Student Accommodation is currently available at the Lac La Biche campus and will be available at the St. Paul Campus in the fall of 2012.

Students must be formally accepted into a Portage College program before their housing applications will be processed. Send in your housing application along with your application to attend Portage College. The Registrar will automatically forward your application for housing as soon as you are accepted into your program of studies.

Accepted students will receive a letter of confirmation from Student Housing. A security deposit is required within two weeks of notification to hold the room or family housing unit. If a deposit is not received, the space will be given to another student, so it is very important to follow up and ensure you have a deposit in place to reserve your room. For more information see Student Accommodation or call the Student Housing Office at 780-623-5573.

Living on campus provides many advantages to students and their families. Our Residence Team coordinates student housing and does a fabulous job of making your college experience safe, supportive and fun. Here are just a few benefits of living on campus:

• Front-line assistance and support to facilitate various activities throughout the year.
• Easy access to campus facilities and resources, e.g. library, computer labs, classrooms, gymnasium, pool, and more.
• Walking distance from the College.
• Excellent child care facility.
• Family recreation with activities for children.
• Neighbors with similar interests and concerns.
• On-site campus security.

Students need to consider that there are restrictions related to living in Student Housing. These restrictions exist to foster an environment supportive to the educational experience of students and families living on campus. Consequently, Student Housing is not for everyone.

The Housing Office is open from Monday to Friday, 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and is located  on the North side of the college central to the townhouses. The Office may be contacted by phone at 780-623-5573 or email Housing@portagecollege.ca.

Mail Services

Students may make arrangements for their mail to be forwarded to Portage College. Mailboxes are available in the student residence. Students living in townhouse units pick up their mail at the Housing Office. Remember, mail addressed to students should include a housing unit number or a residence room number.

Single Students

When considering housing, single students have a number of options from which to choose:

Residence Hall
Our Residence rooms are shared accommodations. Each room has two beds, two desks and a small kitchenette, complete with a large fridge and cook top, and a dining room table. Each room also has a full bathroom. There are TV lounges in each wing of Residence, and students have 24 hour access to the HUB Lounge. There is a coin laundromat on campus. Residence Hall is also equipped with free wireless internet.

Townhouses
We have dedicated a number of townhouse units to single students. There are four bedrooms in each townhouse, a full kitchen, living and dining room area and two bathrooms. Single students each get their own bedroom and are expected to share the balance of the living space. All townhouses have laundry facilities. Each singles' townhouse has cable TV. Students have 24 hour access to the HUB Lounge.

On-Campus Hostel
On-Campus Hostel is set up for short term stays, or for overload situations. It is not recommended for extended periods. Students are assigned a private bedroom and share common bathrooms. There is a coin laundromat facility on campus, however there are no laundry facilities in the Hostel. There is a common area for cooking and gathering, with cook top, fridge, cable TV and wireless internet. Students have 24 hour access to the HUB Lounge.

Parking

There is ample parking at no charge, for all students. Parking stalls are assigned, so students need to register their vehicle when checking in at the Housing Office.

Furnishing
All student accommodations are fully furnished.

What to Bring
Students need to bring bedding, towels and cooking supplies like pots, pans, dishes and cutlery. Toasters and electric kettles are useful, and small microwaves are acceptable. An alarm clock is always a good thing.

Phones
All Residence rooms have local area phone service.

Single Student Meal Plan
All single students living in Student Housing must participate in the Student Meal Plan. The minimum amount is $150.00 per month, pro-rated to $37.50 per week. Students are issued a Meal Plan card ("smart card"), which they can draw upon at the HUB food service area. Students can also purchase any items in the HUB convenience store with their Meal Plan card. Meal Plan funds are non-refundable upon program completion; however they can be transferred from month to month.

Single Student Application Guidelines
Students must be formally accepted into a program of studies with Portage College before their housing applications will be processed. Send in your housing application along with your application to attend Portage College. The Registrar will automatically forward your application for housing as soon as you are accepted into your program of studies. Accepted students will receive a letter of confirmation from Student Housing. A $200 deposit is required within two weeks of notification to hold the accommodation. If a deposit is not received, the space will be given to another student, so it is very important to follow up and ensure you have a deposit in place. Students who, for some reason, wish to cancel their booking may do so with two weeks notice at no charge. There is a $50 late cancellation fee.

Family Housing

Families also have several options when considering living on campus.

Townhouses
Portage College has two and three bedroom townhouses available for families to rent. Applications for family housing must be accompanied by a reference from a previous landlord, or from a community authority. All family units are fully furnished and include a washer and dryer. Rates include utilities, cable and parking.  Telephone connections are the responsibility of the student and may be arranged at the student's convenience. The damage deposit for all townhouse units for families is $400.

What to Bring
Please don't bring furniture! The College does not have any storage facilities, and furniture moved into basements of units can result in damage. Otherwise, bring all the things you would normally need if you were renting a small home. Small freezers, microwaves and TVs are okay and probably a good idea. Heavy duty sound systems become a nuisance if they are played too loudly!

Family Housing Application Guidelines
Students must be accepted into a program of study before their housing application will be processed. Send in your housing application along with your application to attend Portage College. The Registrar will automatically forward your application to Housing as soon as you are accepted into your program of study. Accepted students will receive a letter of confirmation from Student Housing. The security deposit is required within two weeks of notification to hold a townhouse unit. If this deposit is not received, the townhouse will be given to another student family, so it is very important to follow-up and ensure you have a deposit in place to reserve your townhouse. Students who wish to cancel their booking may do so with two weeks' notice at no charge. There is a $50 late cancellation fee.

Families are encouraged to maintain ongoing contact with the Student Housing Office at 780-623-5573 to ensure all documentation is in place. Family housing is restricted to applicants who live distances greater than 75 kms from Lac La Biche, and all family housing applicants will need to provide verification of this fact. All family housing allocations are based on a competitive system.

• Quiet hours are from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Sunday to Thursday and 1:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
• Firearms are not permitted in Student Housing.
• Pets are not allowed in Student Housing.
• Overnight guests are only permitted when arrangements have been made and permission is obtained from any other affected students and Housing Administration.
• Parents must arrange for adequate supervision for all children staying on campus. There is a 10:00 p.m. curfew for children under 17 years of age.
• School age children living in Student Housing must attend school on a regular basis.
• Residence rooms and townhouse units will be inspected periodically for safety, maintenance and general cleanliness.
• The College is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property. It is recommended that students obtain insurance coverage for personal property of substantial value.
• The rights of others must be respected at all times.
• Smoking is NOT permitted in Student Housing.

Students will be required to vacate Student Housing if they, their family, or guests violate the terms of their Occupancy Agreement.

Payment of Housing Accounts
Full term students staying in Student Housing for more than 12 weeks may pay their housing account on a monthly basis, one month in advance. Short term students staying in Housing for less than 12 weeks will normally be required to pay their full housing account upon check-in, or at their program registration. Alternative payment arrangements may be considered in exceptional circumstances, such as sponsorship or funding criteria.