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Frequently Asked Questions on International Student Dormitories

Author:留学生办公室 Date:2026-05-26 12:03:21
Frequently Asked Questions on International Student Dormitories

Frequently Asked Questions on International Student Dormitories

All dormitories are managed centrally by Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). Dormitory arrangements are made on the premise of ensuring the basic accommodation needs of students who are eligible for on-campus housing, while taking into account room availability, management requirements, and students’ actual circumstances. The University will make reasonable efforts to coordinate and address legitimate student requests based on actual conditions; however, it does not guarantee that all individual preferences regarding dormitory buildings, floors, room types, rooms, bed spaces, or roommates can be satisfied. Matters concerning room selection, room changes, and special accommodation needs shall be subject to system records, application materials, review results, and the University’s final notice.

I. Repair Requests

Q1: How should I request repairs if dormitory facilities or equipment are damaged or malfunctioning?

A: Students may submit repair requests online via WeCom(企业微信): open WeCom, tap “工作台” (Workspace) → “智慧后勤” (Smart Logistics) → “网上报修” (Online Repair Request), fill in the required information under “我要报修” (Repair Request), and upload photos. After submission, please keep your phone available and wait for maintenance personnel to contact you or conduct on-site repairs.

If it is inconvenient to use WeCom, students may consult the front desk of their dormitory building or ask staff members for assistance in submitting the repair request.

Q2: What types of problems can be reported for repair?

A: Problems involving dormitory door locks, beds, desks and chairs, wardrobes, water and electricity facilities, lighting, air conditioners, bathroom facilities, windows, network ports, and other related facilities may all be reported according to the prescribed procedures.

Q3: What should I pay attention to when submitting a repair request?

A: Students should describe the problem as accurately and specifically as possible and upload clear photos or videos. For example, students may state “The bathroom faucet keeps leaking,” “The door lock cannot be closed properly,” or “The bed board is broken.” General descriptions such as “broken” or “not working” are not recommended.

If the problem is caused by intentional damage, improper use, or unauthorized modification, the University will handle the matter separately according to the actual circumstances. During the repair process, students should cooperate with maintenance personnel during inspection and repair.

II. Dormitory Reservation and Room Selection

Q1: What serves as the final basis for dormitory reservation?

A: Dormitory reservations are subject to the final successfully submitted record in the system. Reservations that are not successfully submitted, fail to generate a valid reservation record, or are not completed within the specified period shall be regarded as unsuccessful.

Q2: What if I cannot reserve my preferred room due to network congestion during room selection?

A: During the room selection period, network congestion, page refresh delays, submission failures, or rapid occupancy of rooms may occur due to a large number of simultaneous users. If a reservation fails due to network congestion, personal device issues, delayed operation, or failure to confirm submission in time, students may not, in principle, request the University to separately reserve, restore, or reassign a specific room.

Q3: Will the University rearrange accommodation if I fail to select my preferred room type or room?

A: The University will ensure the basic accommodation needs of students who are eligible for on-campus housing, but it does not guarantee that every student’s individual preferences regarding buildings, floors, orientations, bed spaces, roommates, or room types can be satisfied. Students who fail to obtain their preferred rooms may continue selecting from remaining available rooms in the system or wait for later supplementary selection, adjustment, or room-change periods.

Q4: May I request that the University reserve the same room or adjacent rooms for me and my friends?

A: Dormitory room availability is subject to the system and actual room conditions. Rooms or bed spaces that have already been successfully reserved by other students generally cannot be reassigned due to personal requests. In principle, the University does not reserve designated rooms for individuals or groups.

III. Dormitory Change Applications and Special Accommodation Needs Applications Outside Window Periods

Q1: When can I apply for a room change? What is the difference between a room-change window period and a non-window period?

A: The University will open room-change application windows as appropriate based on dormitory resources, management arrangements, and actual work needs.

After a room-change window opens, international students currently living on campus who meet the accommodation management requirements may submit regular room-change applications within the specified period according to the notice. Applications during the window period do not need to be based on special accommodation needs. Where rooms are available for allocation, the University will, in principle, process applications in the order of submission in the system. Whether a room change can be arranged shall still be subject to actual room availability, application submission status, accommodation management requirements, and the University’s final review result.

Outside room-change window periods, regular room-change applications will not be accepted in principle. If a student has health conditions, mobility difficulties, accessibility needs, personal safety concerns, major emergencies, mental health-related needs, or other reasons recognized by the University as necessary, and therefore needs an adjustment to accommodation arrangements, the student may submit a special accommodation needs application. Such applications require corresponding supporting materials or opinions from the school/department, and the University will conduct a comprehensive assessment based on the actual circumstances and available rooms.

