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Gender-Based Housing Considerations

Students who need housing considerations due to their gender identity should complete the Gender-Based Housing Consideration Form. Considerations may include access to affirming bathrooms, roommates, and room type. In order to apply for GBHC, you must submit your housing application through Housing and Residece Life first.

Submission Deadlines:

Submission deadlines
Type of Student Housing Start Date Submission Deadline  
Returning Students Fall 2024 February 25, 2024  
First Year Students Fall 2024 May 7, 2024   
Transfer Students Fall 2024 July 3, 2024  
All Summer 2024 TBA  

Note: Considerations submitted after the above deadlines will be considered depending on availability. 

Have questions about Gender-Based Considerations that are not answered in our FAQ below? Feel free to email the Assistant Director for LGBTQIA Education & Support Programs, Khouri Lassiter at khouri@american.edu.

Gender Based Housing Considerations FAQ

Students who have specific considerations based on their gender identity
(non-binary students looking to have access to a gender-neutral restroom, trans students looking to find trans-inclusive roommates in their living learning communities, and other gender-identity related considerations) may submit the form.

No. Each request is carefully reviewed and must meet the criteria for consideration. All considerations are based on availability and are only for gender-identity related considerations.

No. The Gender-Based Housing Considerations form is only for students who have housing considerations based on their gender identity.

Electing into all-gender housing indicates that a student is comfortable living with other students regardless of their or their roommate’s gender identity or sex assigned at birth. Any student may elect into all-gender housing on their housing form. The Gender-Based Housing Considerations form is only for students with gender-based considerations which may include access to non-gendered restrooms, accepting roommates, and room type.

No. Upper class students wishing to enter into room selection with differently gendered roommates only need to select into all-gender housing on their housing forms. Then, they will be able to select into a room with student(s) of any gender.

No. American University has a non-discrimination policy that includes gender identity. These policies are designed to support and protect our community members. Not only does this ensure that all of our students can participate fully in their college experiences, but also that we don’t ask about anyone’s sex assigned at birth, since it does not and should not affect their education. This is a crucial part of our plan for Inclusive Excellence, which underlies all of our work at AU. Students who do not elect into all-gender housing and do not fill out the Gender-Based Housing Considerations form will be eligible to room only with someone with the same legal sex on file.

Yes, you can submit a Gender-Based Housing Considerations form at any time. However, these considerations are all based on availability. Turning in the form before the deadline is preferred and enables our team to make recommendations when there is the greatest number of rooms available.

Many students are looking to find roommates who they know will affirm their gender identity. Since first year students can now select their own roommates, we recommend you put information in your student bio on the housing portal that indicates you are looking for an affirming roommate. The housing portal allows potential roommate matches to chat with each other before adding them as a roommate pair. Additionally, electing into all-gender housing ensures your roommate is comfortable living with someone of any gender identity, legal sex on file, or gender expression. If there are any extenuing concerns related to gender, such as finding an affirming roommate within a smaller community like an LLC, please feel free to fill out the gender-based housing consideration form.