Regulations on the allocation of places and provision of accommodation in University of Gdańsk student homes

REGULATIONS ON THE ALLOCATION OF PLACES AND PROVISION OF ACCOMMODATION IN UNIVERSITY OF GDAŃSK STUDENT HOMES

 (Consolidated text of 26 June 2023)

Contents

Chapter 1. Allocation of places in student homes. 2

Chapter 2. University Accommodation Committee. 2

Chapter 3. Requests for accommodation during the academic year. 3

Chapter 4. Rules of accommodation in student homes. 5

Chapter 5. Accommodation in student homes in the holiday period. 7

Chapter 6. Rules regarding fees and settling of payments for places in UG student homes. 8

Chapter 1. Allocation of places in student homes

§ 1.

Wherever mention is made in the Regulations of:

1. “UG” – it should be understood as the University of Gdańsk;
2. “UAC” – it should be understood as the University Accommodation Committee;
3. “IO” – it should be understood as the International Office;
4. “SHD” – it should be understood as the Student Homes Department of the University of Gdańsk.

§ 2.

1. The following persons, who are not in arrears with payments for a student home for the previous academic year, may apply for a place in a student home for the duration of an academic year:
   1. UG students;
   2. foreign students as part of student exchange programmes;
   3. students of the MOST programme.
2. Should the place quota not be met, the following persons may also apply for places in UG student homes:
   1. UG doctoral students and employees;
   2. UG graduates, for up to two years following graduation;
   3. persons involved in internships or research internships at the UG;
   4. students of other universities.

Chapter 2. University Accommodation Committee

§ 3.

1. Places in UG Student Homes are allocated by the UAC.
2. The Rector appoints the UAC from amongst UG employees and students delegated by the Chair of the UG’s Student Council, with the students constituting the majority of the Committee’s composition. 
3. The UAC is appointed for one academic year.
4. Supervision of the UAC is carried out by the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs.
5. The UAC’s obligations consist in:  
   1. verification of electronically submitted applications;
   2. allocation of places/rooms for a semester/for an academic year/for the holiday period;
   3. coordination of the allocation of places/rooms during the academic year and the holiday period.
6. By 30 May each year, the UAC updates the number of places and single rooms in the student homes for the following academic year, fsetting aside a quota of places for:
   1. students recently admitted by the IO;
   2. students arriving on the ERASMUS exchange;
   3. Rector’s reserves. 

Chapter 3. Requests for accommodation during the academic year

§ 4.

1. A place/room in a UG Student home is allocated at the applicant’s request.
2. Students submit their applications through the Student Portal in the Student Homes tab.
3. Persons listed in Chapter 1, § 2 section 2 submit their applications in paper form at the UG Student Homes Department. Models of application forms constitute Annex 1a (Request to be allocated a place) and Annex 1b (Request to be allocated a room) to these Regulations.
4. The obligation to submit applications does not apply to students from Harbin (whose places are booked by the IO), Erasmus exchange students and persons studying at the University of Gdańsk on the basis of bilateral agreements.  
5. The schedule for submitting applications in a given academic year is announced in the Student Portal, on the website of the UG Student Parliament and is available at the UG Student Homes Department.
6. The UAC’s decision will be visible in: Your  applications, next to the application submitted by the student, through the application status: granted/rejected, with the option of downloading the decision in PDF format.
7. Information for the persons listed in Persons listed in Chapter 1, § 2 section 2 is available at the UG Student Homes Department.
8. Students are entitled to submit a request to the University Accommodation Committee for reconsideration of the decision within fourteen days from the day on which the list of allocations is announced.
9. Should the application be rejected, the student may appeal against the decision by clicking    the button Appeal, completing the appeal and including possible attachments, or by submitting a new request accompanied by previously missing attachments.
10. The student may also withdraw from the allocation (at any stage, after submitting the application or after the request has been granted), in which case the allocated place is returned to the quota.  
11. Information on places allocated by the UAC is also available at the UG Student Homes Department.

§ 5.

