Housing Frequently Asked Questions

In addition to the desire to share your home and your life with another person, there are some requirements:

• Must be under 15 minute walk to a bus stop from your home
• Must be under a 60-minute trip to campus by bus (includes walking to/from bus stops, and transfer time)
• Each student needs to have a private room (at least 81 square feet) with a window, a bed, linen, dresser, closet, desk, light, and a door that can be locked
• All residents over age 18 must complete a background check
• It is preferred that your family is fluent in English and that English is spoken (on TV and radio too) in the home
• Must have 3 meals a day available to the student – 5 cooked meals a week

Our goal is to get each host family at least one student. Each student must have their own space as listed in the requirements above. As each family situation is different, if there are specific concerns, these can be discussed with the Homestay Coordinator on a case-by-case basis.

Each homestay family must be under 15 minutes of walking to the bus stop and 60 minutes by bus to the college (including transfers and walking to the bus stop). If your family does not fall into either of these categories, it does not mean that you can not be considered. A student may be placed in your home if they have their own transportation or if the student approves of the accommodations after a site visit. 

In addition to bathroom and eating facilities, each student needs to have access to laundry and the telephone for local calls and internet. It is not recommended to let a student use a business computer. Use of the family computer is optional. It would be great if there was a “student computer” available.

If the student would like to use your family's phone, they are expected to pay for all long-distance calls they make. Edmonds College does not recommend that the student make long-distance calls on the family phone bill. Exception: Student should call their family on arrival night.

Each household is different. Communicate with your student about when meals are served. You are expected to provide food for three meals per day. The evening meal should be prepared at least five nights a week. If you will not be home at mealtime, let your student know. If the student will not be home, they should let you know. In either case, have food available for the student to eat when they arrive home.

1. Send an e-mail with: name, address, phone number, and bus number (from home to school), then we will send a letter with information about our next orientation.
2. Take part in the Homestay Orientation. At the orientation, you will learn more about the process of becoming a host family, stipend procedures, program guidelines, and how to solve cultural issues and miscommunications that might come up.
3. Have your home visited by a housing staff member
4. Fill out all paperwork and return it to the staff member at the home visit
5. Pay $60 at home visit (one time fee for applying)
6. Once we have all paper work in, backgrounds finished, and all looks good to host, we will call about possible placements.

Most students arrive on set dates for each quarter. These dates are what we call our "arrival dates." You can find our arrival dates for each quarter on our Important Dates page. If a student has opted to use our airport pick-up service, we will pick the student up from the airport and bring them to the Housing Office or directly to your home, depending on the time and date that they arrive. If the student is arriving on their own, they will either come to the Housing Office or directly to your home. In any situation, we will work with you before the student's arrival to let you know when you can expect to meet your new student. If you receive calls or emails about a student's arrival (from student or their family), please notify the Housing Office.

• Look for the day and block of time (usually 3 hours) of your student's arrival in your letter from the Housing Office. Please keep the whole day free if your student experiences travel delays!
• We will call you as soon as we know your student is on their way from the airport and let you know approximately when to pick your student up at the Housing Office. Please arrive early.
• First impressions are important! Be ready to answer your phone and be on time. 
• Please call the Housing Office before the arrival dates if you are still waiting to receive an arrival time via letter - your student may be delayed.

• If you are a new arrival your housing charges are due a week after you arrive.
• If you are an existing resident your housing charges are due roughly one month before the start of the quarter in question.

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We are required to ensure that balances are paid in full before the quarter in question begins. Setting the due date early allows us time to properly diagnose and address issues with students that miss the payment deadline and either find a solution or get them moved out before the quarter begins.

If you are relying on financial aid you must reach out to the financial coordinator each quarter and explain your circumstances. Depending on your situation you may be required to establish a payment plan and make payments while we wait for your financial aid disbursement. 
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• Any fee prefaced with the word “Housing -” is a mandatory housing fee. Failure to pay your housing fees can result in holds, late fees, eviction, and collections.
• Please see the Additional Fees table or email the financial coordinator if you have questions about why you incurred a fee.

