Apply for Housing: First-Year Students
NOTE: A $150 non-refundable fee is required to start the application. Please consider this before starting your application.
2025-2026 Housing Application Process
All first-year students are required to live on campus unless they are commuting from their primary guardian's permanent address within a 50-mile radius of campus.
Students who participate in dual-enrollment programs or ECA while in high school are considered first-year students.
We will begin granting access to eligible students to apply for 25/26 as of Thursday, 8/14. To be eligible for housing, students must be registered for the minimum number of credit hours required to live on campus:
- For undergraduate students, you need to be registered for at least 7 credit hours.
- Registration takes one business day to populate into our system. This means you will not be able to apply for housing the same day you register.
If you would like to apply for housing, please send an email to [email protected] with the following:
- SUBJECT LINE: Need to Apply 25/26
- Within your email, please include your name and E number.
Starting 8/14, we will respond to your email with information on how to apply, provided you are eligible.
Eligible late applicants will be given access to complete the contract, submit their $150 non-refundable application fee, and complete the demographic pages of the application before they stop on a page titled "Assignment Pending".
Assignments will be made at random and at the discretion of Housing. Housing will ask applicants for their first and second building preferences via email. Late applicants do not get to request roommate or suite-mates. Availability is explained in a tab below.
Once an assignment has been made, the students will be directed to return to their application to complete the remaining required application pages to finalize the assignment. The Assignment Summary & Information page is the last page of the process and serves as confirmation of completion.
Application Overview
Please read through all of the information in the tabs below for a step-by-step explanation of the application process. It is extremely important that all students take the time to read through this information before starting the application process.
$150 Application Fee Expand dropdownAll students, regardless of scholarship/financial aid status, are required to submit a non-refundable $150 fee at the start of the housing application.
Since the $150 is a fee, students should be aware that this fee is not a deposit or prepayment, and the fee is not applied to their student account in any way.
This fee cannot be waived or charged to the student account.
The housing application accepts credit cards and debit cards that work without PINs. The system will not accept debit-only cards (PIN required for use) or prepaid cards.
The application fee must be paid via the housing application. The student cannot mail in a fee payment or pay the fee in person.
Housing & Dining Contract Expand dropdownFor Students Aged 18 or Older:
Students who are 18 years of age or older will complete an electronic version of the Housing & Dining Contract directly within the application process. No additional signatures are required beyond the student’s own acknowledgment.
For Students Under 18:
Students who have not yet reached the age of 18 at the time of application are required to have a parent or legal guardian co-sign the Housing & Dining Contract before they can proceed with the application process. The application will prompt students to provide their legal guardian's contact information and automatically email a blank co-sign contract to both the student and the guardian.
Review and Accountability:
Students and their legal guardians are expected to review the contract together thoroughly. Legal guardians should ensure their student understands the terms and conditions of the contract, as students will be held accountable for complying with these terms. For any questions or clarifications, please contact us at [email protected] before signing and submitting this legally binding document.
Uploading the Co-Signed Contract:
After both the student and legal guardian have signed the co-sign contract, the student must scan the completed document as a PDF and upload it to the application portal. Detailed instructions for scanning and uploading the co-signed contract are provided on the relevant pages of the application process.
Approval Process of Co-Signed Contract:
After uploading or sending your co-signed contract to [email protected], make sure the "review my contract" box is checked on the up-load page. When you check this box, it notifies staff to review your contract. Not checking that box will result in delayed processing.
Upon staff review, students will get an email from Housing regarding the status of their contract: Approved or Not Approved. Your email will explain the next steps in the process or explain what is needed to approve your contract.
PLEASE BE ADVISED, IT MAY TAKE UP TO FIVE (5) BUSINESS DAYS FOR YOUR SUBMITTED CONTRACT TO BE REVIEWED. Please keep an eye on your email for updates.
Roommate Matching Questions Expand dropdownThe application includes questions for roommate/suite-mate matching.
We strongly recommend that students answer these questions honestly and personally to ensure the best possible match.
Avoid allowing anyone else to fill out these answers on your behalf, as they reflect your preferences and habits.
Personal Description Expand dropdownAll students are required to write a short personal description, even if they already have a preferred roommate. This description helps other students, including potential suite-mates, learn more about you.
Students who include their social media handles in their descriptions often find it easier to connect and communicate with potential roommates.
Your description can be up to 500 characters, including spaces. To make the process easier, we recommend drafting your description in a word processing document to track your character count. Once finalized, you can copy and paste it into the text box.
