U of I offers money for students to cancel housing contracts amid shortage

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is offering financial incentives for returning students to cancel their housing contracts less than a month before classes begin to make room for freshman students.

A spokesperson said while the university normally has a "small number" of contracted students without a housing assignment in July, this year, there are more students than normal with no assigned room. First-year students who are required to live on campus are guaranteed housing, the spokesperson said.

To make room for freshmen, the university is offering returning students who are not required to live on campus a $2,000 incentive and meal tickets to cancel their housing contract.

"We hope the compensation helps put students in a better financial position to secure other living arrangements within the campus district," the spokesperson said in a statement.

While "several hundred" students have taken up the offer, the university is still accepting cancellations from returning students. There has not been a deadline set.

The university has also changed the occupancy of some existing rooms where space allows to house more students. The school is also installing additional furniture in those spaces to support more occupants.

The first day of classes is set for Aug. 21.