Leasing
General Information
We are happy that you have signed a lease with us. As a resident, you are financially responsible for the entire lease term, which is just over 11 months. Residents who do not plan to live at The Courtyards for the summer should understand that, while a Lease Transfer is an option, you are bound by the terms of the Lease until you have successfully transferred your apartment. Please see below for more information about the Lease Transfer Process.
Each January, our resident lease renewal process begins. You will be given the option to stay in your current bedroom for another year, transfer to another bedroom or another apartment, pull friends into your apartment, or leave The Courtyards entirely.

Lease Renewal
2025-26 Renewal Lease Information
Renewal Intention Forms are available ONLINE via the StarRez portal beginning in January. You will need to provide your Guarantor’s contact information so they may be provided the online Guarantor Form when you complete your lease.
The deadline to submit your Intention Form is on February 6, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.
- To complete your Intention Form, go to your StarRez portal.
- Select Commons / Courtyards Leasing Application and then Commons / Courtyards Leasing 2025-2026
- Complete your Intention Form by selecting the best option for you.
- Returning to Same Bed
- Do Not Wish to Renew (Select this if you are graduating or not returning for 2025-2026)
- Transfer
- Submit your completed Intention Form.
You must complete your Renewal Intention Form even if you do not plan to return to The Courtyards for the 2025-2026 lease year. Any current Courtyards resident that does not submit an intention form online by February 6 will NOT be permitted to sign a lease at The Courtyards for 2025-2026.
After submitting your intention form, you will have access to your lease via StarRez.
Who Is Eligible To Renew?
Students who will be entering their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year of undergraduate study in Fall 2025 who are in good standing with the university are eligible to renew their lease. Students who will be entering their 5th year of undergraduate study in Fall 2025 are also eligible to renew this year.
What Are My Options?
RETURNING SAME BED
What does returning same bed mean? If you select this it means that you are selecting your same exact space for 2025-26.
You will not have to move-out and move back in and will stay during the lease transition period of Tuesday, July 29 through Monday, August 25. You will also have to follow certain guidelines for the turn transition from July 29 through August 25 (this is to prepare for new roommates).
What if I want to pull in new roommates to fill vacancies in my apartment? There will be a content box in the intention form that will allow you to add students you want to pull-in. You can only pull in rising juniors or rising seniors.
What if I want to pull in someone that is not a rising junior or rising senior? That is not possible. The only way for them to live with you would be for the spaces to hopefully still be available when they go through the Virtual Apartment Selection process at the end of February. There is no guarantee and unlikely to happen.
When will my pull-in(s) get their lease? They will get their lease during the same time period you will get it and have the same deadlines. Your pull-in also needs to fill out a Commons/Courtyards 2025-26 Leasing Application by Thursday, February 6 at 11:59pm EST which they can find at www.starrez.umd.edu. If they do not fill out the application by that deadline they will be unable to get a lease.
What if I don’t fill out the Intention Form by Thursday, February 6 at 11:59pm EST? You will not be able to stay in your same space for 2025-26 and will have to move out on Monday, July 28.
If I filled out the Intention Form stating that I’m returning same bed, am I done with everything? No, this is an intention form only stating your purpose for 2025-26. You will later have to sign a new lease via DocuSign.
DO NOT WISH TO RENEW
Who should select “do not wish to renew?” If you select this it means that you are not returning for 2025-26 and plan to move-out by Monday, July 28 at 12pm. Residents will select this is they are graduating or no longer wish to live at CTY or SCC.
TRANSFER
Who should select “transfer?” You will select this if you wish to transfer to another apartment at the Courtyards or transfer to an apartment at South Campus Commons.
What happens after I submit the Intention Form as a Transfer? Beginning Tuesday, February 18 at 10am EST, you will select your new space virtually in the StarRez portal (more info to come about this). After you select your space you will sign your lease virtually via DocuSign.
What if I want to pull in new roommates in the apartment I’m transferring to? There will be a content box in the intention form that will allow you to add students you want to pull-in. You can only pull in rising juniors or rising seniors.
What if I want to pull in someone that is not a rising junior or rising senior? This is not possible.
When will my pull-in(s) get their lease? They will get their lease during the same time period you will get it and have the same deadlines. Your pull-in also needs to fill out a Commons/Courtyards 2025-26 Leasing Application by Thursday, February 6 at 11:59pm EST which they can find at www.starrez.umd.edu. If they do not fill out the application by that deadline they will be unable to get a lease.
If I select transfer, will I be moving out on Saturday, July 28? Yes, anyone who selects transfer will move-out by Monday, July 28 at noon and move back in on Sunday, August 24 for South Campus Commons or on Tuesday, August 26 for The Courtyards.
(Please note that the following groups will need to attend a special leasing meeting for their program and will not be able to renew online: Mixed Gender Living and RAs.)
Want to Stay In Your Exact Same Space?
Great news! You will be able to renew your lease online! Simply select “I would like to stay in my same room” (Intent A) on your Intention Form and the system will guide you through your lease signing. No in-person appointment will be required.