Suggestions for what to include:
- Your likes and dislikes
- Interests and hobbies
- Any other details that are important for potential roommates to know about you
Pick Your Swipe Meal Plan Expand dropdownSwipe meal plans are REQUIRED for all first-year students. Swipe meal plans are the primary way students pay for food and beverages on campus. All plans include a set "swipe" allowance for students to gain entrance into the Commons or to purchase a set meal exchange in other locations. All plans also come with a set number of Flex Dollars, which students can use for smaller purchases or extra items.
First-year residents pick from the following meal plan options:
- Anytime @ the Commons
- 3 Per Day
- 2 Per Day
For all three of the plans above, students can elect to purchase more Flex when selecting their meal plan within the housing application.
Review Assignment Information Expand dropdownThe Assignment Summary & Information page is the final page of the housing application that students can access at this time. This page serves as your confirmation that you have completed your housing application.
This page displays your selected meal plan and room reservation details.
Please note that you will not receive an email or any other notification confirming your housing assignment. Why? Housing reserves the right to consolidate students or modify assignments at any time. Any changes will be reflected in real-time on this page.
What housing types are available to first-year students?
First year students are eligible to reside Double Rooms in Walton, Putnam, Phelps, Sellers, Wise, and Downing. First-year students are not eligible for single rooms during their first year on campus (for the duration of the 2025-2026 year).
First-year students who require a single room for medical reasons must work with the Disability Resource Center as early as possible in order to be approved for this room type.
The majority of our first-year spaces are double room suites. A suite consists of two rooms, connected by a bathroom or other living space.
A double is a room that you will share with a roommate, and share common spaces like a bathroom, with another set of two students. This means that four students are assigned to each double suite - two students per room. Please see the residence hall options for floor plans and what comes in each space.
Wise Hall is the only residence hall that is a little different. All rooms in Wise are double rooms. Students do not have suite-mates in Wise due to the community bathroom. Students who select Wise will share the bedroom with another student and share the community bathroom with the floor. Please see the Wise Hall page for floor plan information and what comes in the space.
What housing is available for selection for Fall 2025?
Availability by residence hall as of August 12:
- Phelps: Many beds available.
- Sellers: Many beds available.
- Wise: Limited beds available.
- Putnam: Limited Beds available.
- Downing: Very limited spaces.
Walton is sold out, except for very limited spaces in our SPECTRUM community.
Random bed spaces in sold-out buildings may become available as cancellations are processed.
I am in TRIO or the College Supports Program (CSP). Is there anything I need to do?
Living in designated TRIO or College Supports Program (CSP) spaces requires that you apply for those programs and be accepted into them to be assigned housing in those areas.
If you plan on being in any of these programs, Housing recommends that you apply and submit your application fee as soon as possible, and then communicate this to your program.
If you plan to reside in the TRIO program area in Wise Hall, DO NOT search for roommates or create a roommate group of two.
Please complete all pages of the application through the personal description. At that point, log out and let your program know that you have applied for housing. Housing will reach back out to you to complete the application once your program makes your assignment.
I am a Division I Student-Athlete. Is there anything I need to do?
Student-athletes need to apply, submit their application fee, and complete all pages of the application through the personal description.
At that point, log out and let your coach know that you have applied for housing. DO NOT search for roommates or create a roommate group of two.
Athletics makes your assignments over the summer, and then communicates this to housing. Once housing has been given an assignment for you, we'll let you know via email and provide further directions for completing your application.
I have an approved housing accommodation - what should I do?
If you have been approved for a housing accommodation (such as a single-in-suite) through EMU's DRC, you must work directly with Housing regarding your assignment.First-year students should not reserve a space if they have a housing accommodation. If you do, Housing will assume that you do not need assistance and are choosing to reside in the space, even if it does not meet the needs listed on your Letter of Accommodation.Once an LOA is issued, Housing will reach out to the student via email to discuss housing options. The student needs to reply to that email. Housing will then make an assignment for the student and reply with directions on how to complete their housing application.
Policy Statements Expand dropdownAll RESIDENTs living in our Residence Halls or Apartments must be prepared to live in bedrooms/suites and occupy other shared housing spaces with students who have emotional support animals (ESAs), service animals, or other housing-related accommodations.
Students with approved ESAs and service animals can be assigned anywhere on campus and at any time. Housing does not give notice regarding this matter.
Students and RESIDENTs do not have the option to opt-out or refuse a roommate/suitemate who has an approved emotional support animal(s) (ESAs), service animals, or other housing-related accommodations.
If a student/resident is assigned a roommate/suitemate with an ESA, service animal, or other housing-related accommodation and the student/resident has an issue, the student/resident is welcome to request a change and enter the room change process (pending availability). The student/resident with the approved accommodation will not be asked to move.
If students/residents assigned to a space have competing or contradictory accommodations, the first accommodation on file with Housing will take precedence in and over the space. Any accommodation(s) on file after the first for the assigned space will not be honored in the space and impacted students, regardless of having an accommodation, will be required to move to another location where their accommodation can be honored.
