Apply

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.

Apply on the Housing Portal

 

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 2021-2022 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

You can access the housing application using your UMBC login at umbc.edu/go/housing

Yes.  You are welcome to complete the General Interest Application after the priority deadline has passed.  Students who miss their priority application deadline are added to the housing waitlist. Waitlist offers are made, as space permits. Students will remain on the waitlist until we are able to make them an offer.

The housing license (contract) is for the full academic year (fall and spring) which means you are expected to live on campus both semesters.  Only students graduating in December and those studying aboard in during the Spring semester are permitted to live on-campus for the fall only.

Students are welcome to apply for spring semester housing. Students should wait to complete a General Housing Application (waitlist) until October if you do not want to be offered Fall housing.

Keep in mind that students, with the exception of newly admitted spring students who meet the December 15th deadline, will not be guaranteed a spring housing offer.

 

Housing License & Reservation Fee

Newly admitted first-year students who apply before May 1 will pay the housing reservation fee at the time of application.

Current residents who apply by the Housing Selection deadline will pay the housing reservation fee at the time of application.

Transfer, commuter, graduate, and waitlist students will pay the housing reservation fee when you receive your housing offer.

The housing reservation fee is mandatory. Students with significant financial need are welcome contact Residential Life prior to the application/offer deadline.

No. The housing reservation fee will be applied as a credit to your initial housing charges.  For example, if you license for the full year, the $200 will be applied toward your fall housing bill.

In the event that you cancel your housing license prior to move-in, the $200 reservation fee will be applied towards your cancellation fees.

If you are under the age of 18, you should complete the application online fully.  As part of Step 5  you will be instructed to click the link provided for your parent/guardian to acknowledge the license: https://docusign.umbc.edu/secure/prd/FormToDocuSign/Form2DS.php?cfg=RL_HousingLicenseVerification.

After you click the link in the application:

  • Provide names and emails for those who need to sign the form.
  • The form will open for the student to complete and submit, then
  • The form is sent via email to guardian to complete, then
  • The form is sent to Residential Life
  • The student will need to sign and acknowledge the form because it gets emailed to your parent/guardian.

 

Roommate Requests

Students may have the option of requesting roommate(s). Students who do not request a specific roommate will be assigned one by the Residential Life Staff.  Assignments are made using information provided in the interest housing application.

The period for newly admitted students to request a specific roommate is mid-May until June 15 at 11:59 p.m.

  • Incoming First-year students who apply by May 1 can request one (1) preferred roommate who is also an incoming Fall Freshman.
  • Incoming Transfer students who apply May 1 and accept their Housing Offer by can request one (1) preferred roommate who is also an incoming Fall transfer students.

The period for current residents to request specific roommates is during Housing Selection. Current residents should review the Housing Selection Guide for more information about the roommate group formation process. Returning students who participate in Housing Selection can form roommate groups of 2 and 4 with other students participating in housing selection.

 

Students will receive a email with instructions on requesting or forming a roommate group in the housing portal.

  • Incoming First-Year and Transfer students should look for an email in their UMBC account in early May.
  • Returning students will receive instructions as part of Housing Selection (March-April).

If you are admitted to an LLC, you can only request a roommate who has also been admitted to that LLC.

 

Room Assignments

Students are unable to specify a particular building on their application, but may be able to specify a preference for style of housing and communities. Only current residents who participate in Housing Selection get to select their specific building and room from the available inventory.

Incoming first-year, transfer and waitlist students are assigned to housing by Residential Life staff.  Additionally, students that apply for and are selected to live in a Living-Learning Community (LLC) are assigned by the LLC Coordinator. Whereas, current residents who participate in Housing Selection get to select their specific building and room from the available inventory.

Assignments are made utilizing the students 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.

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.

Due to camps, conferences, and summer programs we are unable to allow students to view their specific room. We encourage students to reach out to Admissions about opportunities to join a Black & Gold tour, or to view images and floor plans at https://reslife.umbc.edu/communities/

Due to the high demand for housing, we are unable to honor any room/roommate change requests prior to the start of the semester.  Please keep in mind that during the first two (2) weeks of each semester, room changes are not permitted.  Room Freezes allow Residential Life to “take attendance,” move any students out of their temporary assignments, and place students on the waitlist.

Students are able to cancel their housing prior to move-in by submitting an RT Ticket. Please be sure to review information about fees associated with canceling your housing (https://reslife.umbc.edu/apply/housing_procedures/).

Students who wish to cancel their housing after Move-In must submit a formal petition for release from the license

 

Waitlist

Students on the housing waitlist are not guaranteed housing.  If you are on the waitlist you will be contacted via UMBC email if and when a space becomes available. Students will remain on the waitlist until we are able to make them an offer.

A housing offer, would be sent electronically to the student’s UMBC email. Students who accept their offer by completing the license (contract) and reservation fee are guaranteed housing for the upcoming license term. Offers are made based on the availability of space.

If offered a spot and a student declines or does not respond to the offer, they will be removed from the applicant pool. Students who miss their offer deadline are welcome to submit an RT Ticket to request to be added to the Housing Waitlist.

Since we may be unable to accommodate all students on the waitlist, we encourage students and families to explore additional housing and transportation options for the fall semester.  Below are two campus offices that may be of interest to you to contact:

  • Off-Campus Student Services: Supports students with off-campus housing options, carpooling programs, and commuter services
  • Transit: Supports students interested in learning about ride share programs and public transportation.

We will prioritize offers based on a number of factors, including but not limited to: application submission date, your permanent address’ distance from campus, and your housing preferences.

For example an out-of-state student with a similar submission date to a student from Catonsville would be more likely to receive an offer.

As a result, our waitlist is not a “first-come, first serve” offering system; making us unable to provide students with updates about where they are on the list.

Your housing offer will be for a spot in campus housing, but will not share with room, building or community. If you have particular questions about your housing offer please contact our office.

If you are issued a housing offer and wish to decline it or miss the deadline, you are welcome to submit an RT Ticket to be added back to the waitlist. Otherwise, you will be removed from the waitlist.