Housing Renewal 2023

Apply to Renew

Renewal Stages

1. Apply February 1 - March 1:

Apply online anytime during the renewal application period. The application includes selecting a meal plan, creating a roommate profile and accepting the Housing Agreement. All on-time applications are entered into the lottery draw. Late applications are placed on hold pending space availability. Renewal applicants do not need to pay another housing security deposit; your current housing deposit serves as your renewal deposit.

Renewal Application and Priority Deadline: March 1

2. Renewal Lottery: Determines Eligibility - Posted 5 p.m. on March 9

All on-time Renewal applicants are entered into the Renewal lottery. Any applicant chosen in the lottery becomes eligible to use Roommate Manager to search for and create a roommate group. Late applications are placed on hold pending space availability.

3. Create Roommate Groups from March 10 - May 1:

Eligible applicants may use Roommate Manager to search for and/or create roommate groups. Room Selection Priority is given to residents who create roommate groups, and then by priority date.

Roommate Selection Deadline: May 1

4. Room Selection Times - Posted on May 5

5. Room Selection runs from May 8 - May 25:

All Renewal applicants who are eligible after Lottery may select their room online during this time. Room Selection Priority is given to residents who create roommate groups, and then by priority date. Renewers in Roommate Groups will select rooms in order depending on group size. Those not in a group will follow groups in the room selection process.

Renewal room Selection Phases:

  • Phase A: May 8-9 (Roommate Groups of 3+)
  • Phase B: May 10-12 (Roommate Pairs)
  • Phase C: May 15-19 (Free Selection)
  • Phase D: May 22-25 (Last chance to change rooms)

Please note: if you do not select a room by May 25, your Renewal Application will be cancelled. If you have chosen a room you may still cancel fall housing prior to June 15 without penalty.

Returning Resident Renewal Cancellation Timeline

Cancellations Received after:

  • June 1 results in a $200 fee
  • July 1 results in a $400 fee
  • August 1 results in a $600 fee

To cancel your housing, email housing.wwu.edu with the following:

  • Name
  • W#
  • Change Fall Housing Status to one of the following options:
    • You want to cancel housing for the 2022-2023 academic year

Current campus residents wanting on-campus housing for next year must go through the housing renewal process. (See Renewal Stages below).

If you are not a current on-campus resident, visit our Housing Timeline for information on how to apply.

On this page

Looking for information about living off campus?

Off Campus Living  house

Eligibility

Housing renewal is reserved for current campus residents with matriculated student status. Renewers must maintain their renewal eligibility for the remainder of the current academic year. If you do not fulfill the terms of the Housing Agreement, your housing renewal for 2023-24 will be cancelled.

Note: current residents doing a study abroad or internship for spring quarter 2023 may be eligible for housing renewal. Contact University Housing for more information.

Those who are not eligible for housing renewal include:

  • New incoming freshmen and transfers for fall 2023.
  • Current residents who have not been granted formal admission to Western.
  • Current residents attending other colleges.
  • Students currently living off campus.

Housing Appeals

University Residences provides an avenue for students who experience contractual difficulties (such as Housing Application on hold due to space availability, disagreement with the assessment of a housing charge against their account, etc).

Renewal appeals should address extenuating circumstances that require you to live on campus and receive a place in the lottery ahead of other renewers. Submit your appeal by April 15, and responses will be sent by the end of April.

Housing Appeals

Room and Board Rates

For room and board costs, refer to the rates for the current year. Please note that meal plans are required in residence halls and optional in Birnam Wood Apartments.

Not sure where you want to live?

Check out our showrooms to get a feel for the different communities on campus.

Explore the Buildings

Plan Ahead

Pick Your Room

Before your assigned room-selection time, you may want to review housing options and explore the buildings.

Be aware of other factors that may impact your room selection:

  • High-demand buildings are typically Birnam Wood, Buchanan Towers and BT East.
  • Single rooms are scarce and do not exist in Birnam Wood. Half of the 80 singles on campus are reserved for disability accommodation.
  • About 10 percent of rooms are withheld from the room-selection process to reserve space for live-in staff and disability accommodation for students.
  • University Residences reserves the right to consolidate partially populated suites or apartments to equalize gender availability and make space for roommates and suitemates.
  • Special program communities can only be selected by students approved to participate in those programs:
    • Black Affinity Housing: A Living Learning Community in Alma Clark Glass.
    • La Comunidad Housing: A Living Learning Community in Higginson.
    • Honors Program: Edens Hall, Edens North and parts of Higginson is reserved for students enrolled in the Honors Program. Contact Honors for more information.
    • Pride Housing: An LGBTQ+ Living Learning Community in Alma Clark Glass.
    • Viking Launch: An early arrival academic program with options in Ridgeway Kappa or Fairhaven.
  • During room-selection you get to choose the room you want, and if you have a confirmed roommate, you will pull them into the room.

Substance-Free

Look for substance-free room types in room selection if you want to live in these communities.

Tour the Buildings

Housing has 360 panoramas of most room types. Check out the interactive room tours on Explore the Buildings.

How Do I Create a Roommate Group?

To create a fall roommate group, Renewers must do the following:

  1. Both you and your roommate(s) must apply for housing during the Feb. 1 thru Mar. 1 application period.
  2. This enters your application into the Renewal Lottery. Applicants will either become eligible for Room Selection or be placed on the Renewal waitlist.
  3. Between March 10 and May 1: Renewers who are become eligible for Room Selection may use Roommate Manager to search for and/or create a roommate group using the tool.
  4. All eligible Roommate Manager users may pair up with anyone else in Roommate Manager (i.e. with new freshmen or transfers).
  5. In order to invite someone, one of you must be the group leader - meaning they will create the group, give the group a name and choose a password
  6. You will need to contact your roommate(s) and share the group name and password with them so they can log in to the portal and join your group to confirm the group
  7. You must request and have your roommate(s) confirm your group on or before May 1
  8. Once confirmed, your MyHousing Dashboard should reflect your roommate group status
  9. Group leaders can dissolve their own groups using the Cancel Group button that appears at the bottom of the main page (down below profile info).

Requesting a Roommate that Currently Lives Off Campus

It is not likely the two of you could be roommates on campus next year. Unlike new students (who are guaranteed housing), current off-campus students wanting on-campus housing for next year are considered on a space-available basis in August or September. Since off-campus students are not eligible for renewal, you cannot add them to your room.

Disability Accommodation

Renewers with Current Accommodations

If you meet all renewal deadlines and you are selected in the lottery draw, you will be pre-assigned to your current room for the 2023-24 academic year. Students with a single room accommodation who are currently in super-singles will be pre-assigned to designed singles where available. You will then have the option to select a different room during the Room Selection process if you choose. 

New Accommodations 

Many rooms are withheld from the room selection process to reserve them for accommodations. If you have a need that requires one of these rooms, complete the accommodation process with the Disability Access Center for Students by February 15. If you meet all renewal/accommodation deadlines and you are selected in the lottery draw, you will be assigned to a room that meets your needs based on availability prior to the start of Room Selection. 

Off-Campus Living

If you are thinking of moving off campus, Western’s Off-Campus Living provides an up-to-date hub of rental resources and useful advice as a guide for safe and responsible living.