1. The student has the right to change the student home by submitting a request to the UAC through the UG Student Portal. 
2. Should this be a ‘person per person’ exchange, the request should be submitted in paper at the SHD. A model of the application form constitutes Annex 1c (Request to change a place in a UG student home). It is possible for a referral to be issued by the SHD on the day the application is submitted or in the form of e-mail information.   
3. The decision regarding a change of room within the same student home rests with the student home’s administration.

§ 6.

1. The student submits a request to be allocated a place in a student home, accompanied by attachments.
2. The attachments comprise:

1. statement of income for the previous year of all household members in employment (parents and siblings under the age of 26);
2. social insurance (ZUS) contributions for the previous year of all household members in employment;
3. in the case of a household member conducting business activity, a statement from the tax office regarding the previous year’s income;
4. in the case of land ownership, a statement from the municipality regarding the number of hectares owned;
5. in the case of a single parent, an alimony maintenance order or a document confirming receipt of survivor’s benefit or proof of non-eligibility for benefit after the death of a parent;
6. in the case of siblings in education, a statement from the school or university;  
7. in the case of a request for a single room, a certificate of disability or a relevant medical certificate specifying the circumstances (illness etc.);  
8. in the case of a request for a room for a married couple or a family, a marriage certificate and the child’s/children’s birth certificate/s;
9. in the case of a request for a room for a married couple and a place for a disability caretaker, consent from the spouse or caretaker to the processing of personal data.

3. The student may submit any other additional documents, statements or descriptions which he/she deems necessary to explain their circumstances.

§ 7.

1. The allocation of places in student homes proceeds according to the rule that priority in obtaining accommodation in a UG student home is given to the student who simultaneously:
   1. finds himself/herself in a difficult financial situation;
   2. would be unable to commute to the university on an everyday basis or for whom commuting would significantly impede study;
   3. has not received a master’s in another field of study or at another university.
2. The place is allocated for a semester or until the end of a given academic year.
3. Each applicant is entitled to one standard place. It is acceptable to submit a request to be allocated a room for exclusive use. In such a case, the fee for a shared room for exclusive use equals the total sum of fees for every standard place in the room.

§ 8.

Taking up residence in a student home proceeds on the basis of:

1. a list of students who have been allocated places in student homes by the UAC;
2. an individual referral issued by the SHD or an e-mail;
3. an electronic application submission process via the Student Portal.

§ 9.

At the request of a student, with consent of all the residents of a given room and in consultation with the administration of the particular student home, it is possible to accommodate an additional person (over the agreed standard places). Such accommodation proceeds on the basis of a referral issued by the SHD or consent by e-mail, approved by the SHD.

§ 10.

Taking up residence in a student home is conditional upon having no arrears in accommodation fees. Persons who are in arrears do not have the right to take up residence until all payments have been settled.

§ 11.

1. Students who have been allocated places in a student home by the UAC have the right to take up residence (at a fee) three days prior to the commencement of the academic year (day fee according to the current list of fees). Place allocation is valid for five days from allocation being granted.
2. Persons who have been allocated places in a student home by the UAC after the deadline specified in § 4 section 5 will be added to the electronic list and are required to take up residence within three days from the allocation being granted.
3. Persons who exceed the deadline specified in sections 1 and 2 and who fail to inform the administration of the particular student home of the reason for later arrival will forfeit the allocation.
4. Fee for persons who inform the administration of their later arrival will be calculated from the day the allocation was granted. 

§ 12.

In the event of a violation of these Regulations, the Vice-Rector for Students, Chancellor or Deputy Chancellor may, in consultation with the UAC, transfer a student to another student home or withdraw their right to take up residence in a student home.

§ 13.

The resident of a student home is obliged to inform the administration of the particular student home of a change to their life circumstances which may influence the decision to be allocated a place, and in particular of their loss of student, doctoral student or UG employee status.

Chapter 4. Rules of accommodation in student homes

§ 14.

A person residing alone in a shared room for a period longer than two weeks is obliged to take up residence in a room with free places specified by the administrator of the student home or pay a fee for all the standard places in the room in accordance with the list of accommodation fees and conditional on consent from the Student Homes Department.

