SOURCED HOUSING ANSWERS
Direct answers for parents, students, buyers and renters. The answer comes first; sources and freshness are shown on the exact-answer page.
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Gorham is the residential focus. USM separately offers Portland Commons on the Portland campus; those units, prices and addresses are not Gorham inventory.
Open the sourced answer →The page says the student must be accepted, confirmed and deposited for at least 48 hours before portal access updates.
Open the sourced answer →At least six credits, unless Disability Services or Residential Life approves an exception.
Open the sourced answer →The application instructions say to keep the MaineStreet student ID number handy because it is needed to sign the housing contract.
Open the sourced answer →The application lets students rank Shared Interest Communities that inform placement.
Open the sourced answer →No. The first-year process says they are based on interests beyond the classroom, not tied to specific majors.
Open the sourced answer →First-year students are housed in doubles; singles, suites and apartments are not in the first-year options described. Accommodation requests have a separate process.
Open the sourced answer →Submit the Housing Accommodations Request Form through Disability Services. The page says requests are not guaranteed and DSC communicates what can be accommodated.
Open the sourced answer →The first-year process permits exceptions for mixed Honors/non-Honors roommate groups, with placement in Honors or the selected Shared Interest Community depending on open rooms.
Open the sourced answer →No. The application page says it tries to honor roommate requests but does not guarantee them.
Open the sourced answer →Only after that person has completed a housing application; the invitation uses the maine.edu email address and must be accepted.
Open the sourced answer →The student should answer accurately for themselves; the application explicitly asks that someone else not answer even if assisting with the application.
Open the sourced answer →The application page describes diet-specific food stations, including dedicated allergy areas, and lists vegan, gluten-free, halal and kosher options. Confirm individual needs with Dining.
Open the sourced answer →The housing FAQ requires graduate/law students to be matriculated and enrolled in three credits per semester.
Open the sourced answer →The housing FAQ says family housing is not available and all residents must be matriculated enrolled students; do not treat a student room as family accommodation.
Open the sourced answer →The FAQ says Upperclass Hall and Philippi Hall may better suit graduate students interested in Gorham; Portland Commons is a distinct Portland option.
Open the sourced answer →The guide lists a bed, desk, bureau, desk chair and closets or wardrobes, with differences by hall; Upperclass apartments have additional common-area furniture.
Open the sourced answer →No. The campus-living guide prohibits routers and hubs because they interfere with the residence-hall wireless system.
Open the sourced answer →Cooking is prohibited in rooms except apartments with full kitchens; warming precooked food in a microwave is distinguished.
Open the sourced answer →No. The guide ties use to RA duty hours, collection of student ID, cleaning afterward and closing at the end of duty; confirm the actual current hall schedule.
Open the sourced answer →The guide says laundry use is included in residential fees and machines are in common rooms in Gorham buildings.
Open the sourced answer →The guide gives 30 calendar days from notice to appeal in writing to the Resident Director; it separately says community charges cannot be appealed.
Open the sourced answer →The guide says residents sharing the room are charged equal shares unless one roommate takes responsibility.
Open the sourced answer →No. The guide says no residence-hall storage between academic years, and university furniture must remain in the room at checkout.
Open the sourced answer →The rates page lists a separate room refund schedule: 100% through 14 days, 75% through 28, 50% through 42, 25% through 56, then 0%. This is distinct from canceling housing while enrolled.
Open the sourced answer →Maine Attorney General guidance says landlords cannot charge application fees; the separately regulated actual cost of one screening process is different.
Open the sourced answer →A landlord may require the actual cost of one screening process only after notifying the applicant of the obligation to supply a complete copy of information obtained.
Open the sourced answer →Maine guidance requires a signed written Total Price Disclosure identifying rent, recurring fees, utilities and other tenant costs; its cited statutory exception applies when neither mandatory nor optional recurring fees are tenant-paid.
Open the sourced answer →Before lease signing or a deposit, the landlord must give an energy-efficiency disclosure or the permitted supplier-information alternative explaining the right to a 12-month consumption and cost history.
Open the sourced answer →The Attorney General lists disclosure of radon testing results among required pre-tenancy disclosures, subject to applicable statutory exemptions.
Open the sourced answer →The Attorney General identifies the landlord smoking policy as a pre-tenancy disclosure under 14 M.R.S.A. section 6030-E.
