Housing Overview- Fall
**Fall 2022 Housing Application Process | Important Dates & Deadlines ** For your reference, the following, important dates should be noted: **24 July 2022 | The 2022 Fall housing form submission period is now OPEN** 30 July 2022| Deadline for submitting this form 9 August 2022 | Individual Room Assignment Sent 15 August 2022 | Deadline for accepting the room assignment. \----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 August 2022 | Latest checkout date for Summer Term Qasid Housing Residents no later than 12:00 PM 30 August 2022 | Earliest move in date for Qasid Housing beginning at 2:00 PM 01 September 2022 | Orientation events begin 05 December 2022 | Latest checkout date for Qasid Housing Residents no later than 12:00 PM Those who miss the submission deadline will begin receiving automated, reminder emails, and are at risk of not receiving a reservation in Qasid Housing if desired. For complete housing details please visit www.qasid.com/student-life/housing-overview/ in a NEW tab or window so that you do not lose your form entries. Current students who wish to continue in their housing for the Fall term 2022 Term, will be contacted to discuss the arrangement of their housing for interim days between the two terms **Our Outlook** We believe that a comfortable living setting has as much to do with a student’s academic success as does the classroom environment, curriculum, and instructor. Accordingly, we have dedicated a number of staff to assist with housing placement, housemate matching, and offering guidance related to budgeting, belongings to bring, and other student life questions. Based on consistent feedback that we’ve received from students over the past fifteen years, it seems that these services are quite rare among private Arabic institutes in the Middle East. However, as your hosts from the moment you arrive until your final departure from Amman, our team views these aspects as absolutely vital to rounding out and bringing to life your Arabic learning experience. With this responsibility in mind, we have procedures in place to ensure that no one is inadvertently left without accommodations. For all conventional students—those not included in our prearranged, Partner Program housing (see definition below)—these steps begin with the submission of an online housing form which informs us of your desire to request Qasid Housing or to find your own, Independent Housing. This form is **required** for all such students intending to attend Qasid for the upcoming term—both **new and continuing students**—regardless of whether your plans include **Qasid Housing** or finding your own, **Independent Housing **arrangements. The housing form becomes accessible about four weeks before each term for all applicable students who have an active, Qasid SIS account, and who have received their admissions acceptance. If you meet this criteria after the notification date mentioned below, you will receive the housing application link when the housing campaign is launched based on the dates above. The subsequent steps in the process for the most recent and coming terms are outlined immediately below. Overviews of all factors involved in the housing process are then described in the dropdown sections thereafter. We encourage everyone to review those topics and then contact us if any questions still remain unanswered. We're looking forward to having you join us. --- **Housing Topics Overview** Shared here below is an outline of our housing philosophy and some best practices connected to this, the two main housing options available, and important considerations relevant to each of these options. \[su_accordion] As indicated above, we do not view housing as a mere afterthought. Rather, a safe and functional home, thoughtfully outfitted for a student’s unique needs, can make or break a study abroad experience. How many a student was fortunate enough to enroll in a first-rate program and study with a dynamic instructor, only to have the experience irreparably tainted by a home with unusable furniture, a shower that didn’t work, or an internet connection whose speed was measured not in megabytes-per-second but in “bauds?” We believe that a carefully-crafted housing situation is foundational to—and an absolute prerequisite for—an unforgettable study abroad experience. To this end, we’ve spent a considerable amount of time asking students what they liked—and what they didn’t—about their experiences with independent housing options in Amman. In no particular order, here are the most common “pain points” that students shared with us over the past decade: 1. **“The Search” to find and secure suitable housing | **The process itself with all that it entails (especially for first-term students) has been described as stressful, time-consuming, and fraught with unwelcome surprises. 2. **Unreliable, slow, and poorly-serviced internet | **Given how foundational having a decent connection is for just about everything we do—connecting with friends and family, study, work—issues related to internet access consistently come up high on the list. 3. **Water problems | **This is one of those issues that, when everything works well, is taken for granted; but when something is off, _everything_ feels off. Whether it is water that runs out (the municipality in Amman rations water weekly, and most landlords don’t invest adequately in large-size tanks), or some other drainage | piping-related issue, problems related to water can be a surprising pain point. 4. **Absentee or disinterested building porter | **In Jordan, it is customary for every apartment tower to have an on-site porter responsible for things such as basic safety, building maintenance, and utilities troubleshooting. As can be expected, the quality of service ranges considerably. Those who have had a friendly, competent porter sing his praises; while those who have experienced the other end of the scale wonder aloud if their porter is a magician constantly disappearing. 5. **Poor quality furniture | **Odds are that you’re not going to find your favorite furniture shop in Amman, but there is a difference between functional furniture that does what it’s supposed to do, and “furniture” that breaks at the slightest touch. Suffice it to say that some landlords pretend to not know the difference. 6. **Distance from Qasid, coffee shops, and or shopping centers | **Amman is a delightful city to walk, but for those times when you need to get around, congested traffic makes taking (or even finding) a cab a virtual nightmare. Living within walking distance of the places you frequent most is an absolute must, not to mention an effective way to save the $60 to $100 per month required to cab to and from Qasid for those living in distant neighborhoods. Finally, living close to a well-known landmark makes getting back home in a cab a cinch. 7. **Too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter | **Spring and fall students normally enjoy Amman’s best weather, but summer and winter students often have to contend with homes not equipped to deal with weather challenges. 8. **Substandard kitchen | **Not having the right kind of appliances, kitchenware, or other items necessary to cook a decent meal means that students in the past have had to supplement—sometimes at considerable personal expense. These kinds of surprise expenses can blow even the most liberal of budgets. 9. **Disinterested landlord | **No housing situation is perfect, so when something goes wrong, having someone who demonstrates care and is willing to shoulder some of the responsibility is a welcome relief. For obvious reasons, in housing that we don’t manage, we can’t fully control what a landlord does or doesn’t do. 10. **A bad roommate or housemate | **I’ll spare you the details. We all know exactly how and why this can spell disaster. If we haven’t yet managed to frighten you into cancelling your flight to Amman, give yourself a pat on the back for hanging in there. Now for the good part … **Preface** When we set out to create a housing solution tailored to our students’ experiences, we essentially took the pain points above and flipped them on their heads. The result? A set of residential options which are compelling, attractive, and uniquely supportive of student needs. To keep things simple, there are two main ways to secure housing ... **Option 1 | Qasid Housing** If you select and are awarded Qasid Housing, you will reside with other housemates of the same gender in a Qasid-managed apartment located in one of the following residential neighborhoods which are very close to Qasid (i.e _Al-Madina Al-Riyadiya_ (Sport City), Dahyet Rasheed, Queen Rania Street and Gardenz). Many apartments are clustered close to other Qasid housing units, helping to create a sense of community with other students of Arabic. Where possible, the units have been customized and fitted to cater to the needs of our students. Each building that our apartments are situated in is staffed with an Arabic-speaking porter who attends to building maintenance, security, and helps with other tasks such as replacing drinking water supplies and natural gas cylinders. Additionally, key members of our Housing Care team are easily accessible during Qasid’s working hours to tend to any issues that arise, and after-hours support staff round things out by being available to field urgent | emergency calls throughout the night and on weekends, effectively giving our student-residents a way to