Whether it is a regular room-change application during a window period or a special accommodation needs application outside a window period, submission of an application does not mean that it will be approved. Whether, when, and how an adjustment is made shall be subject to the University’s review result and final notice.

Q2: If I submit an application during the room-change window period, will my room definitely be changed?

A: Not necessarily. During a room-change window period, students may submit regular room-change applications as required by the notice. The University will process applications within the scope of available rooms, in principle, in the order of submission in the system.

If no suitable rooms are available at the time of application, or if the application does not meet accommodation management requirements, a room change may not be arranged. The room-change result shall be subject to the University’s final review and the system processing result.

Q3: Can I still apply for a room change outside the room-change window period?

A: Outside room-change window periods, regular room-change applications will not be accepted in principle. If a student applies for a room change only due to personal preferences, for example dissatisfaction with the current accommodation arrangement, a wish to live with friends, students of the same nationality, or classmates, or a request for adjustment after self-selection due to changed personal preferences, the student should, in principle, wait until the next room-change window opens and apply according to the procedure.

If there are special reasons and the matter cannot wait until the room-change window, the student may submit materials through the special accommodation needs application procedure.

Q4: What is a special accommodation needs application?

A: A special accommodation needs application refers to an application submitted by a student requesting the University to conduct an individualized assessment and coordinated arrangement for accommodation due to health conditions, mobility difficulties, accessibility needs, mental health, personal safety, major emergencies, privacy protection, or other reasons recognized by the University as necessary.

A special accommodation needs application is not the same as a regular room-change application, nor does it mean that the student may designate a specific room type, building, room, bed space, or roommate. The University will comprehensively assess the application based on the reasons, supporting materials, opinions from the school/department, the student’s actual situation, and dormitory room availability, and will take corresponding measures as appropriate.

Q5: How should I submit a special accommodation needs application?

A: Except for the applicant’s signature, which may be handwritten, all other parts of the application form must be completed electronically. Handwritten entries are not accepted in order to avoid misunderstandings caused by illegible handwriting. The completed application form and relevant supporting materials should be sent to liangguowei@bfsu.edu.cn. In general, the review result will be replied to the applicant by email within five working days.

Special accommodation needs applications will be handled by the Overseas Students Affairs Office and the Foreign Affairs Service Center in a coordinated manner, taking into account the application materials, opinions from the school/department, the student’s actual situation, and dormitory room availability.

The University may take corresponding measures based on actual circumstances. Measures may include but are not limited to adjusting bed spaces, adjusting floors, coordinating shared-living issues, arranging temporary transitional accommodation, waiting for suitable room availability, maintaining the original accommodation arrangement, or taking other necessary measures.

The result of a special accommodation needs application shall be subject to the University’s review opinion and final notice.

Q6: What materials are generally required for a special accommodation needs application?

A: 1. Medical-related special accommodation needs: The student shall submit the Application Form for Medical-Related Special Accommodation Needs and relevant hospital documents. The supporting materials should explain the student’s current health condition and clearly provide recommendations for adjustment of the accommodation environment.

2. Other special accommodation needs: The student shall submit the Application Form for Other Special Accommodation Needs approved and stamped by the school/department.

Q7: Are there priority categories for special accommodation needs applications? What situations will be prioritized?

A: Special accommodation needs applications will be comprehensively assessed based on the student’s actual situation, supporting materials, opinions from the school/department, dormitory resources, and management needs. The University will give priority attention to situations involving genuine health, safety, accessibility, or urgent management needs, while also considering fairness and actual dormitory resources.

Generally, the following situations may be prioritized for assessment:

  1. Disability, mobility difficulties, or accessibility accommodation needs;

  2. Serious illness, post-surgery recovery, or other physical reasons;

  3. Medical documents that clearly recommend adjustment of accommodation conditions;

  4. Issues involving personal safety, bullying, harassment, or serious conflicts;

  5. Public health, safety management, or other situations that the University considers necessary to prioritize.

The following situations are subject to comprehensive assessment based on materials and actual circumstances:

  1. Mental health-related accommodation needs;

  2. Major emergencies affecting normal dormitory life;

  3. Special situations involving personal privacy protection or identity protection;

  4. Actual difficulties verified by the school/department teacher responsible for international student affairs;

  5. Adjustments necessary due to the University’s education, teaching, internship practice, centralized training, or management arrangements.

