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Undergraduate Room Change Procedure

Room Changes for First-Year Students

First-year students are not eligible to change rooms until Winter Quarter. The first date that first-year students may request a room change is the first day of classes for Winter Quarter. Forms are processed in the order that they are received, by timestamp. The Housing Office is open from 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday and is located at:

Northwestern University
2122 Sheridan Road, Suite 150
Evanston, Illinois, 60201

Room Changes for Transfer Students and Upperclassmen

Transfer students and Upperclassmen who did not make a room change request when they signed their housing contract may make one starting on the first day of Fall Quarter classes.

All Students Requesting To Change Rooms

Students can add themselves to waiting lists for up to 3 buildings, and can specify what type of room (i.e. a single or a double) that they wish to wait for. If you wish to move with a specified roommate, you should both turn in room change paperwork together.

You should fill out a waiting list request form even if you asking to change rooms within the same building, or are planning on a mutual room swap with another student.

If you list a residential college, you must either already live in that college or be a non-resident member of that college to be eligible for a room in that building. Spaces in a residential college will be filled only by resident or non-resident members of that college. The Faculty Chair of the residential college must approve any move into the building.

Adding yourself to a waiting list for a building puts you on that waiting list for Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. As always, room changes are predicated on availability, and there are no guarantees that we will be able to accommodate your request regardless of the number of spaces that may open up in the building that you request.

If we are able to accommodate your request, you will get an email to your Northwestern email account, asking you to come pick up room change paperwork in the office of Undergraduate housing. Typically, it takes students a few days to complete and return the paperwork, at which time the move is approved, and a schedule for tenancy in the new room and vacancy of your old assignment is worked out. The office of Undergraduate housing will let Residential Life know that you have changed rooms, so that they can then make the necessary arrangements to have your mail forwarded to your new campus address. The online student directory updates automatically with your new address and phone number about 7 days after your room change paperwork is completed and turned in.

Visit the NU Housing Portal.