reach us for urgent matters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For many students, this type of access to an English-speaking member of staff who is well-versed in the unique challenges of study abroad is reason enough to opt for Qasid Housing rather than roughing it alone. In terms of location, Qasid Housing units are situated within a 15-25 minute walk to Qasid (with virtually all the units less than 10 minutes away), as well as to Carrefour supermarket (similar to Safeway or Tesco), Mukhtar Mall, several budget and higher-end restaurants, half-a-dozen fruit and vegetable markets, a gym, and most of the daily | weekly conveniences that students have typically expressed interest in having access to. University Street (Queen Rania Street), one of Amman’s main artery roads, is steps away from Qasid, connecting you to both cabs and public transport that help facilitate comfortable movement throughout Amman. In short, the apartments provide a central, secure home-base from which to explore all that Amman has to offer. For **individual students**, there are five room options within conventional, Qasid Housing. The specifics of each type, including rent amounts, interior details, and relevant considerations, are detailed later in this page. Prospective residents should also note that, as a safety precaution amid our regular housing protocols ( ... should a injurious incident or illegal intrusion occur), students are not allowed to reside in an apartment by themselves. If you feel you have an exceptional consideration to this rule, please contact us to discuss your options. And, if you will be attending Qasid as a **married couple** or **family**, we understand that you have a unique set of housing considerations. So, we ask that you contact our housing department at housing@qasid.com for individual, personalized attention in exploring your housing options through our Facilitated Housing program. **Option 2 | Independent Housing** For those students who either a) aren’t awarded a housing spot in Qasid Housing, or b) would prefer to see their apartment in person before making a session-long commitment, Independent Housing is a viable option. If you prefer to forgo Qasid Housing and instead secure housing on your own, we are happy to provide some initial direction and assistance. Students who have opted for this arrangement in the past have typically done some initial online exploration (more on that in a moment), but wait until they arrive before making any formal lease commitments. During orientation, we will sometimes take students that chose Independent Housing on a brief tour of a handful of apartments that came on the radar of our Housing Care team. Students then self-organize in terms of housemates, select from among the apartments that they view, and deal directly with the landlord with respect to rent amount, duration, and other lease commitments. Please note that Independent Housing has its advantages, but it is not for the faint of heart: For some, there is no substitute for seeing first-hand the place that they will call home for the next three months. But with this benefit comes a risk that, for example, you will not quickly find an appropriate match—apartment, roommate, or both—upon arrival. The benefit of waiting to see things first-hand needs to be weighed against the reality that with each passing day, Amman is getting more and more crowded, and short-term rentals are getting more expensive. You may find a jewel and be the envy of your classmates, or you may end up—given dwindling supply—having to settle for something that is acceptable but far less than what you had hoped for. Weighing these factors is a personal decision, and it is precisely for this reason that—while we encourage everyone to secure something ahead of time via Qasid Housing—we nonetheless give all admitted students these two distinct options, each of which aligns with different personal preferences and tolerance for risk. Please also note that given the nature of Independent Housing, we cannot intervene in the daily maintenance or happenings on-site. Once a student signs the rental contract directly with the landlord, our involvement will necessarily be limited to emergencies or extenuating circumstances. For short-term leases (such as 3 months), many landlords require that the entire amount be paid up-front. Some permit early termination with a cancellation fee, while most hold a tenant responsible for the entire rental period. To get a sense of what might be available when you arrive, go to [www.expatriates.com](http://www.expatriates.com), select Jordan, and then explore the “Housing Available” section of the site. In the search bar, you can enter “Qasid,” and view those listings which explicitly mention proximity to Qasid. Other websites that list short-term rentals include [www.airbnb.com](http://www.airbnb.com) and [www.expat-blog.com](http://www.expat-blog.com) As a point of reference, Qasid is located on University Street (Queen Rania Street), in _Al-Madina Al-Riyadiya_ (Sport City). Nearby neighborhoods that are a short cab ride away are Gardens Street*, Shmeisani*, and the University of Jordan. Neighborhoods with a café culture and an attractive “walkability” score include _Jabal al-Weibdeh_ (also known simply as “_Weibdeh_”) and Rainbow Street. Upscale neighborhoods that include a mix of residential units and shops that cater to English-speakers include _Abdoun_, _Umm Uthaina_, _Rabia_, and _Sweifieh_. To get to and from Qasid, note that taxis operate around the clock, minibuses run every 10 to 15 minutes, and city buses run every 30 minutes. Additionally, the very much anticipated Amman[ Bus Rapid Transit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman_Bus_Rapid_Transit) system was inaugurated in 2021. It runs on 2 routes which, luckily, meet at the Sports City intersection, just a short walk from Qasid. Finally, please bear in mind that with the Independent Housing option, Qasid is unable to guarantee that housemates will be available to offset and share in the total rent amount. Furthermore, any costs for hotel or temporary dorm accommodations during those first few days from the time of arrival in Amman until an apartment is secured and moved into are the responsibility of each student; we will of course be happy to provide budget recommendations. **Considerations and Recommendations** Of the two options, we strongly recommend Qasid Housing for the overwhelming majority of our first-term students. For most students, not knowing where they’re going to live, who they’re going to live with, the quality of housing to expect upon arrival, and the like—all in a foreign land thousands of miles from home—may represent a significant source of stress. Electing to go with Qasid-managed housing, ensconced in a community of fellow Arabic-language learners, helps get these concerns out of the way, and allows a greater focus on the logistics of travel, course preparation, and enjoyment of the study-abroad experience. Because we have listened closely to past students who have told us what they liked and didn’t like about their residential experiences in Jordan, our team has a fairly extensive understanding of what actually matters; in contrast, many of these needs unique to students are simply not on the minds of many landlords, whose main rental business caters to a different type of tenant, such as seasonal visitors from the Gulf, business travelers, and families. Some things that a thoughtful landlord prioritizes for in his apartment might be ideal for an Arab family visiting Amman from Dubai for two weeks, but that setup will certainly not be aligned with the fundamentally different needs of an English-speaking student coming to study and learn for three to six months. We understand that you have made significant personal, academic, and | or professional sacrifices to come to Amman, and have a limited window of opportunity to get your Arabic at the level you want it to be; accordingly, we’ve optimized your apartment \_not \_for “too little of the right things and too much of the wrong things,” but rather, for precisely the types of functional furnishings and thoughtful touches to help you thrive as a student. Your living situation should serve as a solid foundation to help you achieve your goals, not obstruct them. For those who take our recommendations to heart and elect to live in Qasid Housing during their first term, housing options for subsequent academic sessions are more flexible. If you enjoy the benefits of Qasid Housing during the first term and would like to continue living there for additional sessions, you will be given priority over all other incoming students. Alternatively, having benefited from an initial term at Qasid Housing, and feeling more comfortable with life in Amman, cultural expectations, and your own growing Arabic proficiency, you may choose to venture further away by exploring other housing options. For students who indicate a readiness and interest to do so, we wholeheartedly encourage it; our Student Support team will be happy to provide additional guidance about what to look for (and what to look _out_ for) in Independent Housing. To give you a sense of what’s possible: Some of our past students—after an initial period of getting to know Amman and some of the nuances of local culture—have enjoyed living in neighborhoods such as _Weibdeh_ and on Rainbow Street in the 1st Circle area. These neighborhoods are home to both locals