Because residential living is fundamental to the mission of the college and the experience of a Goucher student, all undergraduate students are required to live on campus and all students living on campus are required to participate in one of the college meal plans. Students must maintain continuous enrollment in classes through Goucher College throughout the Fall and Spring academic terms as a requirement of living on campus.

Residency requirement exceptions may be made for students who meet any of the following criteria, and provide supporting documentation:

1. Students who choose to commute from their permanent home address within 30 driving miles of Goucher's campus, and are residing with an immediate family member. The Office of Residential Life defines "immediate family member" as a parent, legal guardian, or sibling.

   1. When evaluating driving miles, the shortest driving distance between the student’s documented permanent home address and Goucher College’s address – 1021 Dulaney Valley Road, Baltimore, MD 21204 – as measured on Google Maps or similar service shall be the official measurement.

   2. Exceptions will also be considered for students residing with an individual who has stood in loco parentis to the student for one year or more, immediately prior to a student's date of first matriculating at the College. In loco parentis is commonly understood to refer to a relationship in which a person has put himself or herself in the situation of a parent, by assuming and discharging the obligations of a parent to a child with whom he or she has no legal or biological connection. It exists when an individual intends to take on the role of a parent. Persons who are standing in loco parentis include those with day-to-day responsibilities to care for or financially support a child.

2. Students who are at least 23 years old.

3. Students who are married.

4. Students who are veterans of the armed forces

5. Students who are legal guardians of minors who reside with them on a permanent basis. (The college does not provide housing for non-matriculated minor children.)

6. Students who receive an approved on-campus housing exemption accommodation through the Office of Accessibility Services. 

Students who reside off-campus without meeting one or more of the aforementioned criteria and receiving the appropriate approval will be held responsible for all room and board costs for the semesters in which they are enrolled without such approval. The specific room and board costs shall be the lowest cost for a residence hall room and a meal plan for which the student is eligible.

The Director of Residential Life or their designee may authorize exceptions to this policy, based upon available information and/or space availability needs.