Open the sourced answer →The Attorney General lists lead-paint disclosure among pre-tenancy duties and references the federal rule; age and statutory scope must be checked for the actual property.
Open the sourced answer →The published Maine guide caps a security deposit at two months of rent.
Open the sourced answer →Maine guidance says security deposits must be separate from landlord assets in a depository account, protected from the landlord creditors.
Open the sourced answer →The Maine guide says a landlord cannot retain a deposit for normal wear and tear; legitimate deductions need an itemized written basis.
Open the sourced answer →The guide requires return or an itemized written statement within the lease deadline, no longer than 30 days, or within 21 days if there is no lease.
Open the sourced answer →After seven days notice, the Maine guide describes a tenant action for twice the wrongfully retained amount plus attorney fees; this is a legal exposure, not a promised recovery.
Open the sourced answer →The Maine guide states 75 days written notice for an increase greater than 10%, and 45 days for other increases. An unexpired lease cannot have its stated rent increased.
Open the sourced answer →Maine guidance prohibits different rental terms or refusals on listed protected grounds, including disability, familial status and receipt of public assistance.
Open the sourced answer →No. Maine guidance protects assistance animals, with specified direct-threat, substantial-damage and interference exceptions requiring actual assessment.
Open the sourced answer →Maine imposes an implied warranty and covenant of habitability: rented housing must be reasonably safe and decent for human habitation.
Open the sourced answer →The Maine guide says a landlord-supplied system must be capable of 68°F indoors when it is 20°F below zero outdoors; statutory measurement and medical requirements also apply.
Open the sourced answer →Only a separate revocable written agreement with a reasonable rent reduction can lower the minimum, never below 62°F; the guide excludes households with someone older than 65 or younger than five.
Open the sourced answer →The Maine guide requires inspection within five days after notice, and contact with a pest-control agent within ten days if infestation exists. Known or suspected infestation also affects whether the unit may be offered.
Open the sourced answer →Except for emergencies, reasonable notice is required, with 24 hours presumed reasonable; entry must be at reasonable times for lawful purposes.
Open the sourced answer →No. Maine guidance requires court process and identifies lockouts, utility shutoffs and physical removal without a court order as illegal eviction.
Open the sourced answer →The Attorney General states that a notice to quit is not a court order and does not itself require the tenant to leave. Court proceedings and any judgment remain distinct.
Open the sourced answer →No. The application says transfers over 24 credits are manually assigned and cannot self-select or be pulled into rooms during returner selection; it does not establish private rental demand volume.
Open the sourced answer →No. The rates page says it can indicate bedspaces without a fully vacant room or a room matching an applicant gender identity. No exact current unit availability is accepted.
Open the sourced answer →The Town of Gorham directs applicants to its SmartGov online permitting system. This identifies the application channel, not property zoning approval or permission to operate a rental.
Open the sourced answer →The Level 1 in-person/blended table totals $13,260 for 30 credits. It excludes housing, food and other COA items.
Open the sourced answer →The Level 1 table totals $32,490 for 30 credits, before housing/food and other expenses.
Open the sourced answer →No. USM has differential major-based rates; Level 3 includes engineering, business, nursing and named programs, with a higher published tuition total.
Open the sourced answer →Comprehensive, Technology and Student Activity fees total $3,390 for 30 undergraduate credits. Housing and meals remain separate.
Open the sourced answer →The 2026–27 fee table lists a $200 one-time fee for every newly admitted undergraduate degree student.
Open the sourced answer →The posted rate is $3,490 per person for Fall 2026 and $3,490 for Spring 2027, before meal plan; it is not private rent.
Open the sourced answer →The page lists $4,755 per person each semester for a Gorham suite with a single bedroom; eligibility and assignment are separate.
Open the sourced answer →A four-person single-bedroom apartment is $5,570 per person per semester. The figure is a university category rate and does not verify current availability.
Open the sourced answer →All Access is $3,136 each semester and required for first-year residents for their first semester; ordinary room price excludes it.
Open the sourced answer →For 2026–27, Residential Way and Husky Drive each cost $2,977 per semester, with different weekly meals and meal-plan dollars. First-year initial restrictions still apply.
Open the sourced answer →Its undated COA page estimates $18,026 for off-campus rent and food. The period is not stated; this is an aid-budget estimate, not observed current Gorham rent.
Open the sourced answer →Electronic check/ACH through MaineStreet has no fee.