and a decent number of English-speaking residents, and their café cultures and easy walkability make them an attractive choice for those comfortable in Amman. Other students elect to take their Arabic studies to a qualitatively higher level by seeking out Jordanian housemates and creating an Arabic-only speaking environment at home. Others elect to live in locals-only neighborhoods where English is rarely spoken. The main takeaway here is that after residing in Qasid Housing for your initial term or two, and using that time to independently explore other options in Jordan, your sense of what’s possible will widen considerably; in turn, you’ll be able to optimize and prioritize for whatever unique factors | considerations | goals are most important to you, whether that is neighborhood vibe, Arabic-speaking environment, budget, or other. Despite our strong recommendation that all first-term Qasid students select Qasid Housing, those of you who choose not to do this—whether because you are already comfortable with Amman from a previous visit, have friends or family who are local, are coming in with intermediate to advanced Arabic proficiency, or simply are highly adventurous from the get-go—we will of course support you in your decision. Those who select “Independent Housing” may consult with our Student Support team on how to best go about their search both before arrival (online) as well as once they’re here. Before we move on to describe some of the specifics of Qasid Housing, let’s sum up what’s been detailed above in a practical, actionable way; namely, by describing the type of student for whom Independent Housing is ideal, and the type of student for whom Qasid Housing is best. _Independent Housing is ideal for students who:_ - Are comfortable with the uncertainty and risk of not having an apartment move-in ready before they arrive, and prefer to make their own decision about living options after they see with their own eyes what’s available after arriving; - Are passionately independent and don’t need or want a great deal of institute support; - Value being on their own, to the extent of wanting neither housemates nor roommates; - Don’t mind “hitting the pavement” (via online search as well as physically upon arrival) and doing the extra legwork of finding their own housing solution; - Want to be as far away as possible from other English-speakers; - Have achieved a high level of Arabic proficiency and a deep understanding of cultural norms, and can deftly navigate the local scene involving landlords, housemates, porters, maintenance, service providers, Jordanian contracts, and the like, all on their own with limited support. _Qasid Housing is ideal for students who value:_ - Being within walking distance of Qasid, supermarkets, fruit and vegetable markets, eateries, and dozens of smaller retail shops; - The possibility of being in a safe, monitored building with other Qasid students in the building; - Getting extra levels of support from the Qasid Hospitality team; - Having access to free maintenance service along with night and weekend emergency assistance; - A comfortable home base from which to venture out to the rest of Jordan; - The privacy of their own bedroom, and don’t mind sharing the apartment with 2 or 3 other housemates; - Their time and peace of mind, and don’t want to fritter away energy by hassling with finding and managing their own housing situation; - Move-in convenience and speed, meaning they want to settle into a reliable and thoughtful housing solution as soon as possible; - Their studies and the Qasid experience as a whole; they want to be close to Qasid itself, its staff, and other students. Again, our heartfelt recommendation to you if you are an individual, first-term student is direct and unambiguous: Procure the convenience of Qasid Housing. Then, as your Arabic proficiency and comfort level with Jordan deepen over the subsequent 3 to 6 months, you may choose to either continue in Qasid Housing for subsequent terms, or venture off to find housing that may be more spacious, less expensive, located in your favorite type of neighborhood, or is somehow better optimized for what matters to you most via Independent Housing. As mentioned above too, if you will be attending Qasid as a **married couple** or **family**, we understand that you have a unique set of housing considerations. So, we ask that you contact our housing department at housing@qasid.com for personalized attention in exploring your housing options through our Facilitated Housing program. The best way to describe Qasid Housing is as the antithesis of the type of housing detailed in the “pain points” section above. In other words, Qasid Housing features the following: 1. **A done-for-you, complete solution | **Besides completing the application, making timely payment, and showing up with your bags, there is virtually nothing else for you to do. Our team does everything behind the scenes, and will prepare your residence in time for your arrival, including being taken directly from the airport in our Wi-Fi enabled cars straight to your move-in ready apartment. 2. **Reliable and rapid internet at no extra charge | **We’ve made a special arrangement with one of the country’s leading internet service providers to grant our residents a level of service similar to what they offer leased-line business clients. Moreover, because of registration and regulation issues, this type of service is out-of-reach for the vast majority of students and travelers to Jordan. So we contract with the internet service provider, and pass along a fast, stable connection with 200 Gb monthly download limits—all at no additional cost. Best of all, it’s ready for you to connect to before your travel bags hit the ground. 3. **Water problems? Electricity issues?** **Something broken? | **No need to scour the city for a handyman, let alone a qualified one. We have a dedicated Housing Care team that takes care of maintenance issues. 4. **A porter who cares**: Our porters are a cut above most. And the fact that your share of their salaries (normally about 20 to 40 JD per apartment) is already bundled with your rent, makes this even nicer. 5. **Customized, precise move-in and move out dates | **Non-Qasid landlords often take an all-or-nothing monthly rent. In other words, if (for example) your term ends on March 15th, many landlords will demand payment for ALL of March, not just half of it. With Qasid Housing, you’re only charged for the duration of the term plus a few days before orientation for move-in, and a few days after the end of the session. 6. **Clean, functional furniture and bed linens | **Our rooms may not win design awards, but you can rest assured that you can pick things up and move them around without fear of things breaking, melting, or otherwise disintegrating. Bedding includes a bottom sheet (but no top sheet), a cover blanket, and at least one pillow with pillow case. Residents will need to bring their own bath towels. 7. **Just minutes away on foot to Qasid, Carrefour supermarket, Mukhtar Mall, and dozens of smaller shops (mom-and-pop eateries, falafel and shawarma joints, vegetable markets, and the like) | **When you next walk by 10 people fighting to flag down a taxi to get home, the immensity of this advantage will become apparent. Not to mention the accumulated savings in cab fare. 8. **Appropriate heating and cooling | **While some apartments have good fans for cooling, other units boast centralized AC for overall temperature control, and some may be outfitted with portable, electric heaters. Diesel fueled, central heating systems with wall mounted radiators are also common in Amman as a winter warmth alternative. 9. **Well-stocked kitchen | **No, our kitchens have not (nor will ever be) featured by Rachel Ray or Anthony Bourdain, but you can count on basic cookware, cutlery, utensils and dishes along with standard appliances that work, including gas ovens with stove-top burners, refrigerators with freezers, and microwave ovens. 10. **Clean apartments with bi-monthly cleaning service |** While the state of your individual bedroom is fully your responsibility, the common living areas, including the bathrooms, will be cleaned twice monthly. This will involve the floors being washed and fixtures being wiped down (Toilet, tub, sink, appliance exteriors, and tables if they are cleared). To respect privacy concerns, individual bedrooms are not entered by the cleaning staff. 11. **Sensible, thoughtful housemate matching | **We actually read and carefully consider what you (and your potential housemates) write in your housing application so that—for the overwhelming majority of students—you will live in good company throughout your stay. Most apartments will have a total of 3 to 5 housemates depending on the rooms available and the number of private room versus shared room requests we receive. We also occasionally manage a couple of large sized apartments that can comfortably house 7 to 10 housemates. For your comfort, we also keep the ratio of number of residents-to-bathrooms available reasonable, so that the apartments never feel over-congested. 12. **A landlord you can find | **You “know where we live,” so to speak. If something is amiss, rest assured that we will give it our utmost attention. 