Trevecca updates housing policies, raises apartment credit requirement

By Lauren Steinbrook

News and Engagement Editor

Trevecca Nazarene University will require at least 45 credit hours for apartment housing beginning in fall 2026 as officials work to address near-capacity housing and prioritize upperclassmen.

The new requirement applies to all apartment-style housing, including University Commons and Legacy Apartments — Bush, Redford, Shingler and Wise — replacing a tiered system that previously required 30 credits for Legacy units and 50 for University Commons.

Associate Dean of Student Life Zack Church said the change was made after the university experienced high demand for apartments, particularly among upperclassmen.

“We had senior-level students who were having to live in residence halls because our apartments were completely full,” he said.

Church said standardizing the requirement across all apartment spaces also simplifies the process for students.

“It’s easier for people to remember, instead of having multiple credit-hour requirements for different areas,” he said.

Church said the changes come as campus housing has reached near capacity in recent years, with undergraduate housing operating at approximately 98% to 99% occupancy this year — well above the university’s preferred level.

“We don’t like being totally full,” Church said. “Being totally full means you run into issues.”

Those issues include difficulty resolving roommate conflicts, limited flexibility in housing assignments and challenges accommodating students with medical needs, such as single-room requests.

“When we hit that super high occupancy rate, the only way we can meet those accommodations is to waive the requirement to live on campus,” Church said.

The university aims to reduce occupancy closer to 91%, which would allow for more flexibility and improved student satisfaction.

In addition to the credit requirement, several housing buildings are being reassigned.

Beginning fall 2026:

• Shingler, Redford and Bush will become entirely female apartments
• Wise Hall will remain male apartments
• UTA B Building will transition back to undergraduate male housing

UTA Buildings A and C will continue to house graduate students, employees and nontraditional residents.

Current residents of UTA B Building will be allowed to finish their leases but will need to relocate afterward.

Church said most current apartment residents will not be affected by the new credit requirement, as they are expected to meet the 45-credit-hour threshold by the end of the academic year.

However, the change may impact underclassmen hoping to move into apartments earlier.

“There are freshman students this year who have sophomore friends in apartments and were expecting to move in next year and now may not be able to,” Church said.

To address this, the university plans to create a waitlist for students below the 45-credit-hour requirement, allowing them to fill any remaining apartment spaces after upperclassmen and transfer students are placed.

Church emphasized that priority will be given to students who meet the requirement.

“I would rather a sophomore not be able to make it into an apartment than a senior not be able to,” he said.

Students will also notice updates to the housing selection process.

According to an email from Trevecca Housing, housing applications opened March 2, with priority room selection scheduled for March 24-26.

Roommate matching and group selection are now integrated into the housing application system, and students must be part of a full group to qualify for priority selection.

Housing selection remains tiered based on credit hours:

• March 24: Rising seniors (90+ hours)
• March 25: Rising juniors (60+ hours)
• March 26: Rising sophomores and freshmen (0-59 hours)

Students are encouraged to complete their housing applications early, as selection times are assigned based on completion.

While some students may consider living off campus, Church said demand for commuter status has decreased in recent years due to rising housing costs in Nashville.

“It’s tough to find a one-bedroom that’s less than $1,200 a month,” Church said.

As a result, most students continue to rely on university housing options.

Church said the university continues to evaluate long-term housing needs as enrollment grows, though major expansions are not currently planned.

Trevecca added University Commons in recent years, but increased demand and changes in housing usage have quickly filled available space.

“We’re already full again,” Church said.

For now, university officials say the changes are designed to better balance housing availability, improve student experience and ensure upperclassmen have access to apartment-style living.

Students can access housing applications and updates through the Student Development Gateway on MyTrevecca.