Summer Research Housing

Learn about the process of requesting complimentary summer housing on campus as an undergraduate researcher.

A limited number of undergraduates conducting summer research at William & Mary during Summer 2026 are eligible to receive free on-campus housing. The process timeline can be found below. 

For Students:

Tax Information

IMPORTANT: If your application is approved for free summer research housing at William & Mary, please be advised that this may be considered a taxable benefit by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In accordance with IRS regulations, the university is required to classify this benefit accurately for tax purposes which may result in the reporting of taxable income to the recipient based on the fair market value of the housing provided. Once an application is approved, additional information may be required in order for the University’s tax compliance team to determine reporting requirements. Housing recipients will be notified promptly if additional information is needed.

William & Mary, its departments, and its employees do not provide tax advice. Please consult your own tax professional when considering your application for free housing. Reporting and taxation of student payments are governed by the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations and enforced by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). 

Eligibility

• Current undergraduate students graduating no earlier than August 2026 conducting summer research under the supervision of a William & Mary faculty member are eligible to apply.
• Summer housing availability is limited and not guaranteed for all applicants. If demand exceeds supply, the following criteria will be used for selection:
  1. Demonstrated high financial need
  2. Projects where it is essential for students to conduct research physically on campus
  3. Projects that require a longer length of stay on campus 
• The earliest move-in date is Sunday, May 24, 2026 and the latest move-out date is Saturday, August 1, 2026. 

Steps to Apply for Housing 

Deadline to apply for complimentary housing through the Charles Center:

1. Undergraduate students must complete the Charles Center Qualtrics housing application by Friday, March 6, 2026 at 11:59 pm.
2. The student must also initiate a DocuSign form to be sent to the faculty research mentor to verify that the student is completing research under their supervision by Friday, March 6, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

Apply Here

Late March: students will be notified if they will be assigned free summer research housing and must complete the following next steps:

1. Confirm that they will accept their housing spot by April 8th. 
2. Complete the Residence Life summer housing application by April 17th at 11:59 pm to confirm room assignment. You will select "I am requesting Summer Research Housing - Complimentary." The last page you will see before a housing assignment is assigned is a "Pending Approval" page. Please email [[myroom]] with any questions about the application or room assignments. Residence Life will email students with their initial summer housing assignment information the week of April 20th.
3. Register for the INTR 001 Summer Research course (CRN: to be sent to eligible students) by April 17th at 11:59 pm. This is a zero-credit placeholder that allows the university to track the students doing research on campus during the summer. It is not an actual “course."
   • This course is not visible in PATH if searching by subject or course name. You will only be able to add it to your cart by using the CRN. 

For Department Administrators

New in 2026, a cost-sharing plan has been implemented where some housing costs will be covered by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (VPR) and the remainder of costs will be covered by the college or school where the student's faculty research mentor is appointed. 

College of Arts & Sciences 

In the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS), costs not covered by the VPR will be split between CAS philanthropic gifts and the faculty research mentor's home department, program, or unit.  Please review the CAS Complimentary Summer Research Housing FAQ for full details. 

All Other Participating Units

Please consult your unit head for more information on how costs not covered by the VPR will be covered. Please see the General Summer Research Housing FAQ for more information.

Timeline for CAS & All Other Participating Units

March 16th: Units are notified of their expected maximum contribution based on the number of students that applied and the length of their stays 

April 9th: Units are notified of the exact amount of funding due to cover cost of confirmed students 

April 24th: Payment information from units is due (worktag details) 

April-May: The Charles Center processes summer housing payments to Residence Life 

Note: Grant-funded housing is a process that is separate from complimentary summer research housing and does not go through the Charles Center. Please scroll down to the section "Information For Faculty Requesting Grant-Funded Summer Research" on the Residence Life website to learn about that process.

Questions?

For questions about applying for complimentary summer research housing, contact [[charlescenter]].

For specific questions about summer housing, contact [[myroom, Residence Life]].