§ 15.

1. Prior to taking up residence, the resident is obliged to become familiar with:
   1. The Regulations on the allocation of places and provision of accommodation in student homes;
   2. The Regulations for residents;
   3. health and safety regulations and instructions;
   4. fire regulations.

The aforementioned documents are available in the administration of a particular student home. The documents should be signed in person as confirmation that they have been read and understood.

§ 16.

1. The validity of the referral to take up residence in a student home during the academic year  expires in the event of:
   1. a student being removed from the student register;
   2. the scheduled graduation deadline expiring.
2. The resident of a student home whose referral has expired should vacate the home within fourteen days in accordance with section 3 of this paragraph or submit a request for consent to stay in the student home.
3. The condition of the room and its equipment should be verified and any potential charges settled at the very latest on the day that the resident vacates the student home. The date on which the room is to be vacated should be agreed in advance with the administration of the student home but must be scheduled for a day and time within the administration’s working hours.
4. Upon vacating the room, the resident is obliged to collect all personal belongings and, in the case of residents who are not UG students, to additionally settle the refundable deposit.
5. Allocation of a place in a student home will be withdrawn with immediate effect should the resident:
   1. not have used the allocated place for a period longer than five days (unless the place is previously reserved i.e. the administration of the particular student home is previously notified as to justified late arrival);
   2. fail to comply with the registration requirement for a period exceeding 30 days;
   3. be in arrears with the fee for a place in a student home and have failed to settle the outstanding payments within the deadline (debt recovery procedure);
   4. persistently fail to observe the provisions of the Regulations for residents of University of Gdańsk student homes;
   5. provide false data in the request for the allocation of a place in a student home or in the documents attached thereto.

§ 17.

In the process of check-in, an administration employee, together with the resident, ascertains the condition of the room and its equipment. Any possible observations are entered onto the room card. The administration confirms the student’s check-in by issuing a Resident’s Card. 

§ 18.

The resident is subject to material and, in justified circumstances, disciplinary liability for any damage or destruction to entrusted equipment or student home premises, caused by him/her or his/her guests. The resident confirms acceptance of material liability at the moment of check-in by signing a declaration, to be filed by the administration of the student homes.

§ 19.

In the event of damage to or loss of equipment, the resident is obliged to cover the repair costs (in the case of persons who have paid a deposit, the repair costs will be deducted from the refundable deposit). The calculation of these costs is prepared by a construction supervision inspector or an administration employee in consultation with the Public Procurement Department using product prices according to current tenders.

§ 20.

1. Should reasonable grounds exist, the administration of the student homes may, together with representatives of the Residents Council or, if no such council exists, representatives of the UG Student Parliament, carry out an inspection of rooms and equipment. Independently of these inspections, the administration of the student homes is authorised to inspect a room by means of a committee during the absence of the resident in order to ensure fire safety or check technical appliances and general security, notifying the resident of the room of the fact seven days in advance. The seven-day notification period does not apply in the event of a safety risk.
2. In special and justified circumstances, the administration of the student home may refrain from observing the aforementioned deadline.

Chapter 5. Accommodation in student homes in the holiday period

§ 21.

1. The quota of places in particular student homes available during the holiday period for UG students is determined by the Chancellor or Deputy Chancellor.
2. The UAC may allocate a student a place in a student home for the holiday period. The place may be allocated in justified circumstances.

§ 22.

1.  Information regarding places allocated by the UAC for the holiday period is available in electronic form in the Student Portal or the Student Homes Department.
2. Persons who receive their allocations from the so-called Rector’s reserve on the basis of a submitted application are entered by the Student Homes Department onto a list which is forwarded to the administration. A model of the application form constitutes Annex 1d (Holiday application) to these Regulations.

§ 23.