If THE RESIDENT tries to decline a roommate and/or suitemate with an approved ESA, service animal, or other housing-related accommodation or creates an unwelcoming environment to try to avoid getting a roommate and/or suitemate with an approved ESA, service animal, or other housing-related accommodation, the RESIDENT will be sent through the student conduct process, may face additional fees, and Housing reserves the right to reassign the non-compliant RESIDENT to another space on campus at Housing’s discretion.
If a student/resident has a severe phobia/allergy to animals commonly used as ESAs or service animals, they must register and be approved for accommodation through the Disability Resource Center to avoid being assigned to a space with approved ESAs or service animals.
Meal Plan Policies Expand dropdownA meal plan is required for all students living in the residence halls (Walton, Putnam, Phelps, Sellers, Wise, and Downing).
All first-year students/residents are required to purchase a meal plan through the housing application, regardless of where they live.
Upper-class students/residents who live in any of our residence halls (Walton, Putnam, Phelps, Sellers, Wise, and Downing) are required to purchase a meal plan via the housing application.
Upper-class students/residents who live in the Village or any of our apartment options (Lakeview, Westview, Cornell, or 601 WF) are not required to purchase a meal plan.
To change a meal plan, the student can email a request to [email protected]. This email must come from the student and include the student's E number and what change they would like to make.
Requests to change the swipe meal plans will be accepted through September 15 for the Fall semester and January 15 for the Winter semester. After this deadline, no requests to change the meal plan will be honored, no matter what class level the student is or where they reside.
Changes and cancellations of all VOLUNTARY FLEX PLANS work differently:
Any Flex Dollar amount you select to purchase through the housing application is voluntary, and you can change or fully cancel additional flex dollars purchased through the housing application up until August 20, 2025.
As of the Housing & Dining Contract start date (Thursday, 8/21), you can only change or fully cancel your voluntary flex if you have not used ANY of the flex dollars or additional bonus dollars associated with the purchase.
If you have used any of your voluntary flex dollars, we cannot make any changes to your selection or cancel your flex.Meal Plan Options Expand dropdownYou are required to select a mandatory meal plan (also called a swipe plan) through the housing application. After you reserve a space in the housing application, you will be prompted to select a plan.
Swipe Plan options you can pick from include:
- Anytime at the Commons, which includes $200 Flex Dollars
- 3 Per Day, which includes $200 Flex Dollars
- 2 Per Day, which includes $200 Flex Dollars
After you select which swipe plan you want from the above options, you have the opportunity to purchase more Flex Dollars via the housing application if needed.
Where can I find my meal plan info? Expand dropdownIf you don't recall what plan(s) you signed up for, you can review this information on the Assignment Summary & Information page of your 25/26 housing application.
Students have access to the Assignment Summary & Information page anytime the application is actively open. If the application is closed, you will not have access to review this page until the application reopens.
How can i change my meal plan? Expand dropdownTo change a meal plan, you can email a request to [email protected]. This email must come from you (the student) and include your E number and what change you want to make.
To change a meal plan, the student can email a request to [email protected]. This email must come from the student and include the student's E number and what change they would like to make.
Requests to change the swipe meal plans will be accepted through September 15 for the Fall semester and January 15 for the Winter semester. After this deadline, no requests to change the meal plan will be honored, no matter what class level the student is or where they reside.
Changes and cancellations of all VOLUNTARY FLEX PLANS work differently:
Any Flex Dollar amount you select to purchase through the housing application is voluntary, and you can change or fully cancel additional flex dollars purchased through the housing application up until August 20, 2025.
As of the Housing & Dining Contract start date (Thursday, 8/21), you can only change or fully cancel your voluntary flex if you have not used ANY of the flex dollars or additional bonus dollars associated with the purchase.
If you have used any of your voluntary flex dollars, we cannot make any changes to your selection or cancel your flex.
Can I cancel my housing? Expand dropdownIt depends!
Between now and move-in, students can cancel their housing application. We ask that students try to cancel their applications as soon as they know they will not be living with us, as other students who need housing may be waiting for spaces to become available.
Once a student takes occupancy (receives access to their assigned space), they are bound to the terms and conditions of the contract.
Our cancellation policy is detailed in our Housing & Dining Contract, which all students read through as part of the housing application process.
How can I request to cancel? Expand dropdownStudents may cancel the contract before the contract start date/before move-in by requesting a cancellation, in writing via email only, to the Housing and Residence Life main email account ([email protected]).
Written cancellations must be sent via the student’s EMU email account to [email protected] and include the student's full legal name, EID number, and reason for cancellation.
Cancellation of the contract, regardless of the reason, will result in a forfeiture of the entire application fee amount.