ADMISSIONS

Admissions

The International Student House is a residence and program center for graduate students, interns, trainees or visiting scholars committed to promoting the mission of tolerance, respect and friendship among individuals from around the world. We strive for a balance of residents from all parts of the world representing many fields of study.

Because there are routinely more applicants than spaces available, the Admissions Committee asks you to thoughtfully write answers to two questions on the application form. This is your opportunity to 1) tell us what you feel you can contribute to the community of residents in the House and 2) what you hope to gain by living in this multi-cultural environment.

INFORMATION AND RATES

The rates at the International Student House include breakfast and dinner daily, excluding dinner on Saturdays. All rooms are furnished with a desk, chair, lamp, single bed, dresser, and bookcase. Heating, air-conditioning, communication, laundry facilities, and 13 meals weekly are included in the rates. No rebate is given for meals not taken at the House. There are no cooking facilities for residents, and cooking is not allowed in the rooms. A one-time bed linen set-up charge of $15 and an activity fee of $60 (long term) or $40 (short term) will be assessed on your first invoice. The activity fee is annually renewable. Most of our rooms are shared. Students do not choose their roommates, who will normally be from different countries. Men and women live in separate quarters and have separate bathrooms. Rooms do not have private bathrooms unless specified.

All of our buildings are smoke free.  If you are a smoker and will find it difficult to avoid smoking during your stay at ISH, you should consider alternative housing options. 

Every effort is made to reserve the type of room you request on the application form, but ISH may not be able to grant your request, given the supply of rooms and demand for them. In the admissions process, preference is given to a diverse range of full-time students over 21 years of age. Full-time interns are also encouraged to apply. As admission to reside at ISH is competitive it is wise to apply at least 3 months in advance of your arrival date.

PAYMENT

There is a non-refundable $35 application fee. After an acceptance letter has been issued, a room deposit of $500 is required to reserve a room. The deposit is not refunded if the reservation is canceled less than 30 days in advance. The deposit is refunded just before or after the resident moves out of the House, provided the resident has completed the period of residency for which he or she applied and has paid all debts. Monthly rates are prorated when residents move in and out during the month.

On arrival, residents pay at least one full month rent and payment is due on the first of each month thereafter. There is a late fee for payments made after the 5th of the month. There is a 5% late fee for payments made after the 5th of the month. Residents must give 30 days notice of moving out in writing; otherwise residents will be charged for 30 days from the day they give notice. Stays of less than one month are billed at the daily room rate. Guests reserving rooms at the daily rate must pay for the first night; in case of cancellation this will not be refunded.
Payment of the fees may be made in U.S. dollars by cash, traveler’s checks, a personal check drawn on a U.S. bank, a bank transfer, Visa or MasterCard. Checks should be made payable to the International Student House. Bank transfers should be made to our account at PNC Bank #5300378964. ISH charge you the cost of the transfer ($15-25) upon arrival.

CANCELLATION POLICY

If you do not arrive on the day indicated on your application form and have not notified ISH in advance, we will cancel your reservation and retain your security deposit of $500. If you change your arrival date and arrive later than the date originally indicated on your application form, and have not given ISH 30 days notice in writing of the change dating from your original arrival date, you will be charged for the room from the date on which the room was originally reserved.

Cancellation Fees:

LESS THAN 30 DAYS FROM YOUR SCHEDULED ARRIVAL DATE: The cancellation fee is the full security deposit, $500.

AFTER ARRIVAL: If you shorten your stay after arriving, the following terms go into effect:

1. Stays of less than one month are billed at the daily rate, $40-65 per day.

2. Stays of less than three months in the summer or less than four months during the academic year are billed a 10% surcharge on the rent.

3. 30 days notice is required prior to your departure. Residents will be billed for 30 days from the day they give written notice of departure.
   

ROOM RESERVATION

Room reservation requires a $500 Refundable room deposit and the $35 non-refundable application fee. The $500 deposit is refunded at the end of your stay, given all bills are paid and there are no outstanding damages. The application fee is non-refundable and must be submitted with the application, but does not assure admission to ISH. The room deposit is not refunded if the reservation is canceled less than 30 days prior to your scheduled arrival date as indicated on the application form.