1. Priority in the allocation of places in student homes for the holiday period is given to students doing obligatory internship connected with the programme of education at the University of Gdańsk or with work for the University.
2. Submission of an application and allocation of accommodation in a student home during the holidays may only be possible if there are no arrears in accommodation fees. Persons who are in arrears do not have the right to apply for a place or be allocated accommodation until all outstanding payments have been settled.
3. Persons who have not been granted allocation for the holiday period have the right to remain in the student home until the end of the basic examination session in a given academic year.
4. Persons with a set date of diploma defence or persons participating in the re-take session have the right to take up accommodation in the student home the day before and the day after the examination, provided that they have presented an appropriate statement from the Dean’s Office.

Chapter 6. Rules regarding fees and settling of payments for places in UG student homes

§ 24.

According to the Statute of the University of Gdańsk, the Chancellor is the person in charge of the assets and management of the University, including student homes.

§ 25.

The amount of the fee for a standard place in a student home is determined by the Chancellor. The fee is calculated on the basis of data from the previous academic year, related to the costs generated by the student homes, revenue obtained from tourist accommodation during the summer, revenue of the contractors leasing premises or conducting business activity in the student homes and revenue from the residents during the academic year. The above data set is presented to the Chancellor or Deputy Chancellor by the Student Homes Department.

§ 26.

A full-month stay in the student home is subject to a monthly fee, while the fee for a stay from the fifth day of the month is subject to a day fee calculated for each day of stay in any of the student homes. The fee for October is an exception and must be paid in advance from the day of the place being allocated, irrespective of the actual length of stay in October (the calculation also includes days for which a place may be reserved i.e. when the administration of the student home is notified in advance of a justified delay in check-in).

§ 27.

The amount of the monthly and daily fee for a place in a student home is determined prior to the commencement of the academic year and communicated through a decree of the Chancellor on the list of fees for accommodation in University of Gdańsk student homes in the given academic year.

§ 28.

1. UG students make the payments for a standard place through their own individual bank account at the Bank PEKAO S.A. IV O/Gdańsk by the fifteenth day of each month (the individual account number is available on logging into the Student Portal: https://ps.ug.edu.pl). In exceptional and duly justified circumstances, payment within the aforementioned deadline may be permitted at the reception of a particular student home.
2. Fees for single stays should be paid as they occur at the reception of a particular student home. The fee paid for the month of June should only cover the actual number of days spent in the student home.
3. Foreign students who are not in possession of a Pole’s Card or residence card, as well as persons who are not UG students but who have obtained consent from the UAC to reside in a student home, are obliged, upon admission to the student home, to pay a refundable deposit, in advance and to the amount of a single monthly fee for a place in a given student home. The fee should be paid at the administration of the particular student home or to the UG bank account (with the appropriate transfer description required).

§ 29.

In exceptional and duly justified circumstances and at the applicant’s written request, the deadline for the payment of the fee for a standard place may be extended or the fee divided into instalments. Requests in this matter may be submitted to the UG Chancellor or Deputy Chancellor.

§ 30.

1. The administration of a particular student home regularly verifies the payments for a place in a student home and communicates this information to the Student Homes Department. 
2. Should arrears be ascertained in the payment of a resident’s fee for one month, the administration, after fourteen days, presents the debtor with a demand for payment, with a fourteen-day deadline for settling the outstanding fees, in accordance with the Debt Recovery Procedure regarding outstanding fees for accommodation in a UG student home.
3. Should no fee have been paid within the deadline referred to in section 2, the administration of the student home refers the matter of the resident’s debt to the Student Homes Department which issues a final demand for the payment of outstanding fees.  
4. Failure to settle the outstanding fees in accordance with section 3 of this paragraph will also result in the automatic withdrawal of the allocation of a place in a student home (a letter regarding the withdrawal of a place is issued to the debtor by the administration of the student home). Should the resident fail to vacate the occupied place after the expiry of the fourteen-day deadline specified in the allocation withdrawal, the administration of the student home refers the matter to the UG Legal Office in order to initiate eviction proceedings. 
5. The student who has been removed from the student register, has completed their study and defended his/her diploma during his/her stay is obliged to settle the fee on the basis of a correction invoice prepared by the administration of the student home and to pay a deposit.