Step 1: Housing Application
The Housing Application is the first step for all students interested in living on campus. The application assists in the assignment, roommate matching, and waitlist process, so students should make sure they complete this application honestly and accurately.
- Students are encouraged to review our communities and housing options before submitting the application.
- To access the application, students should log into the housing portal using their myUMBC username and password. Newly admitted students will need to upgrade their UMBC account first.
- We recommend students and families visit the new student, transfer, and current student pages for instructions and specific housing application deadlines.
- Students who submit their housing application after their priority deadline will be added to the housing waitlist.
Step 2: License & Reservation Fee
Only students who complete the License and $200 Reservation Fee via the housing portal can be assigned to housing. Before completing the License and Reservation Fee, it is important to note:
- The housing license is a contract.
- The term of the license is for the entire academic year, both Fall & Spring semesters.
- Students who are under the age of 18 when they complete the license will be instructed to have a parent or guardian to acknowledge the license through DocuSign (see FAQs below).
- Students must pay a $200 housing reservation fee in order to be assigned to housing; this is not the same as the Admissions/Enrollment or Orientation Deposit.
- The housing reservation fee is mandatory. Students with significant financial need are welcome contact Residential Life prior to their application deadline.
- Payment must be in the form of Credit Card or ACH. Students cannot use financial aid to pay the reservation fee.
- The reservation fee money will be applied as a credit toward your first housing bill.
- Students that finalize a license and change their mind or cancel their assignment will be assessed a cancellation fee.
Step 3: Assignment
Once the License and Reservation Fee are received, the student can be assigned to housing. Housing Assignments are made utilizing the student’s housing application preferences and eligibility criteria.
While we try to honor students’ preference we cannot guarantee that a student will be assigned to a specific building or room. Within our co-ed communities, students are assigned to rooms, suites and/or apartments with roommates of the same biological sex, unless the student has expressed interest in Gender Inclusive Housing.
- Incoming first-year, transfer, and waitlist students are assigned to housing by Residential Life staff.
- Students that apply for and are selected to live in a Living-Learning Community (LLC) are assigned by the LLC Coordinator.
- Current residents who participate in Housing Selection get to select their specific building and room from the available inventory.
Housing assignments are communicated to students via their UMBC email account.
- Fall residents should expect to receive their assignment in mid-July.
- Spring only residents should expect to receive their assignment information in mid-January.
Frequently Asked Questions
Application
Housing License & Reservation Fee
Roommate Requests
Room Assignments
Waitlist