The following situations will generally not be prioritized as special accommodation needs:

  1. Applications solely based on personal preference;

  2. A wish to live with friends, students of the same nationality, or classmates;

  3. Dissatisfaction with the current building, floor, orientation, or room type;

  4. A wish to move to a popular building, popular room type, or more convenient location;

  5. Applications without supporting materials and based only on subjective feelings such as “not adapting” or “not used to it”;

  6. Requests for readjustment after completing self-selection due to changes in personal preferences.

Q8: If I submit hospital documents or other supporting materials, will I definitely be assigned to my preferred room?

A: Not necessarily. Hospital documents, opinions from the school/department, or other supporting materials are important bases for the University’s review, but they do not mean that the student may designate a specific building, floor, room type, room, bed space, or roommate. The University will make reasonable efforts to coordinate arrangements based on verified circumstances, sufficient materials, proper procedures, and available rooms at the time. The final arrangement shall be subject to the University’s review result and notice.

Q9: What if there are currently no rooms available for adjustment?

A: If there are currently no rooms available for adjustment, even if the reason for the application is valid, an immediate adjustment may not be possible. The University will continue to coordinate based on subsequent room availability and actual circumstances.

IV. Shared Living and Accommodation Safety

Q1: What should I do if disagreements arise with roommates due to differences in living habits, schedules, or cultural backgrounds?

A: Dormitories are shared living spaces. International students come from different countries and cultural backgrounds and may differ in living habits, schedules, hygiene habits, air conditioner use, visitor arrangements, and use of shared spaces. Students are advised to communicate rationally, respect one another, and try to resolve issues through discussion.

If communication is difficult, or if the issue continues to affect normal study and daily life, students may contact the front desk of the dormitory building, dormitory management staff, or the teacher responsible for international student affairs at their school/department for assistance in communication and handling.

Q2: Can shared-living issues directly serve as a reason for a room change?

A: Such issues should generally first be addressed through communication, assistance from the building front desk, or coordination by the school/department teacher. A direct room-change application based solely on personal dissatisfaction without prior communication or coordination will generally not be treated as a priority matter.

If it is verified that there is a situation seriously affecting normal study and daily life, the University will handle it according to the actual circumstances. Measures may include but are not limited to communication and coordination, reminders and education, management measures, dormitory adjustment, or other necessary measures.

Q3: What should I do if there are safety issues such as threats, harassment, bullying, or fighting?

A: If there are threats, harassment, bullying, fighting, serious verbal attacks, continuous disruption of normal life, or other situations affecting personal safety, students should contact the front desk of the dormitory building, the teacher responsible for international student affairs at their school/department, or the Overseas Students Affairs Office in a timely manner. In urgent situations, students should contact the University security department or use the University’s emergency channels.

The University will take necessary measures based on verified circumstances, including but not limited to communication and coordination, educational reminders, disciplinary handling, temporary accommodation arrangements, or dormitory adjustment.

V. Accommodation Management and Prohibitions

Q1: May I privately exchange rooms or bed spaces with others?

A: No. Students may not privately exchange rooms or bed spaces, occupy vacant bed spaces, or transfer accommodation eligibility without approval. If an adjustment is truly needed, the student shall submit an application as required, and the change may be implemented only after approval by the University.

Q2: Will the University adjust already arranged accommodation?

A: Due to dormitory safety management, building maintenance, public health, resource allocation, accommodation management, or other actual needs, the University may coordinate and adjust accommodation arrangements. Specific arrangements shall be subject to University notices.

Q3: What should I pay attention to when submitting application materials?

A: Students shall ensure that the information and supporting materials submitted are truthful, complete, and valid. If the application materials are incomplete or the supporting basis is insufficient, the University may require supplementary materials. If a student submits false materials or conceals important information, the University will handle the matter in accordance with relevant regulations.

Q4: Through what channels should dormitory-related questions be raised?

A: Students may consult and handle matters through official channels according to the type of issue, including the dormitory service portal via WeCom(企业微信), the front desk of the dormitory building, the teacher responsible for international student affairs at the school/department, the Overseas Students Affairs Office, or the Foreign Affairs Service Center. Please prioritize official channels for submitting applications, reporting problems, and checking processing progress, and avoid spreading unverified information through unofficial channels.

VI. Special Notes

This FAQ document is intended to explain the general principles and basic procedures for handling common dormitory-related matters for international students. Specific requirements, opening periods, application channels, and room availability shall be subject to the University’s current notices, system information, review results, and final arrangements.

If this document is inconsistent with any later notice or administrative regulation issued by the University, the latest University notice or administrative regulation shall prevail.

This English version is provided for reference and understanding only. In case of any inconsistency, ambiguity, or discrepancy between the English and Chinese versions, the Chinese version shall prevail.