Rising Juniors & Seniors Housing Renewal

Last updated October 28, 2025

The Housing Renewal Process is designed to guide rising juniors and seniors as they reapply to live in Residential Life managed housing for the upcoming academic year. Residential Life guarantees housing for all students that apply to live with us.

Before Applying

• Thoroughly read and familiarize yourself with the presented Terms and Conditions. This Housing Application is a binding contract and the Terms and Conditions outline all rules and regulations of WashU Residential Life housing.
• Later when completing the Housing Application, you will be asked to agree to the Terms and Conditions outlined in the above document. Students who are under the age of 18 will be required to have their parent or guardian agree to the Terms and Conditions on their behalf.

Timeline and Important Dates

Milestone	Date	Location
Housing Application Opens	Monday, February 2	WashU Housing Portal under Apply
Roommate Matching Event	Tuesday, February 17	TBD
Room Self-Selection Period	Monday, March 2 thru Thursday, March 5	WashU Housing Portal under Apply
Residential Life Placements	Monday, March 16 thru Friday, March 20	WashU Housing Portal
Housing Assignments Go Live	Monday, March 23	WashU Housing Portal under My Housing
Housing Cancellation Deadline Cancellations received on or before this date will be approved at no cost for any reason	Tuesday, March 31

Eligibility

All undergraduate students who plan to be enrolled full-time in courses at the university are eligible to apply for housing. Residential Life guarantees housing for any eligible student who applies with us. Should a student’s enrollment status change before or during the academic year, they may no longer be eligible to live in Residential Life housing.

Students who plan to study abroad during any point of the academic year remain eligible to apply for housing, but they should be aware of the following information:

Students studying abroad for the Fall 2026 semester should not apply for housing for the academic year. Students studying abroad for the Fall 2026 semester should instead apply for housing for the Spring 2027 semester.  The Spring 2026 Housing Application will open on the WashU Housing Portal on Friday, November 1.

Students studying abroad for the Spring 2027 semester should apply for housing during the Housing Renewal period and submit a housing cancellation for their spring housing when prompted by WashU Residential Life later in the fall semester.

Students who will be graduating at the end of Fall 2026 semester should apply for housing during the Housing Renewal period and submit a housing cancellation for their Spring housing when prompted by WashU Residential Life later in the Fall semester.

Housing options

Students have a variety of housing options including Suite-style, On-Campus and Off-Campus Apartments, and Special Interest Housing such as Living Learning Communities and Chapter Housing. You can find more information about your housing options at the link below.

Steps to applying for renewal

To access the Housing Application, you will need to log into the WashU Housing Portal. Then, select “Apply” from the Navigation menu.

• Step 1: Complete bio and contact information.
• Step 2: Select your housing preferences.
• Step 3: Fill out the roommate questionnaire.
• Step 4: Select your meal plan.
• Step 5: Sign the Housing Contract Terms and Conditions.
• Optional: Register for GradGuard renter’s insurance.
• Optional: Search for and select roommates.
• Optional: Select your room.

Once you have signed and submitted your Housing Application, in Step 5 you will receive a confirmation from the Office of Residential Life. This confirmation will be sent to your WashU email.

Housing accommodations

Housing Accommodations are determined by WashU Disability Resources. Approved accommodations are then implemented by Residential Life. Note, your housing placement will be assigned to fit the needs of your approved housing accommodation from WashU Disability Resources.

Students will receive notification of the decision regarding their Housing Accommodation from WashU Disability Resources through their WashU email, typically two to six weeks after submitting their request.

Late housing accommodation requests and/or determinations submitted after the stated deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis.

Important rules for housing accommodations

• Students must still complete the Housing Application through their WashU Housing Portal to be considered for a placement in housing, even if they have already been approved for a housing accommodation.
• Being approved for a housing accommodation does not guarantee that you will be placed in your first-choice residential hall or with your preferred friends. WashU Disability Resources makes determinations regarding functional accommodations in housing. WashU Disability Resources is not involved in the process of assigning a student’s specific room or specific roommates/suitemates. This process is managed by WashU Residential Life and students will be notified of their specific room assignment separately.
• Students with an approved accommodation can have no more than 3 roommates. However, they can also apply as an individual. Applying as an individual does not guarantee a single room placement.
• Students who submit requests or appeals after the posted deadline may need to be placed as an individual, instead of with chosen roommates. Additionally, students who submit requests or appeals after the posted deadline may be placed on a waiting list for the next available room that meets their accommodation.

For questions to Disability Resources, please contact their office at 314-935-5970 or by email. They are located on the ground floor of Gregg House on the South 40. Their office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

How to request housing accommodations

Please visit WashU Disability Resources for instructions on how to request accommodations.

Student Requesting a Renewal of Housing Accommodations: Students who currently have housing accommodations and are seeking to renew their accommodations should reach out to Disability Resources via email disabilityresources@wustl.edu to communicate their intention of remaining/residing in University owned housing for the upcoming academic year.

Please note: Regardless of eligibility for housing accommodations, students must follow all WashU Residential Life housing processes and procedures to secure campus-owned housing. Housing spaces are limited and assigned on a first come, first served basis. Neither the presence of a disability nor eligibility for a housing accommodation guarantees campus-owned housing, a specific location, or roommate.

Is it necessary to request housing accommodations?

• For dietary restrictions > No. WashU Dining Services works to support students with special dietary needs, this includes those with medically restricted diets and those with food allergies and intolerances. Dining Services is generally able to meet the needs of students requesting specialized meal plans so all students with special dietary needs are encouraged to work with dining services to make dining on campus enjoyable and safe. The process for requesting dietary accommodations is outlined on the Dining Services website.
• For transportation and Proximity to Academic Buildings > No. All on-campus residential buildings are considered to be within close proximity to academic buildings and other campus facilities. Students whose disabilities may limit their ability to walk and/or carry a heavy backpack for long distances are encouraged to utilize the Campus Circulator and/or Medical Escort Service when traveling across campus. More information about these options can be found on the WashU Parking and Transportation Services website.
• For Environmental Allergens > No. The university has conducted tests of environmental allergen levels throughout the Residential Life buildings. The results of these tests found that there is not a significant difference in allergen level between the various building types. To reduce exposure to environmental allergens, students are encouraged to follow the guidelines of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology by bringing allergen-proof fabric covers for bedding, a dehumidifier, and/or HEPA filter air purifier for use in their residence hall rooms.
• For distraction-Reduced Study Space > No. By nature, residential housing is not a distraction-reduced environment. Students are encouraged to explore the many study spaces throughout campus to find a quiet study location and are welcome to contact Disability Resources for recommendations.

Cancellation policy

For an in-depth understanding of the Cancellation Policy, please review the Terms and Conditions within the Housing Agreement that will be linked at the top of this page.

Cancellation Requests must be submitted via the Housing Portal. Cancellation Requests will not be received via phone call, email, or any other method.

For the 2026 – 2027 Academic Year Application, students can cancel at no penalty anytime on or before March 31 2026. After March 31, 2026, students are subject to the $2,000 Cancellation Fee.