Religious Observance Requests in Undergraduate Housing
Stanford is a diverse community with students from many religious backgrounds. We understand that some students may desire specific housing placements or modifications due to their religious beliefs or practices. This page outlines what religious observance requests can be made at Stanford in undergraduate housing and the process for registering such a request.
Be sure to read this page carefully and follow all of the steps below if you are interested in making a religious observance request for housing.
Please note the deadline to apply for autumn quarter housing with a religious observance request is April 9, 2025. Any student in a group with someone making a religious observance request must meet this deadline. If anyone in the group also has a disability accommodation request for housing, their deadline to apply is the earlier deadline of March 14, 2025. No group members can be added or removed after this deadline.
These are the religion-based housing requests that we are able to support:
| 4'x4' personal use space | Most standard double and triple rooms allow for personal use space. If you make this request you should expect to be assigned to a one room double or triple. |
| Access to a single-gender restroom | Available in all residence halls and in single-gender apartments and suites. If you make this request, you should expect to be assigned to a room near a single-gender restroom. Your placement will be based on your housing rankings and your class. Sophomores should expect to be placed in sophomore priority spaces, which are shared rooms in RF houses. |
| Access to a shared kitchenette | Available in most locations, but not available in most Row houses. If you make this request, you should expect to be assigned to a residence hall with a kitchenette. Your placement will be based on your housing rankings and your class. Sophomores should expect to be placed in sophomore priority spaces, which are shared rooms in RF houses. |
| Physical key | Students whose religious observance prohibits them from using electronic card access may request a physical key. Student room physical keys are available in most undergrad housing locations, but not all. Physical keys are used for both room and exterior doors at the Suites, however card access is used at Suites Dining. Based on an approved religious request, a physical key can be provided for most undergrad housing exterior doors with card access except Trancos, Soto, and EVGR-A. Trancos, Soto, and EVGR-A have all-electric doors, and physical keys are not possible. Use of a physical key is only permitted during hours of religious observance. If you make this request, you should expect to be assigned to a residence hall where use of a physical key is possible. Your placement will be based on your housing rankings and your class. Sophomores should expect to be placed in sophomore priority spaces, which are shared rooms in RF houses. |
| Lower level floor | Possible in all locations. If you make this request, you should expect to be assigned to the first or second floor of a residence. Your placement will be based on your housing rankings and your class. Sophomores should expect to be placed in sophomore priority spaces, which are shared rooms in RF houses. |
| Near Kosher dining | Assignment to Florence Moore. Your placement will be based on your housing rankings and your class. Sophomores should expect to be placed in sophomore priority spaces, which are shared rooms in RF houses. |
| Specific roommate of same/similar faith | Only possible if: student with the need has identified a compatible friend or friends to live with; the friends agree to forgo the normal assignment process (more information below) and submit religious observation requests listing the other student(s) as their desired roommate(s); and there is a fully vacant room available. |
If you have religious needs that are not on this list, you should submit a request through the Office of Religious & Spiritual Life by April 9, 2025.
These are some of the religious need requests that we are not able to support:
- Private bedroom for observances
- 2-room double for observances
- Private kitchen
- Random assignment with roommate of same religion
Here is the process to make a religious observance request for housing:
Students who would like to make a religious observance request for housing may do so on their housing application. Only the religious observance requests listed above as being supported can be honored.
To apply for undergraduate housing:
- Log onto MyHousing.Stanford.edu
- Select Undergraduate Housing Application
- Select the quarter for which you are applying (when you will move in)
- Follow the instructions to apply for housing
- Be sure to submit the application
How it works
- Students who wish to submit a religious observance request should indicate this on their housing application and then select their request type(s).
- For autumn quarter housing, the student who submitted the religious observance request and their group members must submit their housing applications by 5 p.m. on April 9. On their applications, they should sign the Residence Agreement, form a group, select their genders, and indicate that they are submitting a religious observance request. If you are in a group with a student making a religious observance request, the group makeup cannot be changed after April 9.
- If any member of the group is also requesting a disability accommodation for housing, the earlier March 14 deadline applies.
- Students who indicate that they are submitting religious observance requests will be prompted to rank their housing options. Housing Assignments staff will use these choices when assigning students to houses and rooms. Students are strongly encouraged to keep ranking choices until they have no preference regarding the choices left unranked. If you have a limited number of choices and cannot be placed in any of them, you will be assigned to a residence and/or room type not listed on your application.
- If group members have ranked their housing options differently, Housing Assignments will use the choices as ranked by the student with the religious observance request.
- If you join a group with a student who is submitting a religious observance request, you will be assigned through this process even if you do not indicate that you are participating in the religious observance request process on your application. Please check with potential group members to see if anyone is submitting a religious observance request.
- In order to be fair and equitable, students' assignments will be commensurate with their class year.
- Students assigned through this process do not have the option to reject their housing assignment and participate in the autumn quarter self-select process.
- Religious observance requests submitted after the deadline will be considered on a rolling basis, if and when space becomes available, and although the person submitting the request may be reassigned, other group members would not be reassigned. Students submitting late requests should not expect to receive an assignment that matches their request until the summer months, at the earliest.
Here is the process to request a religious observance meal plan exemption:
If you believe that your dietary needs cannot be met through a Stanford Dining plan due to your religious observances, you can request a meal plan exemption.
To request a meal plan exemption:
- Use this link to schedule a meeting with one of the Stanford Dining Nutritionists.
- If Stanford Dining determines that your dietary needs cannot be met through the dining plan associated with your residence, they will notify the Office of Religious & Spiritual Life
- The Office of Religious & Spiritual Life will authorize a meal plan exemption.