ROOM ASSIGNMENTS

ISH makes every effort to assign you to the type of room indicated on your application form. As ISH is nearly always full and demand is heavy, this is not always possible. Most of our rooms are shared. Room assignments for new residents are made in the order in which we receive the Security Deposit, assuming the dates are available. If your first choice is not available, we will assign you a room as close as possible in price and features to the room you originally requested.

CHECKING IN

New resident members may check in anytime after 3:00 p.m. When you arrive a packet will be awaiting you at the front desk containing the following:

1. Front Door Key- Used for the entry to the main building and the building you have been assigned;

2. Room Combination - Rooms do not have keys, but combination numbers for entry;

3. Resident Handbook - Rules and regulations, facility use instructions, phone use instructions and other vital information are included in this important guide;

4. Several forms are included and require your signature, unless otherwise indicated.
   
   1. Financial Responsibility Form (required of all residents)
   2. Overnight Guest Policy Form (If you plan to invite a guest to visit you, and there is a room available)

FACILITIES AND SERVICES

Your Room: Rooms are singles, doubles, triples (women only), and quads (women only).  Most rooms at ISH are shared.  Each room or section of the room is furnished with a single bed, dresser, desk, lamp, bookcase, and chair. Each room is equipped with linens: sheets, blanket, pillowcase, and pillow. There is a one-time $15 charge for bed linen set-up.
Telephone Service: Telephone and voice mail service is available to residents.

Dining Room Service: 13 meals per week are included in the room fees. Breakfast is served 7-9:30 a.m. and dinner 6-7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Brunch is served from 7:30 a.m. - 12 noon Saturday, continental breakfast from 7:30-10 a.m. and a sit-down lunch at 1 p.m. on Sunday. In addition, a Sunday Tea is served each Sunday at 4 p.m.

Cooking is not permitted in the rooms. There is a microwave oven and toaster available for student use in the dining room, and coffee, tea and hot chocolate are available during the day in the dining room. Each of the three resident buildings has a refrigerator for student use. Regulations regarding use of these items are found in the student handbook.

The Ella Poe Burling Hall: One of the city’s magnificent rooms, The Ella Poe Burling Hall is a center for the many lectures, music events, and cultural events students are encouraged to attend. When an event is not scheduled, residents are encouraged to respectfully enjoy it.

Library: A wood paneled library is available for study in the Main Building.
Television Lounges: There are television lounges in each of the three buildings, with cable TV access.
Laundry Rooms: There are laundry facilities available in Van Slyck and Marpat halls.

Computer Room: There is a computer area with high-speed internet access located in the Main Building. There is wireless internet access in most rooms and common areas of the International Student House.

Student Fax: is available 24 hours a day for outgoing faxes. Incoming faxes may be sent to the office at 202.387.4115. They can be retrieved during office hours.

Fitness Equipment: A very small workout area with limited exercise equipment is available in Van Slyck Hall.

Student Mailboxes: Mail is sorted weekdays by staff and distributed into resident mailboxes. Staff also receives and distributes by notice express mail, incoming faxes, telegrams, packages, and other deliveries.

24-Hour Desk Service: The reception desk is staffed 24 hours daily, 7 days a week.

Storage: ISH does not provide storage facilities. Please do not send items in advance, as they will not be stored in a closed area. ISH does not take responsibility for any loss incurred.

Location: ISH is a secure facility nestled in Dupont Circle, 2 blocks from the Dupont Circle Metro stop in one of Washington’s most desirable and lively neighborhoods.

HEALTH INSURANCE

The International Student House provides no health insurance or healthcare for residents. Temporary health insurance in the U.S. is often difficult to obtain, and the extent of the coverage may not be as comprehensive as your home country’s insurance. It is the responsibility of each resident to obtain appropriate health insurance during the entire stay at ISH. In the event of a medical emergency, ISH keeps on file an Emergency Medical Form (see section of you application form). The information on this form is confidential and will be released to appropriate staff or medical personnel only if you have a medical emergency.