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FAQs

All FAQs on this page apply to the New Student Housing Assignment Process for incoming first-year and transfer students who will begin at Northwestern in Fall 2024.

What is the housing policy for Fall 2024?

The residency requirement is in effect for students entering in the 2024-2025 academic year.

When do the residence halls and residential colleges open for the 2024-2025 academic year?

New students can move in by appointment starting at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. Returning students can move in any time starting at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

When will I be able to sign up for my move-in appointment?

New students will be sent a link in early August (after room assignments are completed) that will allow them to sign up for move-in appointments. If you have trouble with your move-in appointment sign up, please contact housing@northwestern.edu

New students arriving early are asked to indicate in the sign up system that they do not need an appointment.

Returning students do not need to sign up for move-in appointments.

Where can I find information about Wildcat Welcome?

More information regarding Wildcat Welcome can be found on the Student Transition Experiences website.

Can I move in early?

Information about early arrival can be found on the Early Arrival Policy page.

Can I cancel my contract?

Learn more about contract cancellation policies for incoming students here and for returning students here.

If I am permitted to live on campus, do I have to move my items home for Winter Break? Will Winter Break housing be available?

Most undergraduate residence halls and residential colleges will close at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 14, 2024. Students can leave their belongings in their rooms over the Winter Break period.

Undergraduate students who selected the Continuous Housing option do not need to move out for Winter Break. Students who do not live in one of these buildings but have questions about Winter Break housing should contact housing@northwestern.edu.

When are you mailing out information regarding first-year housing, and the housing contract?

Residential Services does not mail out housing brochures or contracts. An email will be sent to all incoming first-year students when the online housing contract becomes available on March 1 at 9:00am CDT. All materials necessary to complete the contracting process are available through the Housing Portal. 

What if I missed the May 1 housing prepayment deadline?

If you miss the May 1 housing prepayment deadline, it is still possible to make your prepayment online. Students who have made their prepayment by the May 1 deadline will be given first consideration with regard to housing preferences. 

When is the housing contract due?

First-year housing contracts need to be completed by June 1 at 5:00pm CDT. First-year students who do not submit the contract by the deadline can still contract for housing online, but the likelihood of being assigned to a listed housing preference is substantially lower. 

Are first-year housing assignments made on a 'first come, first served' basis? Do early decision admits get preference in housing assignments?

No, there is no advantage to completing your housing contract on April 1 rather than June 1. All completed housing contracts submitted by June 1 are given equal consideration. You may update your housing contract as needed before 5:00 p.m. on June 1 without affecting your contract submission order. In other words, you will not be penalized for updating or changing any of your preferences. Early Decision and Regular Decision admits have the same deadline, and we do not track these groups when making housing assignments. 

You can update your housing or room preferences and/or submit your residential college or special interest housing personal statements via the Housing Portal. 

I am an athlete. Do I need to fill out the online housing contract?

Yes. You cannot receive an assignment until you have completed and submitted an online contract. There are no specific buildings, floors, or rooms reserved for athletes. If you want to request a roommate, you must do so by indicating their name and NetID on the housing contract. 

How are the answers on my housing contract used to make my housing assignment?

As an admitted first-year student, you are guaranteed a space to live on campus. There are many types of living communities at Northwestern. Your responses to the contract questions will help Residential Services better assign you to a community that offers you a rewarding residential experience. 

Residential Services cannot guarantee a specific type of assignment for a roommate, single-occupancy room, or residence hall, even if requested. 

How do I apply for a residential college?

The residential college section of the housing contract is clearly marked. Incoming first-year and transfer students may apply for them by listing the residential college or colleges in which they are interested. Those students are prompted to submit a short personal statement as part of their housing contract in a space provided. 

If you are admitted to a residential college, you will receive a welcome letter from the Faculty Chair soon after Residential Services sends out specific room assignments in early August. 

My friend and I want to be roommates - how can we make this request?

There is a place on the housing contract to indicate your roommate preference. Mutual roommate requests entered by June 1 will be honored.

How can I find out which building are air conditioned/carpeted/co-ed/have suite style rooms/have food service in them?

For an at-a-glance view of popular building features, see this table of campus residences organized by residential area. You are responsible for deciding which amenities are important to you and for examining the building descriptions to find the residence hall or residential college that will best suit your needs. 

I received my housing assignment in August but want to request a change. What steps should I take?

If you are interested in requesting a change to your 2024-2025 room assignment and want to submit a wait list application, the wait list application is available on the Housing Portal until 11:59pm on Sunday, August 4, 2024.

If you are requesting a mutual room swap with another student, in the comments, you will need to include the person’s name and NetID that you are requesting to swap with and both students should submit the wait list application. Please note that you must be eligible for the space you're looking to swap into. For example, if a space is designated as a female space, the swap must be with another female-identified student. Residential Services will contact students via email if we are able to make room changes based on the waitlist application. Your room assignment will remain unchanged until you are contacted.

Please note that all spaces in residence halls and residential colleges are assigned so there are few opportunities for room changes.  

  All room changes that are possible will be made by 5:00pm on Friday, August 9, 2024. After this period, there is a “housing freeze” where no additional room changes will be permitted prior to October 7, 2024. Incoming first-year students and transfer students will be able to add their name to the waiting list for a room change or request room changes via mutual swap starting Tuesday, September 24, 2024, the first day of Fall quarter.  

Can freshman live in a single or triple rooms? What is the likelihood of being able to select a single or a triple room?

Most first-years live in double rooms. There are very few single and triple rooms on campus, most of which are assigned to upper-class students. In the event that single and/or triple rooms are available, it may be possible to assign you to one of these rooms.

How can I find out which building have single, double, or triple rooms?

Please visit ourRoom Rates page for an at-a-glance view of room types available by building. For an at-a-glance view of room types alongside popular building features, see thistable of campus residencesorganized by residential area. While many buildings may have a mix of singles, doubles and triples, it does not mean that all room types listed for each building will be available in the pool of existing rooms for incoming first-year and transfer students. Most single rooms in these buildings are already assigned to upperclassmen, unless otherwise noted.