(Please note that the following groups will need to attend a special leasing meeting for their program and will not be able to renew online: Mixed Gender Living and RAs.)
Want to Transfer to a Different Bedroom in the Same Apartment or Transfer to a Different Apartment?
Please keep in mind that when transferring to a different apartment, you must choose a unit that fills the number of vacancies in that apartment. This means you would be limited to selecting from units that have the same number of vacancies for the number of spaces available.
Students transferring to a different bedroom in the same apartment or transferring to a different apartment altogether should plan to vacate their current unit at the conclusion of the current lease year, in July, and move-in to their new apartment on August 26, 2025 (2025-2026 lease start date). Students who need to remain on-campus between lease years are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to renew the lease on their 2024-2025 space.
Want to Pull In a Friend?
The only students eligible to be pulled in are current residence hall students in the 1st and 2nd priority groups who are in good standing with the University. Current South Campus Commons residents who are in good standing with the University are also eligible to be pulled in/transferred to your apartment.
If you want to pull in a friend, you must select an apartment that will accommodate the number of spaces for you and your friend(s) that you are trying to pull in. For example, if there are two of you, you may not select a completely empty four or three bedroom apartment. You would be limited to choosing units with only two open spaces.
Contact Information
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 2025-26 lease term? It begins on Tuesday, August 26 and concludes on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Residents that select same bed will get to stay during the transition period.
What if I’m graduating in the Fall of 2025? Is there any leases that will go through December 2025? All 2025-26 leases end on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. If you are graduating in December 2025 it will be your responsibility to find a releasor to take over your space to no longer be financially responsible. *All residents are financially responsible until a releasor is found.
What if I sign a lease for 2025-26 and decide later on that I no longer wish to live at The Courtyards? The only way to cancel your lease is through the lease transfer process. Residents will be responsible for finding a releasor and will be financially responsible until a releasor is found.
What if I don’t fill out the Intention Form at all or only complete half of it, what does that mean? Any resident that doesn’t complete the Intention Form, we will assume you are not returning for 2025-26 and your move out date will be July 28, 2025.
Will I get a confirmation email once I submit the Intention Form? Yes
Lease Transfer
Please click here to submit a Lease Transfer Request.
The Process
The following information is designed to help you navigate the lease transfer process, through which you can end your lease early by transferring it to another eligible student. Please review this information carefully, as you retain financial responsibility for your apartment until the lease transfer process has been completed in its entirety. We recommend submitting the Lease Transfer Request 2 – 3 weeks before your desired lease transfer date. However, finding a re-lessor can be sometimes be difficult, so we recommend that you start looking for a re-lessor as early as possible.
- Step 1: Find a re-lessor (a student who is interested in taking over your lease). It is your exclusive responsibility to find re-lessor.
- Step 2: Your re-lessor must complete a Courtyards Leasing Application.
- Step 3: Submit a Lease Transfer Request.
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- After the re-lessor is approved, the Lease Holder will be prompted to complete their leasing paperwork online.
- Once the Lease Holder has completed their portion of the lease transfer agreement, the re-lessor will be contacted by the leasing office to complete their Lease, Guarantor Form, and Lease Transfer Agreement. This must be submitted within 48 hours.
- The Lease Holder retains financial responsibility and rights to the space until the re-lessor has completed the process. If the re-lessor does not complete their paperwork by the deadline, rights and responsibilities for the space remain with the original lease holder and the process will need to be restarted.
Online Lease Transfer Board
Throughout the year, Courtyards leaseholders may be in search of someone to transfer their space to. Prospective residents may view databases to find a potential space to release. Current residents may also post advertisements on social media and in designated areas on campus.
- The OCH Database at https://ochdatabase.umd.edu/
- Ask your roommates if they know anyone with whom they might like to live.
- Ask friends if they know of anyone looking to live in The Courtyards.
- Request a copy of The Courtyards wait list by sending us an email. Please include your name and UID in your email request.
Eligibility
Currently, any full-time undergraduate student at Maryland who is in good financial, judicial, and academic standing with the University is eligible. Your re-lessor’s eligibility will be determined once you submit your Re-Leasing Request and you will be notified via email. For more specific questions about renewal eligibility, please email the Manager for Public Housing Partnerships with the Department of Resident Life, at pppleasing@umd.edu.
Deadlines
You can submit your Lease Transfer Request anytime, but lease transfer appointments are only available between the 4th and the 20th of each month (except August, February, and March). Failure to complete your appointment by the 20th of the month will result in you retaining financial responsibility for the following month.
Appointment Requirements
Current Resident:
- Your $100 lease transfer fee. This must be paid in certified funds*. Personal checks and cash are NOT accepted.
- The remaining portion of your financial responsibility through your new lease end date. This must be paid in certified funds*. Personal checks and cash are NOT accepted.
