Winter Break Info

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Residence halls close at 12:00pm, Noon, EST on Wednesday, December 15.

QUICK LINKS: Winter Intent | Winter Break Stay | Wintersession | Dining Hours | Important Considerations | FAQ

Winter Intent Form

All students living on campus are required to complete the Winter Intent Form on the Student Life Portal by December 1st.

The Winter Intent Form collects the following information:

  • Late stay requests
  • Entire winter break stay requests
  • Early arrival for Wintersession requests
  • Confirmation of Wintersession plans
Click here to complete the winter intent form

Winter Break Stay Request

To request a late stay or to stay on campus for the entirety of the winter break, please complete the Winter Intent Form on the Student Life Portal.

Late STay Request

All Residence Halls close at 12:00PM (noon) on Wednesday, December 15th for Winter Break. If you require a late stay past this date and time, you must request a Late Stay.  The charge is $70 per night. The last day to be considered a Late Stay is December 21, after which it will be considered an Entire Winter Break stay. 

Entire Winter Break Stay

If you plan to stay on campus for the entire Winter Break (Dec 15 – Jan 3), you must request to do so on the Winter Intent Form. First Year Area and Sophomore Area rooms (Hill Houses, Alcove suites, and South Hall) will be charged a one time fee of $500. Upperclass Area (Apartments and Lofts) will be charged a one time fee of $600. 

Dining Hours

  • Dining will be limited for late stays and early arrivals and will be closed during a portion of winter break. Students requesting to stay for all or a portion of winter break will be responsible for providing their own meals. See below for hours
    • The Met
      • Closing on Wednesday, December 15th at 2:00pm
      • Re-opens on Monday, January 3rd at 10am – 8:30pm (brunch service)
      • Return to standard hours on Thursday, January 6th
    • Portfolio Cafe
      • Closing on Wednesday, December 15th at 2:00pm
      • Reopens on Monday, January 3rd at 11:00am- 9:00pm (brunch service)
      • Return to standard hours on Thursday, January 6th
    • Watermark 
      • Grocery Packages pick up:
        • Available for purchase through Grub Hub December 12th thru December 20th
        • Available for pickup December 13th thru December 17th and December 20th thru December 21st
      • Reopens on Tuesday, January 4th 

Wintersession Intent + Early Arrival Request

Early Arrival Request

All Residence Halls reopen on January 3.If you wish to arrive earlier, you must request an Early Arrival. The charge is $70 per night. The earliest you may arrive is December 31. 

Wintersession Intent

Wintersession takes place from January 6 – February 10. Students are required to participate in Wintersession, unless approved for an exception by the Registrar’s office. Students who are taking a leave of absence or are reinstated for Wintersession and/or Spring are required to take an accredited course during Wintersession in order to live on campus during this time. 

You will be asked whether you will be on campus for all of Wintersession, some of Wintersession, or off campus for all of Wintersession. 

Important Considerations

  • Guest Policy:  Guests are prohibited during winter break. Only other students approved to be on campus may visit with winter break residents.  Non-RISD visitors are prohibited from December 16 to January 2, with the exception of visitors with the sole purpose of assisting early or late stay students with moving in or out of their room.
  • Studio Access:  No students will have access to any academic buildings between December 24 and January 3 during Winter Break.
  • Travel: Students traveling for winter break or Wintersession must be sure to travel with their vaccine card(s). Especially students traveling outside the country. Be sure to check the CDC guidelines before traveling to see if it’s safe to do so and what the requirements will be. If flying, also check with your airlines on specific travel requirements. Traveling outside of the United States is not recommended at this time. Reentry to the United States is not guaranteed and determinations of who is allowed to reenter are made by the U.S. Government. If you must travel outside the country, OISS needs to sign your I-20 to verify your travel eligibility. To request an I-20 signature, please complete the I-20 Signature Request Form
  • Testing: Open testing will be available in December for students. You may schedule an appointment at covid.risd.edu

FAQ

Where do I complete the Winter Intent Form?

The form can be found on the Student Life Portal (formerly known as the Housing Portal) under ‘Housing Forms.’ All students must submit their Winter Intent Form by
December 1 to avoid additional fees.

What is the purpose of the winter intent form?

The purpose of the form is to indicate your plans for Winter Break and Wintersession. The form consists of Fall Late Stay Requests, Winter Break Requests, Early Arrival Requests and Wintersession plans. 

If I request a late stay past December 21, will I be charged for the entire winter break?

Yes, the last day for a late stay is December 21. After that, you must be approved to stay for the entire winter break. There is a one time charge of $500 for the First and Second Year Area and $600 for Upperclass Area. 

What if I’m not staying for the entire wintersession? Will I receive a refund?

Students are not charge for wintersession housing.

Can I Have a guest stay during winter break?

Guests are prohibited during winter break. Only other students approved to be on campus may visit with winter break residents. Non-RISD visitors are prohibited from December 16 to January 2, with the exception of visitors with the sole purpose of assisting early or late stay students with moving in or out of their room.

Will dining services be available during winter break?

The Met and Portfolio will close at 2pm on December 15 and reopen January 3. Watermark will have grocery packages pickup services available for purchase through GrubHub December 12 – December 20 and pickup available December 13 – December 17 and December 20 – December 21. Students requesting to stay during winter break will be responsible for providing their own meals. 

When is the earliest i can return to campus for wintersession?

Residence Halls open on January 3. To request to arrive up to 3 days earlier, you must request and be approved via the Winter Intent Form.

Early arrivals requested after December 14th will be denied and will not have access to their rooms.

What I missed the December 1st deadline for submitting the form?

Requests submitted after December 1st will incur a one time late request fee of $50 in addition to the daily rate and a late request fee of $100 after December 8th. Requests after December 14th will be denied. 

When and where will i be billed if i request a late stay, early arrival, or winter break stay?

Late stay and entire Winter Break stay charges will be added to your Fall bill by December 15. Early arrival charges will be added to your Spring bills in early January. All charges can be viewed on your student account.

Will i have access to my studio space or academic buildings if approved to stay late, arrive early, or for the entire break?

No, studios and academic buildings will be closed from December 15 to January 3.

What if I want to leave my room on the 15th of December after 12pm, will I be charged a late fee?

We will handle these requests on a case-by-case basis. Depending on how late in the day you’ll be leaving, you may be charged for a late stay. 

Will the RISD Store and 3D store be open during the breaks?

Both stores will be closed December 24 through January 1. They will reopen on January 2.