ROOMMATE OPTIONS
The Roommate Experience
The residential experience is designed to help you learn about yourself, and how to live and work with others. These learning outcomes begin with your roommate experience — even if you knew your roommate before coming to Western. Some students are nervous about sharing a room, and others are eager to meet new people and get involved. Either way, your roommate experience will teach you something about yourself, and even more about others, relationships and community.
On this page
Incoming for Fall 2026?
This page is undergoing updates for the upcoming application cycle. Please check back in January for the most up-to-date information!
Fall Quarter Applicants
Housing Gender
Your Gender Preferences May Affect Your Roommate Choices
During the housing application process, you selected a housing gender (male, female, or neutral), and a room gender (gendered or all-gender). For more information, visit Housing & Room Gender.
Want to change your housing gender? Send an email to housing@wwu.edu with your name, Western ID #, and what you want changed.
Gendered: The gendered housing option indicates you would like to room with student(s) of the same housing gender identity.
All-Gender: The all-gender housing option indicates you are comfortable rooming with student(s) of any gender identity, including those that might be different to your own.
Option 1
Search Online for a Compatible Roommate
Once you've applied for housing, confirmed your admission to Western, and submitted your housing prepayment, you will have the option of searching for potential roommates via Roommate Manager in MyHousing. Finding someone with characteristics similar to your own, such as academic interests, religious beliefs, food allergies, etc. can be a good place to start!
Once you find a roommate, follow the directions below to select a room with a specific student!
Option 2
Select a Room with Somone You Know
To be roommates with specific student(s), you will simply each need to select the same room during Room Selection in the MyHousing portal. We recommend you log in at the same time as your desired roommate(s) so everyone sees the same list of available rooms. Once you and your desired roommate(s) decide which room to live in, each of you will then select a bed within that room. Being in communication with each other (phone call, etc.) will make this easier.
For more information on selecting a room, visit Room Selection.
Option 3
Don't Have a Specific Student to Room With?
If you choose not to find a roommate in advance and pick the same room together, you can also wait until Room Selection. You will be able to see student profiles in rooms within Room Selection.
If you select a vacant room or do not select a room, a roommate will select or be assigned to your room.
Winter & Spring Applicants
Roommate Search is available for fall housing applicants only, due to space constraints for incoming mid-year residents. A roommate will be assigned to you based upon the roommate profile you created in your winter or spring housing application. If you know the person you wish to invite as your roommate, invites are granted on a space available basis; both of you must email housing@wwu.edu to confirm the invite.
Roommate Invitation Deadline
Winter Quarter: Dec. 1
Spring Quarter: March 15
What Makes Roommates Successful?
Your resident advisor will be your first point of contact regarding roommate-related issues or concerns. To ensure a good start, you and your roommate(s) will meet with your resident advisor within the first two weeks of the term. Successful roommate relationships do not happen by accident; they require intentional behavior, communication and self-awareness:
- Getting to know each other before you arrive. Send messages through MyHousing. Try talking on the phone or video instead of texting.
- Sharing room organization decisions.
- Respectful and honest communication.
- Setting and maintaining limits on noise, visitors, and quiet hours.
- Respecting each other's values & prospectives.
- Protecting the safety and security of the room.
- Being mindful of own behavior and the impact on others.
- Not expecting to be best friends; successful roommates can just be friendly, open, and respectful.
- Asking their permission when borrowing items.