- Installment payments are due on the first of each month. The person in possession of the lease on the 1st of the month is responsible for the installment payment. Installments are not prorated and The Courtyards will not issue refunds for installments owed prior to the lease transfer. Any exchange of money relating to partial installment payments or personal refunds is solely between the leaseholder and the re-lessor.*Certified checks are available from a teller at your financial institution in the form of a cashier’s check. Money orders are available at several local convenience stores, The United States Post Office, and other retail locations.
New Resident:
- $300 lease reservation fee. Check or money order made payable to The Courtyards.
- Social Security Number. While your card is not required, you must be able to provide your Social Security Number.
Moving Out
On your Lease Transfer Request you will need to select your re-lessor’s desired move-in date. Your move-out date will be at least three business days before their move-in date. All of your belongings must be removed from the apartment, even if you are studying abroad and plan to return to the apartment or to The Courtyards community in the future.
Illegal Sub-Leasing
Failure to check in through the Landlord is subject to a $200 administrative charge. Failure to check in or out at a designated location is also subject to a $100 improper check in/out fee. Furthermore, current residents who do not properly check their keys into a Courtyards staff member at the After Hours Desk or Management Office are subject to $150 core replacement fees for the front and bedroom door. Only legal leaseholders will be permitted to sign out the replacement keys in such circumstances.
To avoid incurring these charges and judicial sanctions, and to preserve the security of our community, it is imperative that all residents use the re-leasing process outlined here.
Mixed Gender Housing
The University of Maryland offers a program in South Campus Commons and The Courtyards where students of different genders can choose to live within the same apartment. South Campus Commons and The Courtyards offer apartment-style housing with the private bedrooms. These apartments also have multiple, lockable bathrooms within each unit; allowing residents of the apartment to designate each bathroom for use by a specific gender.
A limited number of apartments are designated as program units. Priority for selecting spaces will first go to current South Campus Commons and The Courtyards residents who are eligible to renew current leases, followed by students currently living in on-campus residence halls who will enter their third year in college in the upcoming Fall semester.
For more information related to the Apartment Living for Students of Different Genders, please visit this link.
Study Abroad
Residents who re-lease their Courtyards apartment and leave for semester study abroad or co-op experiences are eligible to return to The Courtyards the following semester, provided they remain in good academic, judicial, and financial standing with the University of Maryland. Leasing for the next academic year begins every year in mid-January. If you will be abroad at the time of leasing, it is important to discuss your plans with family, friends, or potential roommates prior to leaving. Please review this information carefully to ensure a successful return from a studying abroad. Exact dates will be added to this section before the end of the fall semester.

Fall Semester Study Abroad
If studying abroad for the fall semester, follow the lease transfer process located on our website to secure a space for the spring semester. You would be considered the re-lessor in this situation. You will be signing the lease digitally via DocuSign.
Spring Semester Study Abroad
In order to return to The Courtyards after studying abroad in the spring, students need to complete The Courtyards Intention Form. It is important to pay close attention to the deadlines, so that the opportunity to return to The Courtyards as a resident does not pass you by. As someone studying abroad in the spring, there are two options for returning to The Courtyards: pull-in or transfer.
Pull-In
Courtyards residents are able to pull-in eligible students into vacant bedrooms in their apartment. In order to be eligible for pull-in, you must be in good standing with the University and have lived in The Courtyards the semester immediately preceding your study abroad/co-op experience. Additionally, you must be returning to The Courtyards the semester immediately following your study abroad/co-op experience.
Residents can only pull-in eligible students into vacant spaces in their apartment; residents cannot pull-in eligible students into vacancies in other apartments. Being listed as an eligible pull-in does not guarantee you a space, as residents may list multiple pull-ins for a single vacancy in their apartment. The current resident has sole discretion over which of their eligible pull-ins they would like to pull-in to their apartment.
While returning to your old apartment may be the goal, please remember that there is no guarantee that this will happen. Part of re-leasing means that you have relinquished all rights to that space. If your re-lessor decides to transfer to another apartment within The Courtyards or chooses to leave The Courtyards all together, you may be able to return to your old apartment provided that a current resident of that apartment lists you as a pull-in on their intent form, or if your apartment is open at the time of transfer appointments.
Transfer
If you are not pulled-in to an apartment, you will have the ability to select from any of our available spaces during transfer appointments. Transfer appointments are when Courtyards residents move/switch apartments within The Courtyards community, which occurs before we conduct Open Leasing with residence hall students.
On your Intention Form, you will indicate wanting to transfer.
Summer Session Study Abroad
If studying abroad for the summer, there are some things to consider. Secure a space for the fall semester during the spring renewal process. There is no guarantee that there will be spaces available for fall at The Courtyards when you return. We would hate to see you miss the opportunity to return. During the renewal process, the housing options will be to remain in the same bedroom for another lease year (same bed), or to transfer to another space either in your apartment or in another apartment.
If you choose this option, you may or may not want to release your space for the summer. One of the benefits of coming back to your same bedroom, is not having to move out on July 28 and not move in again until August 26. Not releasing means coming back from study abroad to your apartment, but it also means paying for months when you are not there.