13. **After-hours emergency contact | **Unexpected emergencies are to be expected. And when they arise, know that we are a phone call away, whether it’s the middle of the night, or an official holiday. More can be said, but at this point it’s perhaps most useful to detail the five (5) main room types. Below is an overview of each, along with pricing information for the Summer session. Note that the first four (4) room types are private rooms, i.e. one person per room in a multi-room apartment. The fifth and final room type (“shared”) is for students who are on an especially tight budget and want to share a single, large room in an apartment with at least two other housemates. | | | | | | ------------------------------------------- | --- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --- | | **Room Type**\----------------------------- | | **Brief Description**General distinctions between room types | | | | | | | | | | | | | Standard | | 8 to 11 sq. meters (approx.), single bed, small wardrobe | | | Select | | 11 to 14 sq. meters (approx.), single bed, medium wardrobe | | | Select Plus | | 11 to 14 sq. meters (approx.), one single, 2 single beds or queen bed, medium or large wardrobe | | | Suite | | 12 to 18 sq. meters (approx.), single or queen bed, medium or large wardrobe,enhanced features or furnishing quality.**(Suite may or may not have an attached bathroom. In certain cases, smaller rooms that have\*\***an attached bathroom are considered suites as well)\*\* | | | Shared (2 people / room) | | 13-18.6 sq. meters (approx.), 2 single beds, 2 small wardrobes | | | | | | | **Apartment and Room Differences** Qasid generally leases between 15 and 40 apartments per academic term, with the majority located within 1 kilometer of the campus for convenience. Given this geographic restriction, the number of apartments available is limited and the characteristics between them will vary. Thus, while we strive to lease apartments with rooms meeting the overall parameters mentioned above, residents should be aware of and flexible in accepting the fact that differences in features and quality will inherently occur. This aspect of Qasid Housing rental agreements is explained in item 8 of the **Housing Guidelines.** Additionally, although we also do our best to reserve everyone’s first or second room type choice, based on the unpredictable, supply | demand dynamics, we cannot guarantee this. It is common, for example, to have up to 50 requests for Standard rooms, when only around 10 are available. Each applicant should therefore be financially prepared to pay for up to their third most expensive room type preference, as this may be the only option possible in some cases. This point is also reiterated in item 3 of the **Process Overview** of this web page. **Bedroom Furnishings** Beyond the items noted above, each bedroom includes a chest of drawers, a clothes drying rack, and either a window or small balcony. Many rooms also contain a desk, office chair, mirror, and nightstand. If a desk and chair are not located in the bedroom, adequate study space should be found in the common areas (seating spaces, dining table, etc.). Bedding includes a bottom sheet (but no top sheet), a cover blanket, and at least one pillow with pillow case. Residents will need to bring their own bath towels and wash cloths. Also note that some private rooms may have more than one set of furnishings. If you are assigned to and arrive in one of these rooms, don't worry ... you will not be sharing the room with another student. These configurations simply allow us the flexibility to assign the room as either a private or shared room when making the initial reservations. **Common Areas** Each apartment features a functionally-stocked kitchen including a gas oven with stove-top burners, a refrigerator with freezer, drinking water bottle with spigot dispenser, a microwave oven, basic cookware, cutlery, utensils and dishes, along with _at least \_two bathrooms (one bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink, and a second bathroom with a toilet and sink only), a dining table with chairs, lounge seating, clothes washing machine, iron with ironing board, and temperature control equipment (possibly including a central heating system, AC units, fans, and|or portable electric heaters). **Winter Heating** Many students are caught off guard by the chilly temperatures both inside and outside during the winter season in Amman. With most buildings made of steel and stone, and with limited, domestic power resources, it is somewhat more costly to remain as warm and cozy at home in Jordan than it is in one's native land. Feeling a bit cool during the colder months—sometimes even more so when indoors—is often a fact of life here. Responding to inquires about potential utility costs is also a challenge due the vast difference in each apartment's unique thermodynamics and the personal comfort levels among housemates. For example, one apartment's monthly bill may be (literally) 5 times higher than the one next door because the neighbors get more direct sunlight and the tenants are willing to wear four layers of clothing day and night in an overall lower indoor temperature. What we can offer, however, are the following tips for lowering costs: - For those with a thermostat, keep it set below 25 degrees C in the day time, and at around 17 C overnight. - And for those with diesel boiler central heating, be sure to monitor the fuel tank level regularly, to gauge and adjust your energy consumption rate and predict your next fuel purchase date. - Limit the daily number of hours of heating use, perhaps a couple hours in the morning and a few in the evening. And ensure the system is turned off when no one is at home for a few hours or more (such as if all the apartment residents are on campus). - Bundle up in multiple layers of clothing, including thermal undergarments, and sweaters. - Wear house slippers with good soles to insulate your feet from frigid floors. - Get a second blanket for your bed. - Wear a knit hat when sleeping. - Drink hot tea and eat more sweets (sugars warm the body). - Contact **housingcare@qasid.com** if your heating system is not working properly, or if you have questions about how to use it. Some students ask about using more affordable, portable, natural gas 'soba' heaters. But, due to the hazards involved, these are strictly **prohibited** in Qasid Housing. While at first it may seem that the dangers of a gas heater are no greater than a gas oven's cooktop, the differences in the risk include: - Because a gas heater is mobile source of an open, vertical panel flame, it can easily be placed too close to flammable curtains, doors, and other furnishings, (and people). - Despite the buildings being of concrete construction, a furnishing or cabinetry fire can produce toxic smoke which can then affect everyone in the apartment and in other apartments. - A gas heater is much more likely to be inadvertently left on—and therefore unattended—when someone falls asleep. - Among other incidents in Amman (but not at Qasid, thankfully), an entire family visiting from abroad died from carbon monoxide poisoning as they slept because a gas heater was left on without adequate room ventilation. While we know of no deaths due to a gas cooktop being left on. So, please bring your thermal uppers and leggings, and be prepared to budget a bit more for power costs if you will be coming for the winter term. Safety is priceless. **Powering Your Personal Electronics** While Qasid assures you will have the essential appliances as mentioned above to facilitate your stay, many students also ask whether or not they should bring their own small appliances along with plug adapters, power converters, or voltage transformers. In response, we like to share the following overview ... The basic issue for international travel is that, while much of North America utilizes a 110 to 120 volt power grid convention, the majority of the rest of the world uses a much higher, 220 to 240 volt electrical infrastructure. The matter is further complicated by the multitude of mismatched, plug and socket configurations in use worldwide. This means that using electrical products between the two systems can be dangerous, destructive, or even deadly if the voltages and connectors are not properly adjusted to match. To discuss the proper adjustments, first we need to untangle the terminology about the topic, as the definitions can be confusing. - **Adapter** | A device which allows one shape of pronged plug to fit into a differently shaped power outlet or wall receptacle. NO VOLTAGE CHANGE takes place with these devices. These usually cost between 5 and 20 US dollars depending on how many plug shapes they accommodate. - **Transformer** | A device which CHANGES THE VOLTAGE to match the product being powered. It may or may not also act as an adapter, allowing one shape of pronged plug to fit into a differently shaped power outlet or receptacle. For most small, household appliances these usually cost between 20 and 100 US dollars relative to the maximum voltage they handle. And, as a general rule, the quality and voltage capacity of a transformer is proportional to its weight. - **Converter** | Although this term is often used in reference to transformers or combinations of transformers with adapters, it may also refer to adapters only, which can be misleading. So be sure to clarify the meaning when it appears. For those then coming to live in Amman, you simply need to ensure that the plugs on your products fit the outlets in your homes here, and that the voltage is stepped down from 220 to 110 for products requiring the lower rating. Fortunately, the