Roommate Agreement Template College Students Can Copy
A roommate agreement template for college is a short, plain-English checklist you and your roommate fill in together, covering sleep and quiet hours, cleaning, guests, borrowing, food and money. It's not a legal contract; it's a shared note that stops small things from turning into fights. Copy the full template below, fill it in during your first week, and revisit it around midterms.
Once the people part is sorted, RoomMaxx can handle the room part: it scores a photo on tidy, light and vibe and gives you one fix a day. Scan my room
What a dorm roommate agreement is (and is not)
Search "roommate contract template" and you'll mostly find lease-style legal forms about rent, deposits and evictions. Useful if you're signing an apartment lease. Not what you need for a dorm.
A dorm roommate agreement is:
- A list of things you've both said yes to
- Written in normal words, not legalese
- Short enough to actually read (one page)
- Something you can change together
It is not:
- A legally binding contract (this post isn't legal advice)
- A replacement for your school's housing rules
- A weapon to win arguments
Many colleges ask RAs to run a roommate agreement form in the first few weeks; some are online, some are a roommate agreement PDF. If yours does, use this post to prepare. If it doesn't, this is your DIY version. In the UK, the same idea works as a flatmate agreement or housemate agreement for a shared kitchen and bathroom.
Before you write it
Have the conversation first. If you haven't already, run through these questions to ask your roommate before moving in; your answers fill in most of the template.
Sleep and quiet hours section
The section that decides whether either of you sleeps.
Roommate agreement questions to answer:
- What time is "quiet" on weeknights? On weekends?
- What does quiet mean: headphones only? No calls? Whispering?
- When does the overhead light go off?
- Alarms: how many, and sound or vibrate?
- What happens during exam weeks (finals / revision season)?
Example:
Quiet after 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Quiet means headphones for all audio and calls in the lounge. Overhead light off once either of us is in bed; desk lamps are fine.
Need help with the actual conversation? Here's how to tell your roommate to be quiet at night.
Cleaning and shared-space section
What to include in a roommate agreement about cleaning:
- Which parts are shared (floor, fridge, bin, sink, bathroom if you have one)?
- How often does the trash go out, and whose turn is it?
- How long can dishes sit?
- Do you do a weekly reset together?
- What's okay on each person's side?
Example:
Our own sides are our own business. Shared floor stays clear. Trash goes out when full; we alternate weeks. No dishes or food left out overnight. 10-minute room reset every Sunday evening.
If one of you is already the messy one, see how to deal with a messy roommate in college before you fill this in, so it's realistic.
The hardest part of any cleaning rule is knowing if you're actually keeping it. RoomMaxx scores a photo of your room out of 100 on tidy, light and vibe, so "is the room clean enough?" becomes a number you both can see instead of an argument. It also gives you one small fix a day. Scan my room
Guests and privacy section
Questions to cover:
- How much notice before a friend comes over?
- Overnight guests: allowed? How many nights a week? How much notice?
- Times the room is guest-free (exams, early classes)?
- How do we ask for the room alone for a bit?
- Anything private that needs respecting (changing, prayer, calls)?
Example:
Text before bringing anyone over. Overnight guests need a yes at least a day ahead, max two nights a week. No guests during finals week. Guests don't sit on the other person's bed. If one of us needs the room alone, we text and the other tries to give an hour.
Your school's official guest policy always comes first.
Borrowing, food and money section
Questions to cover:
- Is food shared, separate or "ask first"?
- What can be borrowed without asking? (Answer is usually: nothing.)
- Who owns the shared items (fridge, microwave, rug)?
- How do we split shared supplies (trash bags, cleaning spray)?
- What if something gets broken?
Example:
Food is separate unless offered. Always ask before borrowing. Jay owns the fridge, Sam owns the microwave; each takes theirs at the end of the year. We alternate buying trash bags and cleaning supplies. If you break it, you replace it.
The full template to copy
Copy this into your Notes app, a Google Doc or your group chat. Fill in the blanks together.
| Section | Our agreement |
|---|---|
| Quiet hours (weeknights) | Quiet after ___ |
| Quiet hours (weekends) | Quiet after ___ |
| What "quiet" means | ___ |
| Overhead light off when | ___ |
| Alarms | ___ |
| Shared spaces | ___ |
| Trash | Out when ___, turns: ___ |
| Dishes / food left out | ___ |
| Weekly reset | Day: ___ Time: ___ |
| Day guests | Notice: ___ |
| Overnight guests | Notice: ___ Max nights: ___ |
| Guest-free times | ___ |
| Alone time | How we ask: ___ |
| Food | Shared / separate / ask first |
| Borrowing | ___ |
| Shared items and who owns them | ___ |
| Splitting supplies | ___ |
| If something breaks | ___ |
| How we bring up problems | ___ |
| Check-in date | ___ |
Signed (vibes only): ___ and ___
Roommate agreement ideas people forget
- How you'll bring up problems: "Text first, talk in person within a day."
- Room temperature: window open or closed, fan on or off.
- Decor: are shared walls shared, or does each person get their half?
- Packages: grab each other's or not?
- Visitors from home: parents and siblings count as guests too.
Want more roommate contract ideas? Think about the last thing that quietly annoyed you at home or in a past room. If it bugged you there, it'll bug you here, so write it in.
How to revisit it mid-semester
A roommate agreement template for college only works if it stays true. People's schedules change, they get partners, they start a job.
- Set a check-in date in the template, around midterms or reading week.
- Keep it low-key: "Hey, want to look at our room agreement and see if anything needs changing?"
- Change one thing at a time.
- Update it after any big conflict, once things have cooled down.
If the agreement keeps getting broken and talking doesn't help, take it to your RA, don or residence life team. A written agreement makes that conversation much easier.
Sort your side of the room in the next minute
Your agreement covers the rules; RoomMaxx covers the room. Snap a photo, get a Room Score out of 100 for tidy, light and vibe, and get one small, free or cheap fix aimed at your lowest score. The photo is scored and never saved.
FAQ
What should be included in a roommate agreement?
Cover quiet hours, overhead light and alarms, cleaning and trash, dishes, day and overnight guests, food, borrowing, shared items, how to split supplies and how you'll bring up problems. Add a check-in date so you update it as the semester goes.
Is a college roommate agreement legally binding?
A dorm roommate agreement like this one is usually an informal living-together checklist, not a legal contract. Your housing contract with the school is the official one; if you're signing an off-campus lease, look at proper legal forms or get advice.
Where can I get a college roommate agreement template free?
You can copy the template in this post for free into your Notes app or a doc. Many schools also give out a roommate agreement form through RAs or housing, so check with yours.
What are good roommate agreement examples for dorms?
"Quiet after 11 p.m. on weeknights," "text before bringing anyone over," "no dishes overnight" and "always ask before borrowing" are simple, specific examples. Specific beats vague every time.
Do UK flatmates use a flatmate agreement?
Some do, especially in shared houses. It usually covers a cleaning rota for the kitchen and bathroom, bills, guests and noise, and works the same way as a dorm roommate agreement.