• If you are an international student you cannot establish a payment plan. You must pay your housing balance in full on or before the due date.
• If you are domestic you may be able to establish a payment plan. Email the financial coordinator explaining your circumstance and they will work with you to come to an agreement.

You can apply for Residence Halls or Homestay by logging into the housing application portal with your CTCLink account. Once logged in, complete and submit the application form. Please note that after submitting your online housing application, you will no longer be able to access your account to make changes. If you encounter any issues, please contact us at housing@edmonds.edu.

Applications are open year-round. For best consideration, submit 3 to 4 months before your start date.

The deadline for submitting your housing application is at least two weeks before the scheduled arrival date. Late applications may be considered, but availability is not guaranteed.

Late applications may be accepted depending on availability. However, there is no guarantee that housing will be available, and late applicants may be placed on a waiting list.

The housing contract is a legal agreement between you and Housing and Residential Life at Edmonds College. The contract period varies depending on the student's preferences, but it typically lasts for 3 or 4 quarters and outlines your rights, responsibilities, safety, and the terms of living in college housing.

Housing assignments are made based on the order of application submission, housing preferences, and availability. Priority is given to students who have paid the housing application fee.

 

 

You will be notified of your housing placement via email.

Housing changes are subject to availability and may not be guaranteed. To request a change in your housing assignment, please email Housing at housing@edmonds.edu.

While we try to accommodate all housing preferences, due to high demand, we cannot guarantee specific room types. If you do not get your preferred assignment, you may be placed on a waitlist and contacted if space becomes available.

 

If you need to cancel your housing application before you sign in to move in, you might be able to do so. However, the housing application is non-refundable under any circumstance. To cancel your application, please email Housing at housing@edmonds.edu.

Yes, we offer an airport pickup service for new students arriving from the airport to the Residence Halls and Homestay. This service is available on our Arrival Dates. If you plan to arrive early, you must arrange to stay in a hotel. 

To request airport pickup, please mark the field of the airport pickup request when you submit the housing application, or please let us know by email. You must provide your flight details, including the arrival time, date, and airport, along with your phone number. 

You will need to provide the following information when requesting airport pickup:

Full name and CTCLink ID number
Flight number
Arrival date and time
Phone number

The airport pickup service is $120 on the arrival date. Pickup after the arrival date is $150.

The driver will be holding a sign with the Housing at Edmonds College. You will receive details on the airport pick-up information at least two weeks before your arrival.

 

Yes, we can pick up you and your family, but the $120 airport pickup fee will be charged per person in your group.

If you forget to request airport pickup in advance, contact us by email immediately. We may still be able to accommodate your request.

 

Yes, the pickup service will wait for you on a delayed arrival. We will track your flight and adjust the pickup time as needed.

The driver will drop you off at Rainier Place, the housing office where you can check in or out. The both Res Hall and Homestay students arriving during the day will be brought to campus, and the host will meet their homestay students at school. If homestay students arrive in the evening, the driver will take you to your homestay. 

 

The drivers will attempt to contact you via WhatsApp, so please keep your phone on and connect to the airport Wi-Fi while waiting for their call. You can use WhatsApp to communicate with them and arrange the meeting point.

 

Move-in dates are typically scheduled for the weekend before classes begin. Please check the important dates on the housing website.

You can check in at the front office during office hours. If you arrive outside of office hours, you can contact the RAs for each apartment.

Students are not allowed to move in before the official arrival date. Early move-in is typically available only for those with specific needs, like athletes or students in certain programs.

Yes, there is a designated check-in process for all students moving into the Residence Halls. You will check in at the housing front office, located in Rainier Place, where you will receive your room key or fob and  move-in instructions.

Yes, you are allowed to have family or friends help you move in.

Yes, we offer orientation sessions and shopping trips for new residents to meet other students and learn more about on-campus housing resources. Be sure to check your email or the housing website for details on any scheduled events.

 

If you experience any issues with your room or key on move-in day, go to the front desk or contact the housing office immediately. They will assist you with resolving any problems.

Each dorm room is equipped with basic furniture (bed, desk, chair, etc.), but you should bring personal items such as bedding, towels, toiletries, and decorations.