majority of modern, portable electronics (notebook computers, tablets, mobile phones, digital cameras, etc.) have a transformer “brick” integrated into the charging cord itself which will automatically match the local voltage with the product requirements. Look at the label on the transformer or the product for a notice indicating “110/120 v ~ 220/240 v” which means it can be safely plugged into either voltage. If it does meet that criterion, all that is commonly needed is an adapter if the plug does not fit the wall outlet. You may find upon your arrival, however, that your apartment has universal outlets which will accommodate the foreign plug type. For other kinds of 110 volt products (hairdryers and straighteners, tea kettles and toasters, desk lights, shavers, etc.) a transformer of some sort will almost certainly be required, along with a plug adapter in most cases. Thankfully, adapters are readily available in Jordan for 1.00 or 2.00 JD at supermarkets. And transformers are also easy to find for 15.00 JD and up at electronics stores. You can also rest assured that personal electronics and appliance stores abound in Amman, which means you can likely find what you need right here at a cost similar to what an adequate quality transformer or converter would cost you. And without the additional luggage weight or precious space, or the risk of electrocution or destruction of your favorite lava lamp. So, for most items it may be best to simply budget a bit extra and follow the “buy when you arrive” approach. And if you’re wondering what to do with the item when you leave, options include selling it to a continuing student, getting a few dinars for it at a second hand shop, or just donating it to the apartment as a good will gesture for the next student residents. You might just find that leaving behind a 20.00 JD appliance that helped you enjoy your months-long stay abroad was well worth the investment. As always, feel free to contact us with your specific questions. **Rent Prices** Listed below are the respective, monthly rent prices per room type for the Summer 2022 Note that the first four (4) room types are private rooms, i.e. one person per room in a multi-room apartment. The fifth and final room type (“shared”) is for students who are on an especially tight budget and want to share a single, large room in an apartment with other housemates. | | | | | | ------------- | --- | --- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Room Type** | | | **2022 Fall Monthly Rent (Approx.)** | | Standard | | | 265 JD per person | | Select | | | 295 JD per person | | Select Plus | | | 320 JD per person | | Suite | | | 362 JD per person | | Shared | | | 220 JD per person (2 students will be sharing the room, each pays 220 JD/month) | **Rent Calculations** Please note that this prorated method saves you the excess rent often included in conventional Jordanian rental contracts in which a full month's rent is required regardless of how many actual days you live there. Because the specific number of days in each academic quarter fluctuates from season to season and from year to year, it isn't practical to list a total term rent price per room type for every possible academic term in advance. But to estimate the total rent for a term, the following tenancy duration variables may be multiplied by the monthly costs shown above. - Winter | 2.7 months - Spring | 3 months - Summer | 2.3 months - Fall | 3.35 months For example, if you want to budget for a Standard room during a summer term, the calculation to approximate the cost for the entire session will be 265.00 JD x 2.3 months = 609.1 JD. A checkout fee deposit of 200.00 JD (as described below) will then be added to this full term rent price to arrive at the total, initial reservation cost of 809.00 JD. **Included in the Rent** The following items are included in the rental price, which are shown along with a monthly, per apartment estimate of their typical cost in Jordanian dinars: - Wireless internet access | 40.00 JD - Housing Care maintenance support and emergency or evening assistance fees | 70.00 JD (Entire Term) - Building haris porter fees | 25.00 JD - Bi-monthly cleaning service | 20.00 JD **Excluded from the Rent** Items not included in the rental price are utilities (water, electricity, gas) and anything else not explicitly mentioned as included. The utility costs will be shared among all residents in given apartment. Water and gas are relatively inexpensive and together normally amount to less than 10.00 JD per month per apartment, while electricity costs vary greatly based on seasonal use. Please see the _Utility Costs_ section below for details on how these fees are handled. **Prorated Rent Reductions** Tenants who plan to attend Qasid for a duration shorter than a full academic term may be eligible for a rent reduction based on a daily prorated scale. Although we are unable to extend this offer in every situation due to the advance lease payments we make to local landlords, we do empathize with the discrepancy between paying a full term rate for a substantially shorter stay. We are thus willing to provide a prorated rent agreement for those tenants whose actual occupancy duration is less than the period between the official move-in date and checkout date by more than 20 days. In these cases, we might charge a daily rate rather than a monthly rate, which will be higher than the normal monthly rate. Please keep in mind that if a student books the room from the beginning of the term even if he/she comes late we still have to charge him the full amount as we can't find another tenants for the days that he will be away. This discount usually works for late arrivals as we might have vacant rooms that's left after assigning the rooms at the beginning of the term. In any case, please contact us if you have any questions about this. **Checkout Fee Deposit** Each tenant agrees to pay Qasid a partially refundable checkout fee deposit of 200.00 JD (\$280.00 USD). This will be used at the end of the tenancy to compensate for all utility costs as well as any maintenance required after the tenant vacates the apartment. A dry-cleaning fee of 10.00 JD will also be deducted to refresh the linens at the end of the term, as will a general cleaning fee totaling 5.00 to 15.00 JD per tenant. Any charges collectively exceeding the balance of the deposit will be charged directly to the tenant. Tenants are required to follow checkout procedures which begin by scheduling a room inspection within one week of their departure. Given the results of that walk through, the tenant may then visit Qasid’s accounting office for partial refund of their checkout fee deposit per the details below for how those refunds are handled. They must also return their key set to the institute or pay a re-keying fee which will vary up to 25.00 JD depending on which keys are not returned. **Payment Deadlines** Once a Qasid Housing room assignment has been accepted, the housing rent and checkout fee deposit are to be paid in full no later than **the first day of orientation events** for the term. If you are unable to complete your housing payments in a timely manner, please notify us so that we can discuss a payment plan with you. We are naturally more flexible towards enforcement of the deadline policies with those who extend us the courtesy of remaining in contact with us about their payment delays. Unless other arrangements are made in advance, tenants who miss the orientation day deadline and have not yet concluded their payment of both the rent and checkout fee deposit by the **10th day** after their scheduled move-in date (regardless of whether or not they have actually moved in) may be restricted from attending Qasid classes until the payments are received or a payment plan acceptable to Qasid is established. Tenants who have still not remitted their housing payments or established a payment plan acceptable to Qasid by the **20th day** after their scheduled move-in date (regardless of whether or not they have actually moved in) are at risk of being asked to vacate their apartments and find alternate accommodations. Anyone wishing to cancel their room assignment agreement after it has been accepted is subject to the policies detailed in the _Commitments and Cancellations_ section herein. **Payment Methods** Please read the important revisions here which apply to the 2021 winter term and beyond. All housing fees may be paid by the following methods: 1. **Online** via credit or debit card (VISA or MasterCard) at Qasid’s website Admissions menu, Payment page by clicking the 'Other Online Payment' button. (See additional note below) 2. **Bank to bank wire transfers** via the instructions and conditions at Qasid’s website Admissions menu, Payment page, and shown here below. 