibility & Disability Services Office.
Students who are the primary caregiver of a family member with health conditions that require special attention which can only be provided by the student.
Health accommodation petitions will be reviewed and assessed by the Accessibility & Disability Services Office (ADSO).
Please note: Residence Life does not accept or review caregiver information.
Students must provide appropriate supporting documentation, such as documentation from a licensed health practitioner / facility, within the past calendar year, that verifies the student’s status as the primary caregiver for their family member. To submit documentation, students will need to complete the online application located on the ADSO webpage.
Students must submit a release of information form to support consultation between the ADSO and their family member's treating practitioner.
Students will be contacted by the Disability Coordinator to schedule an appointment to review the student’s health accommodation information.
Documents submitted to the ADSO that are indicative of a diagnosed condition do not automatically constitute approval for health accommodations (e.g., single room, off-campus, etc.). Students must engage in the ADSO's interactive process to support consideration of their request for accommodation and subsequent decisions arrived at by the ADSO on their behalf.
Any recommended accommodations received by the ADSO from treating practitioners and/or educators are considered suggested recommendations only. They do not guarantee the outcome being sought as those service providers are not uniquely positioned to navigate the continuum of available tiered accommodations and resources offered at Cal Maritime. This is the purview of the ADSO per guidance captured in the CSU's Policy for the Provision of Accommodations and Support Services to Students with Disabilities.
For more information, please contact the Accessibility & Disability Services Office.
Students with unique circumstances that create immense personal hardship which prevents them from living on campus.
Students must provide appropriate supporting documentation which substantiates their unique circumstances, and be able to conclusively demonstrate the immense personal hardship preventing them from living on campus.
Personal statements are not acceptable documentation.
Additional documentation may be requested, and students may be contacted by Residence Life to schedule an appointment to review the student’s petition information.
Please note: Exemption approval for this category will be extremely limited, as most off-campus petitions should fall under one of the above listed criteria.
For off-campus petitions in this category, please submit them to housingcommittee@csum.edu.
Petition Review Process:
- Off-campus petitions are available via the StarRez housing application portal.
- Please note: every student must reapply and submit a new petition each year.
- All required documentation must be submitted in order for your petition to be reviewed.
- You will receive communication of your petition decision via your official Cal Maritime email account.
- If approved for off-campus, an on-campus residential bed space or room will not be
reserved, and your housing charge will be removed from your student account.
- If a student wishes to decline off-campus acceptance, the student must contact Residence Life via email at housing@csum.edu immediately. Readmission to on-campus housing may not be guaranteed due to occupancy numbers.
FAQ on the Off-Campus Petition Process:
Yes. Off-campus approval is only granted for one academic year (or less, depending on permission approval). Every student must reapply each year for off-campus approval and submit supporting documentation.
No. Signing a lease is NOT a criterion used to evaluate a cadet's need to live off campus. This could be a costly mistake; if you are not granted an exemption to the residency requirement you will need to pay for on-campus housing and meal plan fees.
In most cases, you will not be allowed to submit multiple petitions. Please select the criteria that best fits your situation.
If your situation has significantly changed, please contact housing@csum.edu and we will help you determine your next steps.
If you submitted a petition request for a health accommodation reason or a financial hardship reason by the StarRez petition deadline, the next step is for you to follow the required process for submitting documentation to those specific offices.
The process, requirements, and points of contact for the health related and financial hardship reasons are outlined in the StarRez off-campus petition.
Any student not approved for off-campus will be expected to live on campus. If you are not approved for off-campus and do not participate in the StarRez room selection process, the Residence Life will automatically assign you a room, roommate, and meal plan.