Congratulations and welcome to UMBC! Below, you will find information on the steps you need to complete in order to successfully apply for on campus housing. Be sure to review the information below so that you are fully prepared when you arrive at UMBC.
If you are a current UMBC student please visit our currently enrolled UMBC student page for information about housing deadlines.
First-Year Communities
Most students begin their experience living on campus in one of our residence hall communities, while students who apply to and are accepted to one of our Living-Learning Communities may be assigned to a suite-style community.
First-year students typically live in shared (double/triple) bedrooms. Single room options in our halls and suites are very limited. Single rooms are prioritized for those with approved medical accommodations and upperclass students. Newly admitted freshmen can expect to have at least 1 direct roommate and 2 indirect roommates.
Transfer Communities
Transfer students may have the option to live in our residence halls, suites, or apartments depending on their number of completed credits at the time of application/assignment and availability of space.
- Students must have 30 completed credits to be eligible for Residential Life suites.
- Students generally have 50 completed credits to be considered for Residential Life apartments.
- Students must have 39 completed credits to be considered for Walker Avenue Apartments.
Newly Admitted Undergraduate Student Housing Application Process
This process begins before you arrive for orientation and continues until you receive your confirmation email with your room assignment, your roommates, and their contact information as well as information about move-in day.
The housing application is the first step for all students interested in living on campus. Students are encouraged to review our communities and the housing options before submitting the application.
To access the application, students should log into the housing portal using their myUMBC username and password. Be sure to upgrade your UMBC account first before attempting to access the housing portal. The application assists in the assignment, roommate matching, and waitlist process, so students should make sure they complete this application honestly and accurately.
Priority Housing Application Deadline for Newly Admitted Undergraduate Students Enrolling for Spring
Newly admitted winter & spring undergraduate students who submit their Residential Life housing application, license and reservation fee by December 15 are guaranteed UMBC Residential Life housing (not Walker Avenue Apartments). It is important to note that the housing license is for the spring semester only.
Students who miss their priority deadline will not be guaranteed housing, but will be added to the housing waitlist, and will be issued the License and Reservation Fee form as space permits.
Eligible transfer students who are only interested in Walker Avenue Apartments should complete the Housing Application and indicate preference for Walker Avenue and should not complete the Residential Life License or Reservation Fee. Please contact our office prior to the deadline to ensure that your application is referred to Walker Avenue Apartments.
Priority Deadlines for Spring 2025 Admits
| Housing Application Available | October 1, 2024 |
| Housing Application Priority Deadline | December 15, 2024 |
| Roommate & Room Assignment Information Available | January 15, 2025 |
| Spring Semester Move-In | January 26, 2025 |
Priority Housing Application Deadline for Newly Admitted Undergraduate Students Enrolling for Fall
Newly admitted summer & fall undergraduate students who submit their Residential Life housing application, license and reservation fee by June 1 are guaranteed UMBC Residential Life housing (not Walker Avenue Apartments). It is important to note that the housing license is for the full academic year (fall & spring semesters).
Students who miss their priority deadline will not be guaranteed housing, but will be added to the housing waitlist, and will be issued the License and Reservation Fee form as space permits.
Eligible transfer students who are only interested in Walker Avenue Apartments should complete the Housing Application and indicate preference for Walker Avenue and should not complete the Residential Life License or Reservation Fee. Please contact our office prior to the deadline to ensure that your application is referred to Walker Avenue Apartments.
Deadlines for Fall 2025 Admits
| Application & Licenses Available | February 1, 2025 |
| Priority Deadline for Guaranteed Housing | May 1, 2025 |
| Deadline to apply for a Living-Learning Community | May 1, 2025 |
| Roommate Request Deadline | June 15, 2025 |
| Roommate & Room Assignment Information Available | July 15, 2025 at 5PM |
| New Student Move-In | August 23, 2025 |
The General Housing Interest (Waitlist) Application will be made available on May 2, 2025 for new students and those who missed the priority deadline.
Roommate & Room Assignments
Incoming undergraduate 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.
Housing 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.
Incoming undergraduate students can request one (1) or three (3) preferred roommates who is also an incoming undergraduate student. Students who form a group of 3, rather than a group of 2 or 4, will only be assigned together in our triple bedroom room types as space permits.
Students will receive specific instructions for requesting a roommate in the housing portal. The period for newly admitted students to request a specific roommate is mid-May until June 15 at 11:59 p.m. Due to our various housing application cycles, first-year students cannot request to live with a current UMBC student(s).
Students who do not request a specific roommate will be assigned one by the Residential Life Staff. Roommate assignments are made using information provided in the interest housing application.
Newly admitted students should expect to receive their assignment and roommate information in mid-July or mid-January via their UMBC email.
Housing Cancellation
Students who no longer wish to attend UMBC or live on campus must complete the Cancellation Request form on the Housing Portal prior to Move-In. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
For more information about and frequently asked questions regarding the housing application, reservation fees, assignments, and waitlist can be found at https://reslife.umbc.edu/apply/.