3. **Cash** (Jordanian dinars or US dollars) in person through Qasid’s accounting representative either at the orientation venue or on the Qasid campus during normal office hours. **CREDIT & DEBIT CARD NOTE |** Qasid is **not able** to accept credit or debit card payments in person using the card itself and its PIN code. Also know that online payments by credit or debit cards may require access to the phone number associated with that card in order for a confirmation message to be received and acknowledged. **Refund Methods** All refunds will be transacted through one of the following means: - **Online classes ** | You may apply your credit balance with Qasid towards the cost of online instruction with the institute. - **Cash ** | If you visit our accounting office in person you may receive a refund in Jordanian dinars, but not in other currencies. Or, if you have already departed, we can have you authorize a representative to receive the amount in cash on your behalf for delivery to you. - **Credit or debit card ** | For online payments which were made through our website, a credit may be applied to the same card. All credit or debit card refunds must be conducted within **6 months** of the original payment. - **Wire transfer ** | You may have us initiate a wire transfer to your bank account. Please know, however, that you will incur the cost of any transfer fees imposed by your bank, while Qasid will accept any fees imposed by its bank. Please contact Qasid's accounting office with any questions relating to refunds, accounts@qasid.com. **Wire Transfer Instructions** A common form of housing payment is via electronic, or “wire”, transfer between banks. Please keep in mind that because your bank and any intermediate, corresponding bank will likely withhold a commission for their services, you will need to send a total amount equal to the actual amount you intend to reach Qasid PLUS your estimated commission fees in order for us to receive the required funds in full. This transaction cost can typically be anywhere from $10.00 to $40.00 per bank, depending on the bank’s regulations, so contact your bank for more information. In the event that Qasid does not receive the full amount, the remaining balance will be included in a subsequent invoice. However, Qasid covers the fee that its own bank charges for receiving funds, which is variable but never exceeds $5.00 USD. So subsequent invoices for under paid fees will only be issued if the amount that arrives is below the amount due by $5.00. In addition, once you have initiated the transfer, **please email accounts@qasid.com** with a transaction, reference, or confirmation number along with name of the student(s) for whose housing the funds are intended. This will allow us to verify that the funds have indeed reached us within the deadline. This email is especially important if the person under whose name the transfer is made differs from your own (or the student(s) on whose behalf the funds are being sent). We cannot guarantee that you will receive credit for the payment if we cannot validate for whom it has been made. Provided here below then, is a table with all the information you should need for wire transfers. Keep in mind that this account information is **ONLY** for the payment of **HOUSING **related fees. | | | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | | **Beneficiary Name ** | The Jordanian American Language AcademyQasid Institute | | | | | -------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Country** | Jordan | | **City** | Amman | | **Telephone** | 00962 6 5154364 | | \*\*Street Name | Nearest Landmark\*\* | Queen Rania StreetSports City, Amman 11196 Jordan | | **Beneficiary Account No. USD** | 451846002 | | **Beneficiary bank Name & Address\*\*** \*\* | **Jordan Kuwait Bank**Sport city branchBranch no. 60PO Box 963395Postal Code 11196, Amman, JordanTel : 00962 6 5161938Fax : 00962 6 5162358 | | \*\*Swift Code | Routing No.\*\* | **JKBAJOAM** | | **IBAN No.** | JO20 JKBA 26 0000 451846 002 300 2000 | Please note that it’s very important to include the IBAN number when you make a wire transfer to Qasid. The Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) has stated that any bank transfer that does not have the (IBAN) will be rejected. **Utility Costs** Municipal utility costs of tap water and electricity accrue and are shared among all tenants of each apartment, to then be charged at the end of the tenancy period as mentioned above. Electric meter readings for each apartment are recorded throughout the tenancy period to aid in approximating the cost. The precise, actual cost per resident is impossible to calculate, however, due to a number of factors , such as: - unpredictable taxes and fees beyond the relative, utility units used, - residents using a variety of appliances and amounts of each utility, - the apartment's inherent thermodynamics, and - seasonal weather patterns So, our accounting office determines an amount per student based on both a complex algorithm simulating the utility company calculations as well as an experienced estimate of the variable factors, including each resident’s dates of occupancy and any disproportionate usage reported between tenants. Tenants may notice a wide range in electricity bills between apartments. In addition to the reasons above, this is also due in part to the price per kilowatt hour (KwH) rising as the consumption of kilowatt hours rises. So, using between 1 and 100 KwH may cost about .03 JD per KwH while the rate can then increase incrementally to over .27 JD per KwH between 750 and 1000 KwH. This means electricity becomes more expensive as the billing cycle goes on, making energy conservation very important. This awareness becomes even more essential in the winter and summer terms—the peak heating and cooling seasons. For your budgeting purposes, we emphasize that costs may vary widely. The best information we can offer is the approximate, average cost per student, **per academic term** in our main residency building over the past year : - 2022 Winter | 75.00 JD - 2021 Fall | 45.00 JD - 2020 Summer | 60.00 JD - 2020 Spring | 30.00 JD **Departing Tenants Wanting to Extend Their Stay** It may be possible for Qasid Housing tenants who do not intend to continue their studies at the institute in the following term to remain living in Qasid Housing for a limited number of days after the official checkout date. The actual number of days is at the sole discretion of Qasid, typically relative to the duration between the present and upcoming sessions affording enough time to prepare the apartment for the incoming tenants. Tenants will be charged a prorated, daily rental rate relative to the total rent for the academic term divided by the number of days in the rental term. In busy seasons, we might not be able to accommodate these requests, students will be asked to arrange their own independent housing. Once we receive your request for Qasid Housing, we will do our utmost to arrange and reserve the best study-abroad accommodations available for you, fully trusting that you have the best of intentions to fulfill your financial commitment for all housing fees for the entire academic term. With this in mind, we kindly request that you not use Qasid Housing as your “backup” option by applying to Qasid Housing while simultaneously looking for your own, independent housing. As often happens, when students who do this are granted a reservation in Qasid Housing, they then decline because they found and committed to something else without realizing the imposition this has upon others. To discourage this practice, it is important for housing applicants to recognize the amount of effort, care, and costs that the Hospitality Team engages in behind-the-scenes from the moment you apply for Qasid Housing, which includes: - poring over each housing application to find the most compatible roommates | housemates for you, - striving to assign you the closest room type and budget requested, - seeking every means to facilitate any special needs you have identified, - prioritizing your preferences over new applicants if you are renewing your room agreement for the following term, - seeking and leasing an apartment and room on your behalf for the duration of the entire term, - preparing your apartment and room to be clean and comfortable upon your arrival, - and a dozen other subtle, interrelated processes all intended to make Qasid Housing your ideal home-away-from-home. Cancellations thus have a rather disruptive ripple effect as we must then work against the clock (and often times around the clock) to reassess and rearrange those various factors as they relate to the entire fabric of housemate and apartment dynamics for the term, which inevitably impacts other students and potentially increases housing costs for all. You are welcome to opt for Independent Housing and secure your own accommodations; however, please do not be unfair to your colleagues and classmates by using Qasid Housing as your backup plan. If you apply for and are awarded a Qasid Housing room assignment, we expect that you’ll fully commit to the offer. Therefore, due to the intricate logistics and planning involved, **acceptance** of the housing agreement is **binding**. In making the housing reservation we have done our utmost to arrange the best study-abroad accommodation value available for you, fully trusting that you intend to fulfill your financial commitment for any and all housing costs for the entire term. At the same time, we understand that sometimes things happen that are beyond anyone’s control. Accordingly, if due to extenuating circumstances **after** your acceptance of the assignment, you notify us of a need to cancel your housing contract up through the end of the **6th day** after your scheduled move-in date (regardless of whether or not you have actually moved in), a member of Qasid’s hospitality team will review that request. If approved, there is a **cancellation fee** due which amounts to **35% of the total housing term rent**, while any prepaid checkout fee deposit will be refunded in full at your expense if any transaction fees are involved. Qasid