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New Students

We are very excited that you are interested in joining us on-campus for the upcoming year!  Check out this list of FAQs regarding the housing application process & living on-campus.

Important Dates

Application Available February 1, 2021
New Student Day Housing Session April 17, 2021 from 11AM-1PM
Application Priority Deadline May 1, 2021
Housing Offers Issued [as early as] May 2, 2021
Housing Offer Priority Deadline  May 31, 2021
Roommate Request Deadline June 15, 2021
Roommate & Room Assignment Information Available July 15, 2021
New Student Move-In August 28, 2021 (Tentative)

Application & Assignment Process

Step 1: Housing Application

The application is the first step for all students interested in living on campus.  The application assists in the housing offer, assignment, and roommate matching process, so students should make sure they complete this application honestly and accurately. Students are encouraged to review our communities and special housing options before submitting the application.

Students who submit an application by their priority deadline are given greater consideration for housing. Students who miss their priority deadline will be added to the housing waitlist.

Visit umbc.edu/go/housing to complete your application. Students should enter their myUMBC username and password.

Step 2: Housing Offer (License & Reservation Fee)

The second step in the process is referred to as the Housing Offer, which a student would receive electronically in their 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.  In the event that demand for housing is greater than capacity, we have identified factors that prioritize student academic success during COVID-19, to assist with our prioritization of offers.

The term of the license is for the entire academic year, defined as beginning with the start of the Fall Semester, or upon Occupancy whichever occurs first, through the end of the Spring Semester.

If under the age of 18, upon agreeing to the terms of this license, the student will need to complete the License Verification form with a parent/guardian. Further instructions will be provided in the offer:

    • Provide names and emails for those who need to sign the form.
    • The form will be sent via email to student complete, 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 their parent/guardian.

If offered a spot and a student declines or does not respond to the offer, they will be removed from the applicant pool.

Step 3: Roommate Requests (Optional)

Only students who meet the priority deadlines may request specific roommates prior to the start of the fall semester.

The period for newly admitted  students to request a specific roommate is mid-May until June 15, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Students may only request one (1) preferred roommate. Freshmen may only request to live with another freshmen. Instructions on forming groups can be found in you UMBC email from Residential Life.

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 initial housing application.

Step 4: Housing Assignment 

Housing assignments will be communicated to students via UMBC email. Newly admitted students who completed the application and offer by the priority deadline should expect to receive their assignment in mid-July.

FAQs

Application & Housing Reservation Fee
    • Where do I go to complete the housing application?
    • When is the application deadline?
      • May 1 is the traditional first-year deadline for on campus housing for the academic year.
    • If I missed the May 1st deadline, can I still apply?
      • If you miss that deadline you are still encouraged to submit a Housing Application. Once submitted, you will be added to a housing wait list.
    • When do I need to pay the $200 Housing Reservation Fee?
      • You should pay the housing reservation fee when you receive your housing offer.
    • Can the housing reservation fee be waived?
      • The housing reservation fee is mandatory. Students with significant financial need are welcome contact Residential Life.
    • Is the housing reservation fee refundable?
      • 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 you housing license prior to move-in, the $200 reservation fee will be applied towards your cancellation fees.
    • Can I apply to live on-campus for just the fall semester?
      • The housing license (contract) is typically for the full academic year (fall and spring).
    • I am under 18, how do my parent’s sign the license?
      • If you are under the age of 18, you should complete the application online fully.  As part of Step 5 (Freshmen application) 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 be sent via email to student complete, 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.
Housing Options 
    • Where can students live?
    • Can I pick which building I want to live in?
      • 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.
    • What is 9-month (continuous) housing?
      • Most first-year students are 8-month housing, which requires students to depart during semester break closings (Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring Break). Students who may find it difficult to travel home during those breaks and students who intend on enrolling in winter classes and will need to remain on campus should indicate a preference for 9-month housing.
    • What is Gender Inclusive housing?
      • Gender Inclusive Housing is defined as a housing option in which two or more students share a multiple-occupancy apartment or suite, in mutual agreement, regardless of the students’ sex, gender, gender identity, or gender expression.
    • What is a Quiet Lifestyle floor?
      • All communities have quiet hours, but some floors enjoy extended quiet hours per community agreement.
    • What do I do if I need an accommodation?
      • Students seeking an accommodation due to medical need should (1) indicate potential needs on the housing application and (2) work with Student Disability Services.  While its helpful for our staff to know that you might have a need on your housing application, housing placement decisions are made based on the recommendations from Student Disability Services (sds.umbc.edu).
Living Learning Communities (LLC)
    • What are the different LLCs?
    • Where is each LLC located?
    • How do I apply to live in an LLC?
      • Students are able to apply to one (1) or multiple LLCs through the Housing Application.  Priority is given to those who received invitations and completed the google interest form in March, and first-year freshmen who apply by May 1. Please note that some LLCs are only available to students in specific academic programs.
    • When will I know if I was accepted onto an LLC floor?
      • Students will be notified in mid to late-May. If they are no longer interested in the LLC that made the offer, they have the ability to decline.
    • If I get accepted onto an LLC floor, can I request a roommate?
      • If you are admitted to an LLC, you can only request a roommate who has also been admitted to that LLC. You should work directly with your LLC Coordinator around your roommate request.
    • Who should I contact if I have specific question about a LLC?
      • Contact the LLC Coordinator.  You can find their contact information on the LLC webpage.
Roommates & Room Information
    • Can I request a roommate(s)? 
      • First-year students who apply by May 1 can request one (1) preferred roommate who is also an incoming Fall Freshman. However, if you would like to form a group of 3 for a triple occupancy room (3 sets of furniture in one larger room at a reduced cost) please contact Residential Life Assignments via Request Tracker or by calling 410-455-2591.
    • How do I request a roommate?
      • First-year students who apply by May 1 will receive instructions via email on how to form a roommate group in mid-May.  The deadline to request a roommate is June 15 at 11:59PM.
    • If I get accepted onto an LLC floor, can I request a roommate?
      • If you are admitted to an LLC, you can only request a roommate who has also been admitted to that LLC.
    • When will I find my room and roommate information?
      • Students who completed the application by May 1 should receive their assignment and roommate information on or around July 25, via their UMBC email.  We encourage you to connect with your roommate(s) early.
    • Can I see my room before I move-in?
      • 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/
    • Can I change my room roommate or assignment?
      • 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 wait list.
    • Can I cancel housing if I no longer wish to live on campus?
General Questions

Questions

  • For Residential Life questions, submit an RT Ticket