The Application Process 

Picking a house...

Determine which houses you're interested in. If you are unfamiliar with our houses, get in touch with the office and we can make some suggestions. Each house in our system has its own flair and personality.  Once you have narrowed it down a bit, we suggest touring the houses any time after 6PM (when most co-opers are home).  Once you have toured the houses you are interested in you can make a decision about which house most appeals to you.   At this point, we require all future co-opers to either attend a house meal or house meeting.  Make sure you get all of your questions answered on the tour, especially those that could affect your comfort level in the house, such as the pet policy, cleanliness standards, meal plan or lack thereof, or any other item of interest to you.  If you can't make a tour in person, due to traveling time or expense, you must call and speak with the house membership officer. We strongly recommend that you make a tour in person, if at all possible.

Filling out an application...

Fill out an application. You can do this by fax, mail, or online. Make sure that you turn your application in to the SHC office, not the house you're applying for. You can specify which house(s) you're interested in, or let the office know later. After you turn-in your application, our usual processing time is 3-4 days. Expressing interest in any particular house(s) on your application in no way obligates you to choose from only those, come contract signing time. After being approved for membership in the Student Housing Cooperative, and having your meal or meeting card signed, you may sign-up for any open-membership house.

Signing your contract...

You will be notified when your application is approved. Notification of approval does not mean that a spot is being held for you, only that your references have been checked, and you are OK to sign at will. Now you're ready to sign a contract at the SHC office. Make sure to ask any last questions at this time. Please read your contract very carefully, as it is legally binding. Also, remember that signing a contract is not a guarantee of a specific room in a house, just that a space is being held for you. Furthermore, you are never guaranteed a single room unless you sign a contract for Bowie, Hedrick or Vlach-Bower, where they have no double rooms to offer. All houses handle their own room assignments independently, and the office staff cannot override any rooming decision made by a house.At the contract signing, you will need to give us:

• $300 in shares (as we are a cooperative, this is your 'buy-in' money. It is refundable).
• $75 in dues/membership fees.  You will be joining NASCO and ELFCO.  NASCO is­ the North American Students of Cooperation. They're made up of a network of co-ops in the United States and Canada, and provide special support services to cooperatives of different types.
• $10 refundable key deposit.

 If you are bringing an uncaged pet, you will need to have house approval before you move in. You will also need to place a $100 deposit for each animal ­ this is partly refundable, as long as the pet causes no damages. Part of registering your pet with the SHC entails having veterinary certification of vaccinations and health. This protects both your pet, and other pets in the house. Dogs are not allowed in SHC houses.

Move in!

Now you can move in! Contact your new house to let them know when you'll be coming. If you're coming at the start of an academic year or semester, houses will have elected interim coordinators. ­ It's their job to make sure things go smoothly for you. You should expect a house meeting, some interim house labor, and a lot of new friends in the first week. If you're moving in mid-term, make sure to contact your roommate or house membership officer to agree upon a suitable move in time. Many co-ops do not "rise with the sun," and early morning noise (anything before 10 am) can be disruptive. Please remember that you cannot move in until you have actually signed a contract.