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Apply for housingā€”New Residents

Applying for housing is easy but there are decisions you must make before filling out your application. With that in mind, we created this housing application guide to answer questions that students have about applying for on-campus housing.

How to apply for undergraduate housing

Follow these steps to complete your housing application:

Step 1: Fill out your HFS student profile.

Go to the MyHFS homepage.

Your HFS student profile determines your eligible housing and unlocks your application on the appropriate date.

Before your application goes live, please read the Housing Agreement.

Step 2: Submit your housing application.

When your application is available you will see it listed on your MyHFS homepage. You are now ready to complete your housing application.

When to apply

These timelines are for autumn quarter applicants. Your student status and application date determines when you will be assigned and how you are assigned. If demand is high, commuting distance may also be taken into consideration.

Family housing: Students may apply any time after they've been admitted to the UW.

9-month housing application timeline and priority system

Priority 1: May 6–June 15

Who: Newly admitted first year students
Process: Randomly assigned within your group and you participate in your room selection.

Priority 2: May 6–June 15

Who: New transfer students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on your group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

Priority 3: June 16–30

Who: Newly admitted first year and transfer students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on you group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

Priority 4: July 1–31

Who: Newly admitted first year and transfer students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on your group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

Priority 4: May 6–July 31

Who: Continuing UW and post-bac students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on your group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

Priority 5: August 1–31

Who: Newly admitted first year, new transfer, post-bac or continuing UW students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on your group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

Priority 6: On or after September 1

Who: Newly admitted first year, new transfer, post-bac or continuing UW students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on your group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

Priority 6: On or after May 6

Who: Nonmatriculated students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on your group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

12-month housing application timeline and priority system

Priority 1: April 3–May 31

Who: Newly admitted graduate students
Process: Randomly assigned within your group and you participate in your room selection.

Priority 1: May 6–June 15

Who: New transfer students
Process: Randomly assigned within your group and you participate in your room selection.

Priority 1: May 6–June 15

Who: Newly admitted first year students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on your group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

Priority 3: On or after June 1

Who: New graduate students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on your group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

Priority 3: On or after June 16th

Who: Newly admitted first year and transfer students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on your group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

Priority 4: On or after May 6

Who: Nonmatriculated students
Process: Assigned by HFS based on your group, the date you applied and commuting distance (if there is a waitlist).

Room assignments

Information about how rooms will be assigned within 9-month residences will be sent in July, and room assignment notifications will be sent in August.

Students who apply for 12-month apartments will participate in room selection starting in mid-May. Information will be provided as the time nears.

Students who apply for family housing will be assigned by HFS based on availability and priority.

Before you apply

You will need this information during the application process:

  • Determine which agreement length you prefer. Undergraduate students can apply for either 9-month residences or 12-month apartments.
  • Which building, type of room and bathroom type you prefer
  • If you are choosing a Living Learning Community
  • If you are interested in a gender-inclusive or mixed-gender room
  • Your choice of dining level
  • Your choice of roommate(s) (optional)

You will also need to

  • Agree to the application's terms 
  • Electronically sign the agreement 
  • Pay a $500 prepayment 

A $500 prepayment is required for on-campus housing. Paying the prepayment is the last step in submitting your application. Your prepayment will be applied to your autumn quarter housing statement. Some students with financial need may submit the application without prepayment.

Room options

Your Husky Home experience can be as unique as you are!

Living Learning Communities

Students who select a Living Learning Community (LLC) live together in the same area of a residence hall. Students have opportunities to connect outside of the classroom around common interests. LLCs integrate academic and social learning through faculty and staff guidance and holistic education.

Black Affinity Housing

Starting in Autumn 2024, Black Affinity Housing will be offered to all incoming and returning students in partnership with Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity, Black Student Union, and ASUW Black Student Commission. This community will provide a space within our residence halls to promote personal wellness, social connectedness, and academic success centering the Black student experience.

Single-gender rooms

Most shared rooms within the residence halls are assigned to two or more students of the same gender. If you don't specify your preference for a different type of assignment, you can expect to be in a room with another person or people whose gender is the same as yours according to their record with the UW.

Gender-inclusive rooms

It is important to us that all UW housing options are welcoming for all students. The gender-inclusive room option is intended to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for residents across the spectrum of gender identity, gender expression, biological sex, sexual identity, and allied members of the community.

Mixed-gender rooms

Mixed-gender rooms and apartments are open to all students, regardless of your gender.  You can specify on your application that you want to live with a person of a different gender, and put that person's UW student ID number in your application as your mutual roommate request.

If you are considering Greek life

Many students choose to join sororities or fraternities instead of living in the residence halls, and most of them participate in the formal recruitment held yearly. To learn more about the Greek formal recruitment process, please visit the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life.

Students who apply for housing with HFS and asign up for Greek recruitment will be handled differently based on their student type, application type, and HFS cancellation date.

Fraternity pledgem

For new freshmen and transfer students who pledge with IFC fraternities on good standing by August 31: 

  • HFS will cancel the housing application at no cost, and
  • HFS will refund the student's prepayment

All other students:

Panhellenic primary recruitment

For new freshmen and transfer students who register for recruitment by August 15:

  • HFS will cancel their 9-month housing application at no cost, and
  • HFS will refund the student's deposit, and
  • HFS will guarantee an open space if they apply for on-campus housing after having participated in recruitment, and 
  • Students who accept a bid to a sorority that can't offer a space to live in the house will be able to live in on-campus housing

All other students:

Requesting a specific roommate

You may request a specific roommate on your application. Your request will be accommodated if:

  • Both applications are for the same agreement length
  • Both applications have identical housing preferences
  • Both applicants have the same assignment priority
  • Space is available

If you want to request a specific roommate on your housing application, you will need their UW student ID number. We cannot guarantee requested roommates will be assigned together.

Students who request and are approved for a gender-inclusive room will be assigned with another student who has requested the same. Students who request a mixed-gender room and apply with a mutually requested roommate will be assigned together in the same room.

Except as required by law, assignments to UW housing facilities provided for students are made without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or military status.

Finding a roommate

You are not required to find your own roommate; however, if you would like to, please consider the following resources: (you will be required to use your UW email address to use the message boards):

If you don’t find a roommate on your own, we will assign one or more for you.

Select a dining level

The Resident Dining Program is a reliable and easy way for residents to eat and shop on campus. You may be required to have a dining plan unless you live in Mercer Court, Stevens Court or a studio apartment, where the dining account is optional.

Accommodation of students with disabilities 

Students with individual accommodation or accessibility needs will follow the same housing application process as all students to apply for UW housing. In addition, the student will then register with UW’s Disability Resources for Students (DRS).

Family Housing applicants with a disabled family member may follow the same guidelines for application and registration with DRS.

Parking near your building

Depending on where you live on campus, parking areas and loading zones may not be located close to your building. Please be aware of this before making housing choices. A map of parking areas can be found on the UW website.

Cancellation charges

If you decide to cancel your application and assignment, cancellation charges will be based on the date you submit your notice

Questions? We're here to help!