Open the sourced answer →The billing page states TouchNet charges a nonrefundable 3% convenience fee, minimum $3, for card payments.
Open the sourced answer →The billing page lists a nonrefundable $30 enrollment fee per semester; a plan does not mean the balance or housing obligation is forgiven.
Open the sourced answer →Generally 10 days before the semester, if the student enrollment matches the credit load used for the award; the page says mismatches can prevent disbursement.
Open the sourced answer →Yes. USM reviews enrollment after add/drop or week 2, adjusts awards and makes the student responsible for balances caused by reduced aid.
Open the sourced answer →The billing page says balances of $250 or more can incur $50 monthly late fees, up to $200 per semester.
Open the sourced answer →Apply through a MaineHousing-approved lender. The lender determines eligibility and affordability; campus affiliation itself does not establish loan eligibility.
Open the sourced answer →Its FAQ says participating lenders process, underwrite and close on its behalf; MaineHousing does not review the loan before closing.
Open the sourced answer →It generally means no ownership interest in the applicant home during the prior three years; exceptions and precise program conditions require lender review.
Open the sourced answer →No. The FAQ says limits vary with household size and where the home is purchased. Use the official current limit table for the actual household and municipality.
Open the sourced answer →The participating lender must use the strictest applicable guideline, according to the program FAQ.
Open the sourced answer →The FAQ says reservation occurs only after an executed purchase-and-sale agreement; the reserved rate, not the application-date rate, governs.
Open the sourced answer →The FAQ requires a hoMEworks-approved homebuyer education course before closing. Assistance amounts and current terms need lender confirmation because the FAQ is undated.
Open the sourced answer →The FAQ says MaineHousing does not require a home inspection but strongly recommends a satisfactory inspection condition in the purchase contract. That is separate from approval or appraisal.
Open the sourced answer →No. USM says no one factor establishes residency and all circumstances are considered case by case under UMS policy.
Open the sourced answer →The undergraduate admissions office assigns initial residency for matriculated undergraduates; graduate admissions, the registrar and Maine Law handle their separate groups.
Open the sourced answer →File the request with the Associate Director of Student Financial Services before the first day of the requested Summer, Fall or Spring term; applications are prospective.
Open the sourced answer →Yes. The published procedure requires the completed request to be signed by a Notary Public.
Open the sourced answer →It describes in-state tuition regardless of home state and in-state billing for dependents using GI Bill, after supporting documents are supplied.
Open the sourced answer →The application page directs graduate/law students to the Fall 2026–Spring 2027 Grad/Law Student application, separately from undergraduate returning/transfer forms.
Open the sourced answer →The page directs that group to the Fall 2026–Spring 2027 Returning/Transfer Student application. Exact 24 credit edge cases are not resolved by the page greater/less-than headings.
Open the sourced answer →Move-in times are assigned in the assignment letter, based on new/returning status and building.
Open the sourced answer →Use Student Name, USM Unit Number, 37 College Ave, Gorham ME 04038. The mailbox unit is not the room number; Upperclass Hall uses its separate mailbox format.
Open the sourced answer →Its residents use USM Upperclass Hall Box Number at 37 College Ave, Gorham ME 04038, with mailboxes in Upperclass Hall.
Open the sourced answer →Portland Commons uses 25 Bedford Street, Portland ME 04102 and its own package/mailbox identifiers. It is a separate campus address.
Open the sourced answer →The FAQ lists RA-duty contact between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.; building duty boards identify resident assistants and the hall-specific contact route.
Open the sourced answer →The campus-living guide uses university email for official Residential Life notices. Monitor the student maine.edu account rather than assuming a parent receives all messages.
Open the sourced answer →The FAQ says halls remain open but longer breaks require an access request through the housing portal and meeting other criteria.
Open the sourced answer →Fall and Spring breaks are listed at no cost; Winter break costs $150. Residence approval/access procedures still apply.
Open the sourced answer →No. The page lists $35/night requests after first year and says approval depends on staffing and room readiness; first-years must arrive at their assigned time. The section has conflicting three/five-night wording, so no maximum stay is adopted.
Open the sourced answer →Verify the Room Condition Report at check-in to reflect actual move-in condition, report damage and keep the record for later charge review.
Open the sourced answer →The campus-living guide requires existing window screens to remain installed and closed.