will then bear responsibility for the remaining 65% of the financial rent burden. Beyond the end of the **6th day** after your scheduled move-in date, if you wish to leave early for any reason (with the exception of an unexpected, emergent situation), **you will nonetheless remain 100% financially responsible** for your rental agreement through the duration of the term. Students whose enrollment at Qasid is discontinued involuntarily for any reason must vacate Qasid Housing within 3 days of the discontinuation date, and remain responsible for all applicable housing costs. At the bottom of this page is a link to access the housing preference form for the most relative academic term through your Qasid SIS account. Details are specified in the preference forms themselves, but an overview here will help give some context. **If your preference is Qasid Housing, please keep the following in mind** 1. Because Qasid Housing is heavily oversubscribed (more applications than availability for first and second choices during our busy seasons), we use a housing lottery system in order to award spots. Our housing lottery is similar to those used at most US-based universities: All admitted students that complete their housing application before the deadline stand an equal chance of being awarded a housing spot. In other words, someone who submits their application on day 1, and someone else who squeezes it in three minutes before the deadline, both will be given equal consideration. Anyone who submits after this deadline will also be considered for a housing placement, but will likely not get their top selection. Please also note that continuing students already living in Qasid Housing are given priority in the housing selection. 2) In order to be eligible for Qasid Housing, all newly admitted students must meet the following conditions: - Be enrolled for at least 7.5 weekly hours of instruction at Qasid (private tutoring or conventional courses), except for summer, students should sign up for 10 hours/week. - Submit the housing preference form, having selected “Qasid Housing”, - Pay the tuition deposit, and - Acknowledge all portions of the study policy agreement. Please note that all steps must be completed by the deadline specified in the housing preference form and near the top of this webpage. A link to access the housing form through your Qasid SIS account is included at the bottom of this page, while the tuition deposit and study policy agreement forms for online submission will be sent after your admissions application has been accepted. The first three documents can be completed in a single sitting and in under an hour, while the Student Application can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending on what you’d like to include. Questions about housing should all be directed to [housing@qasid.com](mailto:housing@qasid.com), while questions about the tuition deposit, study policy agreement, or student academic application, should be directed to [admissions@qasid.com](mailto:admissions@qasid.com). 3. When completing the housing preference form, please indicate each of your desired room types only **once**. We will do our absolute best to accommodate everyone’s first or second choice, but given the unpredictable supply | demand dynamics, this cannot be guaranteed. Each applicant should be financially prepared to pay for their fourth most expensive room type preference, as this may be all that is available in some cases. 4. About one week after the housing form becomes available, we will email you with news on whether or not you were awarded a spot in Qasid Housing. If affirmative, a housing assignment letter will be included that details your room type, the total rent amount for the term, and your move-in and checkout dates. Confirm your acceptance of the offer within the deadline, and the room is yours. If on the rare occasion that we aren’t able to award you a spot, you will then be placed on the wait list or you may puruse Independent Housing. 5. Newly attending students who would like complimentary shuttle service to their home upon their arrival should submit Qasid's online [Airport Transportation](http://www.staging9.qasid.com/student-life/airport-transportation/) form found in the **Service Requests** menu of their SIS homepage. Simply look to your right upon your exit from the baggage claim area to meet a Qasid driver who already knows your Qasid Housing residence location, and will provide your key set in addition to taking you there. **If you prefer Independent Housing, simply select that option on the housing form** We like to reiterate that submission of the housing form is required for those seeking their own housing arrangements, given our sense of obligation to know each of our students has adequate accommodations. Although Qasid does not offer apartment or housemate search services for those choosing Independent Housing, we can suggest that you start reviewing [www.expatriates.com](http:///h), [www.airbnb.com](http:///h), [www.opensouk.com](http:///h), and some of the other sites mentioned in the **Housing Options** section above as soon as possible to get an idea of what’s available. Newly attending students who would like complimentary shuttle service to their independently arranged home upon their arrival should submit Qasid's online [Airport Transportation](http://www.staging9.qasid.com/student-life/airport-transportation/) form found in the **Service Requests** menu of their SIS homepage. **Your arrival in Jordan | Qasid Housing & Independent Housing** Regardless of your accommodation plans, to prepare for us to greet you, please review the information in the following sections in the **Student Life** menu of Qasid's website: Travel and Visas Arrival and Departure Airport Transportation **Qasid Housing Move-in date** The first day of orientation and the official move-in day for Qasid Housing are both specified near the top of this webpage as well as in the housing preference form and the room assignment letters. Please do your best to arrive anytime in the afternoon of the move-in day, and before the morning of the orientation day, in order to give yourself a breather and a chance to settle in. Although we don’t encourage it, you are of course welcome to arrive in Amman before the official move-in time. If you do plan on coming early, we can provide you with information about nearby hotels and hostels; you are then free to contact them before you depart, secure your reservation, and arrange to pay the hotel | hostel directly. As a student beginning your stay in Amman in advance, if you have completed the [Airport Transportation](http://www.staging9.qasid.com/student-life/airport-transportation/) form, one of our drivers will greet you at the airport and take you to your early-arrival destination, where you’ll stay until the afternoon of the official move-in date. **During your stay** We have done our utmost to ensure that your accommodations will fulfill your expectations and support your progress with your studies and cultural learning experiences. If, however, something does go awry, or general questions arise, please reference the contact information at the bottom of this webpage to let us know how we can best respond. At some point around the mid-term exam period, each Qasid Housing resident will be sent a **Continuing Student Survey** via email through which they let us know of their intent to continue tor conclude their studies at Qasid at the end of the present term. Those who anticipate continuing will also receive a follow up email in the days thereafter which explains the process for notifying the institute of their future housing plans as well. **Checkout procedures** All Qasid Housing residents are required to follow checkout procedures which begin by scheduling a room inspection within one week of the official checkout date or their early departure date. Given the results of that walk through, the tenant may then visit Qasid’s accounting office for partial refund of their checkout fee deposit if applicable. Tenants who will not remain in Qasid Housing for the following term must also return their key set to the institute or pay a re-keying fee which will vary up to 25 JD depending on which keys are not returned. An email with detailed, checkout instructions will be sent to each resident. By this time, Qasid Housing residents intending to remain in Qasid Housing should have submitted their housing form and received a room assignment offer. In most cases, those who request the same room for the subsequent term are allowed to do so with no rent charged for the interim days between terms, although they remain responsible for the respective utility costs. Otherwise, time permitting, these students may opt to visit home or elsewhere for the break. **Those departing Jordan** Students who have completed their studies and plan to leave Jordan are then welcome to sign up for Qasid's complimentary, Airport Transportation shuttle service to the Queen Alia Airport. **Preface** Students should be aware that Jordanian society, while a mosaic of cultural customs and religious practice, tends towards the conservative side, especially in residential family settings. Qasid Housing units are situated in such areas, and we therefore expect that all resident students and their guests will adhere to the regulations outlined below. Doing so can help assure optimal relationships with your neighbors and enhance your overall experience while in Amman. In response to violations of these policies disciplinary action is at the sole discretion of Qasid’s Director. **Please note** that specifically in violation of policies 1 and 2, student residents are subject to strict disciplinary action, including possible eviction from the apartment and expulsion from Qasid, without the return of the checkout or tuition deposits. **REVISED | 2020 March** **1.