Housing Renewal Process

Last updated November 14, 2024

The Housing Renewal Process is designed to guide rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors as they reapply to live in Residential Life managed housing for the upcoming academic year.

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.

Eligibility

All undergraduate students who plan to be enrolled full-time in courses at the university are eligible to apply for housing. 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 semester should not apply for housing for the academic year. Students studying abroad for the fall semester should instead apply for housing for the Spring 2025 semester.  The Spring 2025 Housing Application will open on the WashU Housing Portal on Friday, November 1.

Students studying abroad for the spring 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.

Important dates

Monday, January 13, 2025	Housing Application Opens on WashU Housing Portal	Students can begin applying for WashU Residential Life Housing
Monday, February 17, 2025	Deadline for Students Who Want to Participate in Room Selection	Applications submitted beyond this date will still be accepted, but all students will be Administratively Assigned by Residential Life.
March 3, 2025 – March 6, 2025	Room Self-Selection Period	Students participating in Room Self-Selection will login to the WashU Housing Portal and select their room.
March 24, 2025	Beginning of Administrative Assignment Period	Students who have a complete application that did not take part in the room self-selection process will receive a housing placement from the Residential Life Office on a rolling basis.
Begin on Friday, March 28, 2025	Administrative Assignment Waitlist Notification & Room Assignments Become Visible in the Housing Portal	Students who have not yet received a housing assignment are placed on a waitlist and will receive an assignment as spaces become available. Students placed on this waitlist will receive notice via email. Room Assignments can be seen in the Housing Portal under Assignments.
March 31, 2025	No Penalty Housing Cancellation Deadline	Final day to submit a Cancellation Request on the WashU Housing Portal for any reason without any penalty. All cancellations submitted after this date are subject to the $1000 Cancellation Fee.

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 “Applications” from the Navigation menu.

1. Complete bio and contact information.
2. Select your housing preferences.
3. Fill out the roommate questionnaire.
4. Select your meal plan.
5. Sign the Housing Contract Terms and Conditions.
6. Optional: Register for GradGuard renter’s insurance.
7. Optional: Search for and select roommates.
8. 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 2-6 weeks after submitting their request. Late requests will be placed in a space available as is.

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 the 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.

For the 2025 – 2026 Academic Year Application, students can cancel at no penalty anytime on or before March 31, 2025. After March 31, 2025, students are subject to the $1,000 Cancellation Fee.