Contract Replacement

As per our terms and conditions, if you are withdrawing from residence or cancelling your residence contract while remaining academically enrolled at the University, you are financially responsible for your contract.  An option to be relieved of the financial responsibility is to find another University of Waterloo student who meets the Campus Housing eligibility criteria to replace you in your contract. 

Students who cancel their residence contract can find another University of Waterloo student to serve as their contract replacement for financial relief. The replacement student must meet the Campus Housing eligibility criteria listed below. It is up to the discretion of the Housing Occupancy and Marketing Services team if we can send the replacement an offer. 

We encourage students that are still enrolled at the University but cancel their residence contract to utilize this option for financial relief from their contract.   

Continue below to learn more about how the replacement process works.  

Contract Replacement Process

Before the Academic Year Begins:

Campus Housing may be able to help you find a contract replacement by assigning a student from our applicant pool to your bedspace. This would be for Fall/Spring or Fall/Winter contracts.   

While we cannot guarantee this, we will notify you if we are able to assist after you initiate the contact replacement process. Our ability to do so depends on factors such as the size of the applicant pool, time of application submission, student type, and application type. We would encourage you to still look for a contract replacement.   

After the Academic Year Begins:

During the winter or spring terms, students are generally responsible for finding their own contract replacements. The occupancy team will determine if the replacement is eligible based on the criteria listed below.  

UNDERGRADUATE student PROCESS

If an undergraduate student cancels their housing contract during the academic year and is still enrolled as a student at the University of Waterloo, the student must find  their own replacement.  Students typically find replacement candidates through friends, classmates, and our off-campus housing website.  

Undergraduate replacements must meet the following eligibility criteria:  

  • They must be a full-time enrolled University of Waterloo Undergraduate student 
  • They must be able to replace one or more terms within your existing contract: 
    • Fall Two Terms - (fall/winter or fall/spring),  
    • Winter One Term or  
    • Spring One Term  
  • They must be the same contract type  (first-year, upper year) 
  • Not be on a current contract with Campus Housing or the University College Residences  
  • Must be a current housing applicant for the terms they wish to replace 
  • Fall replacements: must not be a part of the first-year guarantee process  

*Please note: Contract Replacements do not necessarily replace the exact assignment. This process is based on filling an available vacancy rather than the specific room. It is up to the discretion of the Housing Occupancy and Marketing Services team as to which bed space the replacement will receive an offer for based on available space and current room assignments. 

Undergraduates seeking a replacement during the academic year must complete the following steps:  

Step 1: Submit a Confirmed Contract Cancellation form.  

  • If you already have a contract replacement candidate at this step, please include your replacement’s details (full name, 8-digit Waterloo ID number) in the additional notes section of the cancellation form.   
  • The form is only processed after the cancelling student has fully moved out of residence and returned their residence keys to the residence front desk.   
  • We only permit one replacement name to be sent at a time. We will verify if the replacement is eligible and notify you via email.  If the student is not eligible, you will have to find another replacement that meets the criteria.  

Step 2: Campus Housing will verify Student replacement eligibility.  If the student is not eligible, you will have to find another replacement that meets the criteria.  Results of the eligibility check will be shared with you.   

Step 3: A room assignment offer will be sent to the contract replacement 

  • If they accept the contract, Campus housing will notify you via email. If they do not accept the offer, the withdrawn/cancelled student must start the process again until an eligible replacement accepts their offer. 
  • The residence fees will be credited to the Quest account, minus a $500 administrative fee. The credit amount may be prorated based on when the eligible replacement begins their contract. 

Graduate Student Process

If a graduate student cancels their housing contract during the academic year and is enrolled as a student at the University of Waterloo, they will need to attain their own replacement. Students typically find replacement candidates through friends, classmates, and our off-campus housing website.  

Graduate student replacements must meet the following criteria:  

  • Must be eligible for a Single Graduate contract  
  • Not be on contract with Campus Housing or the University College Residences 
  • Must be a current housing applicant for the terms they wish to replace 

*Please note: Contract Replacements do not necessarily replace the exact assignment. This process is based on filling an available vacancy rather than the specific room. It is up to the discretion of the Housing Occupancy and Marketing Services team as to which bed space the replacement will receive an offer for based on available space and current room assignments. 

Students in graduate housing seeking a replacement during an academic year must complete the following steps:   

Step 1. Submit a Confirmed Contract Cancellation form. 

  • If you already have a contract replacement candidate at this step, please include your replacement’s details (full name, 8-digit Waterloo ID number) in the additional notes section.   
  • The form is processed after the withdrawing/cancelling student has fully moved out of residence and returned their residence keys to the residence front desk.   
  • We only permit one replacement name to be sent at a time. We will verify if the replacement is eligible and notify you via email.  If the student is not eligible, you will have to find another replacement that meets the criteria.  

Step 2: Campus Housing will verify Student replacement eligibility and notify you via email.  If the student is not eligible, you will have to find another replacement that meets the criteria.    

  • The eligible replacement must complete the Single Graduate Housing application for the term they are fulfilling for the cancelled student. 

Step 3: A room assignment offer will be sent to the contract replacement 

  • If they accept the contract, Campus housing will notify you via email and a prorated residence credit (less a $500 administration fee) will be issued in the Quest account of the withdrawing/cancelling student. 
  •  If they do not accept the offer, the withdrawn/cancelled student must start the process again until an eligible replacement accepts their offer 
  • Depending on when the withdrawn or cancelled student finds an eligible replacement, they may only receive a prorated amount of their residence credit.   
    • Example: Graduate student cancels their residence contract in August but does not find a replacement to accept the contract until October. The cancelling graduate student will be credited a prorated amount from when the replacement starts their residence contract in October.   

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I find a replacement?

Students typically find a replacement before the contracted term(s) has started for the maximum residence fees credit, though they can find a replacement to take over their contract even once it has begun. Students must withdraw/cancel their housing contract before engaging in the replacement process. Students who are successful in the process will receive a prorated amount based on the date the replacement starts their residence contract, less a $500 administration fee.  

What is the last possible date I can find a replacement?

A contract replacement can start a contract up to 30 days prior to the end of the term, after that the student must be held financially responsible for the full term.  

How much will my residence credit be for?

Once the replacement accepts, the withdrawn /cancelled student from residence will receive a residence credit. The credit is prorated to reflect the $500 administration fee and daily residence charge for the time between when the contract began and when the replacement started the residence contract.   

Where will I find my residence credit?

Within approximately 5 business days of a replacement successfully confirming a contract, the student will receive a residence credit on their Quest account. 

Will the student take over the same room I had?

Since this process is based on filling a vacancy rather than the specific room, the replacement will not necessarily receive an offer for the same room. It is up to the current allocation of student types in residence and discretion of the Occupancy Team as to which assignment the replacement will receive an offer for.