Open the sourced answer →No. The guide says no storage is available for unwanted room furniture and all university-issued furniture must be present at checkout.
Open the sourced answer →USM identifies Husky Line stops in Portland, Westbrook and Gorham. This establishes a transit corridor, not equal travel times or service at every address.
Open the sourced answer →No. The page describes year-round service 7 days/week excluding major holidays; check current operator schedules for an actual trip.
Open the sourced answer →The USM page lists three bicycle racks among Husky Line amenities. Capacity and access at the actual boarding time are not guaranteed.
Open the sourced answer →The page says fare is $1.50 or more per ride without the required ID; verify current fares with METRO rather than assuming every trip is free.
Open the sourced answer →No. The Husky Line page says OLLI students may ride at regular fare and do not qualify for free METRO solely through a USM Campus ID.
Open the sourced answer →Apartment residents must cancel in writing before the plan begins for full refund; the page lists 90% within the first two Fall weeks and none after. This exception is for apartments with full kitchens.
Open the sourced answer →No. Effective January 1, 2026, UMS says it may authorize reasonable moving and relocation payments for hiring or approved business needs; an actual employee agreement and approval are required.
Open the sourced answer →APL IV-H covers reimbursements, allowances, lump sums and approved payments made to or on behalf of an employee or prospective employee.
Open the sourced answer →No. UMS treats employer-paid moving and relocation payments as generally taxable wages with applicable withholding and reporting.
Open the sourced answer →University Services Payroll must review and approve any proposed non-taxable treatment before payment; the policy identifies limited federal exceptions.
Open the sourced answer →Transportation of household goods and personal effects is an example of appropriate and reasonable relocation expense under APL IV-H, subject to approval.
Open the sourced answer →The UMS policy lists packing, crating, shipping, storage and delivery charges among possible reasonable relocation expenses; it does not promise a particular reimbursement.
Open the sourced answer →Travel, lodging, mileage and transportation related to relocation are listed expense categories, requiring the same authorization and documentation as other moving support.
Open the sourced answer →Yes. Temporary housing and house-hunting are explicitly listed possible relocation expenses; eligibility depends on the approved agreement, not campus employment alone.
Open the sourced answer →The approved request form must be accompanied by the contractual Moving and Relocation Expense agreement and other department-required documents.
Open the sourced answer →APL IV-H says employee-related moving vendor payments must be paid directly by the employee and may not be processed through Procurement.
Open the sourced answer →Approved reimbursements go through the regular payroll cycle after documentation and approval; do not assume payment arrives before a rental deposit is due.
Open the sourced answer →Generally two tuition-free courses per semester or summer, up to eight credits; eligibility and detailed UMS terms still apply.
Open the sourced answer →Generally one tuition-free course per semester or summer, up to four credits. This is tuition assistance, not housing reimbursement.
Open the sourced answer →It says eligibility starts in the semester of hire, subject to the applicable employee benefit rules.
Open the sourced answer →No. The page describes undergraduate and graduate courses throughout UMS, including Maine School of Law.
Open the sourced answer →The university page lists 20% off courses offered through USM Professional Development Programs, separately from academic tuition waivers.
Open the sourced answer →Outside Bailey Hall on the side facing Russell Hall. Verify current service alerts before travel.
Open the sourced answer →The Husky Line page says USM staff and faculty can ride the entire METRO system free with their USM Campus ID.
Open the sourced answer →No. The page explicitly separates university closure from METRO service cancellation; use the operator alerts for the trip.
Open the sourced answer →The Husky Line page says all METRO buses have passenger lifts or ramps for wheelchairs, walkers and people needing boarding assistance.
Open the sourced answer →The page identifies METRO Pulse on Elm Street in Portland and Westbrook METRO Hub on Mechanic Street. Actual home-to-work travel depends on routes and schedules.
Open the sourced answer →Yes. Supplemental benefits include home/auto insurance including renters insurance. The page does not establish a particular premium, policy acceptance or automatic coverage.
Open the sourced answer →The Employee Benefits Center is the one-stop resource; the page lists 866-269-9635 and benefits@maine.edu.
Open the sourced answer →No. USM says it does not participate in deferred billing; when an employer requires grades or reimburses the student directly, the student must pay by the bill deadline.
Open the sourced answer →No. The billing page says approved university waivers apply to tuition only; other fees remain due at published deadlines.
Open the sourced answer →