** **Neighborly sensitivity** | Tenants are to avoid loud sounds and parties, drinking alcohol, the possession or use of illicit drugs, or other behavior which is disturbing to others such that Qasid receives a complaint. In addition to its application to your neighbors, this also includes mutual cooperation among your fellow housemates with regard to respectful utility usage, cleanliness, quiet hours, visitor arrangements, and the like. **2. Guests** | Qasid Housing visitors—people not assigned as tenants in such apartments—are subject to the curfew period of **11:00 PM** to **8:00 AM**, per the following regulations : **2.1** Each Qasid Housing tenant may host only **one** visitor during any curfew period unless permitted otherwise by the Qasid Housing Coordinator. **2.2 Any** visitor of a **gender opposite** to the apartment tenants is **not** **allowed** in the apartment during a curfew period unless the host tenant receives the prior, email consent of the Qasid Housing Coordinator **and** the Qasid Housing Coordinator receives the prior, email consent of all other apartment tenants. Such stays are limited to 3 curfew periods per visitor within an academic term unless permitted otherwise by the Qasid Housing Coordinator. **2.3 Any** visitor of the **same gender** as the apartment tenants **is allowed** in the apartment during up to 3 curfew periods within an academic term unless and until the Qasid Housing Coordinator receives a complaint by any tenant of the apartment. For additional such stays by the same visitor, the host tenant must receive the prior, email consent of the Qasid Housing Coordinator **and** the Qasid Housing Coordinator must receive the prior, email consent of all other apartment tenants. **2.4** Within the interval between an official, Qasid Housing checkout date and the move in date for the next term, **any Qasid student**—a person enrolled in the institute for the prior, present, or next academic term—who resides in Qasid Housing as a tenant's visitor during a curfew period is to pay Qasid the most proximate term's daily room rate for each of any more than 2 such curfew periods. **2.5 **All communications regarding visitors are to be sent to Qasid via email using the address of **housing@qasid.com**. These rules are not simply a matter of prudence, but rather, given the respect afforded to gender expression and marital relations across the Jordanian social spectrum, violation of this policy jeopardizes the favorable reputation which the institute has spent over 15 years building within the local community. It also honors the privacy and individual sensibilities of every apartment tenant. As a precaution it thus represents the protection of Qasid’s ability to maintain rental contracts with landlords in order to continue providing student housing. And, it imparts the courtesy of mutual notification to avoid disagreements regarding each other’s rights. **3.** **Eligibility** | Tenants are required to maintain a minimum of 1.5 daily hours (7.5 weekly hours) of Arabic instruction at Qasid in order to live in Qasid Housing for the respective term. **4. Trespassing** | Tenants and their visitors may not enter bedrooms other than their assigned rooms without the express consent of either the bedroom’s current tenant or the Qasid Housing Coordinator if the room is possibly vacant or in the process of being vacated. **5. Sublease Restriction** | Tenants are prohibited from subleasing, or otherwise providing access in their absence to, a Qasid Housing apartment or any portion thereof to any third party. **6. Smoking | **Smoking is prohibited indoors, and is permitted only in outdoor areas, including the balconies or patios of those apartments which feature them, as long as the adjoining doors and windows are closed to prevent smoke from entering the building. Beyond the obvious irritation to others, the fire hazard, and the increased cancer risk that smoking indoors entails, the smoke odors can permanently affect the furnishings, bedding, and fabric curtains, which will entail cleaning and | or replacement costs. **7.** **Pets** | Animals are not allowed in Qasid Housing properties. **8.** **Acceptance of condition** | Tenants accept the entire housing premises in its current state of functionality, appearance, and cleanliness, and agree to return it in a like condition. Defacing the walls or furnishings in any way (such as using adhesive tape which peels off the paint when removed) is not permitted. Tenants with personal preferences for features other than or in addition to those provided may request their preference be supplied at either the tenant’s cost alone or sharing the cost with the institute at Qasid’s sole discretion and ownership of the item (a different mattress, chair, table, etc.). No rent price adjustments or refunds will be given based on perceived accommodation quality or feature variations between rooms or apartments. There will inevitably be apartment differences over which Qasid has little or no control, which must be accepted as an inherent aspect of local, property market supply and demand factors. **9. Right of Entry** | Tenants acknowledge Qasid’s right to enter the apartment at any time based on circumstantial need, such as emergency, maintenance, investigation, or cleaning. Qasid will intend to provide ample advance notice of its visits but cannot always predict its timing. **10.** **Premature Departure** | Tenants who move out before the official checkout date must notify the Qasid Housing point-of-contact at least one week before their departure. They are required to attend a walk-through of the apartment with a Housing Care staff member to establish its condition, and they must return their key set to the institute. Any rent refund for the remaining days of the rental agreement is at the sole discretion of Qasid on a case by case basis. **Limit of Liability** Other than in cases of proven, intentional negligence on the part of the institute in providing the accommodations and services mentioned herein, Qasid remains free of any liability for loss or damage to any tenant’s, or tenant’s visitor’s, person or property while on Qasid Housing premises. Tenants are responsible for the well being and behavior of themselves and their visitors. **Disclaimer** Each student's housing package is subject to change which may result in an adjustment of costs due to modifications in the number of occupants in the apartment, the specific type of room selected, and the like. Such changes are exceptional, and we will always endeavor to give you fair notice on the rare occasion that such amendments become necessary. The terms and conditions outlined here supersede any prior terms and conditions. Guidelines for students living in Independent Housing are less formal than those in Qasid Housing, and are to be worked out between students and their Jordanian landlord; suffice it to say that being attentive to local customs and respectful of cultural | religious norms will go a long way in cultivating a healthy and warm relationship with one’s neighbors. --- **Important points to remember** 1\. **The housing preference form is required** for **all students** planing to attend Qasid for the upcoming term—**both new and continuing students**—regardless of whether your plans include Qasid Housing or finding your own, Independent Housing arrangements, unless your accommodations have been prearranged as a member of a Qasid Partner Program or due to another unique situation. As your hosts throughout your stay, this procedure assures that no one is inadvertently left without a residence during their studies with us. It also updates your student records to ensure that all relevant communications reach you, while irrelevant ones are avoided. 2\. If you are applying for enrollment independently of a Qasid Partner Program we ask that you complete the housing form accessible below ONLY for the seasonal, academic term listed in the form heading, and ONLY if, for that term, you have : - been admitted to Qasid, - paid your tuition deposit, - signed the student policy agreement. If you have NOT done all three of these things, please take care of them BEFORE submitting the housing preference form. For more information about completing these requirements, either email us at admissions@qasid.com, or find the links under the "Admissions" tab above. 3\. If, however, by the housing form deadline your admissions application is accepted but you have still not completed the tuition deposit payment and | or not signed the student policy agreement, please submit the housing form anyway. For such students who request Qasid Housing we will reserve a room for you although we can not confirm your reservation until those items are fulfilled. --- **Contact Information** General housing inquiries | housing@qasid.com Housing maintenance | housingcare@qasid.com Housing internet service | support@qasid.com Qasid SIS inquiries | help@qasid.com Admissions inquiries | admissions@qasid.com Financial inquiries | accounts@qasid.com <!-- wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->