Room Selection FAQs
For 2026-2027 Housing
How do I sign up for Housing for the 2026-2027 academic year?
Students apply by completing the 2026–2027 Housing Application in the Housing & Dining Portal.
- Rising Juniors and Seniors: Apply and participate in Fall Housing Selection Process
- Rising Sophomores: Apply and participate in Spring Housing Selection Process
Please refer to your specific Housing Selection Process for dates.
Who should – and who may – sign up for Housing?
- Rising Juniors and Rising Seniors: The housing application and selection process occurs in fall of the year prior to the year you are seeking on-campus housing.
- Rising Sophomores: A Spring Housing Selection application is required, and participation occurs in the spring prior to the year you are seeking on-campus housing.
Does it matter when I sign up for Housing?
You may sign up at any point in the application submission window for your process (fall for rising juniors and seniors; spring for rising sophomores). Timeslots are not assigned until after the application deadline, so there is no advantage to applying earlier within the window.
However, submitting earlier helps the Housing Office better understand demand and provide more accurate guidance to students ahead of Room Selection.
Is assigning timeslots fair?
Yes. All timeslots are randomly generated by our housing platform. Individuals and blocks have the same chance of getting an early timeslot as they do a later timeslot. The earlier your timeslot, the better your chances of securing your top choice housing.
What happens if my class code is listed incorrectly?
When you apply, the Housing & Dining Portal displays your current class code (first-year student, sophomore, junior, or senior) as assigned by the Office of the University Registrar (OUR).
If your class code is incorrect, contact the Housing Office immediately by submitting an online request or calling (607) 255-5368. Failure to correct an error may disadvantage you during your intended selection process.
How can I find out more about my housing options?
Visit Upper-level Undergraduate On Campus Housing and review individual community webpages for full descriptions and photographs.
Where can I find housing rates?
Final housing rates are published in March prior to the academic year on the Rates, Amenities & Contracts pages at housing.cornell.edu.
What is Housing Selection? Are there different Room Selection processes?
There are two Housing Selection processes:
- Fall Housing Selection: For rising juniors and seniors.
- Spring Housing Selection: Required for rising sophomores.
During these processes, students select a specific room from available upper-level designated buildings. Students can also indicate new or continued interest in living in a Program House.
University-owned Co-Ops, sororities, fraternities, and other approved Affiliated Houses have separate application processes. Rising sophomores must indicate participation in one of these options on their housing application before it closes..
If I sign up for Housing, do I have to participate in Spring Housing Selection?
Yes. All rising sophomores must complete Spring Housing Selection unless they are approved to live in:
- A sorority or fraternity house,
- One of the eight University-owned Co-Ops,
- An affiliated house
- Receive an approved exemption by April 6.
You must notify Housing & Residential Life by March 15 in your housing application. Failure to do so may result in cancellation fees. Please refer to the cancellation fee schedule.
When will my Room Selection timeslot be?
Timeslots are generated after the application deadline. You will be notified via email and in the Housing and Dining Portal.
Which housing options are available during Spring Housing Selection?
During Spring Housing Selection, you may select a room in any of the upper-level designated buildings depending on the availability at the time of their selection.
How many students receive each Room Selection timeslot?
The number of students assigned to a specific timeslot is dependent on the class size and interest in living on campus. Based on past years’ processes, there are about 65-70 students assigned to 20-minute timeslots.
Can I trade Room Selection timeslots with another student? Or let another student use my timeslot if I’m not going to use it?
No.
What happens during Spring Housing Selection?
At the beginning of your timeslot, sign in to the Housing and Dining Portal and pick your room, and your blockmates' rooms if you are in a block. Once you select a room(s), you will be asked to electronically accept the housing Terms and Conditions and sign your housing license. All signed housing licenses are legally binding, and you should read thoroughly.
NOTE: Please do NOT attempt to log in before your timeslot begins, or log in from more than one computer, as multiple attempts may result in system failure.
How should I prepare ahead of Spring Housing Selection?
Follow the steps listed on the Room Selection Instructions page. Before your timeslot, refer to these resources in the Housing and Dining Portal: Bed Availability Report and Floor Plans. Look carefully at all three types of documents: the Bed Availability Report, the Bed Availability by Room Report, and view Floor Plans.
If you are a rising junior or senior, please refer to the instructions section of the Fall Housing Selection page.
How do I live with my friends?
“Blocking” allows you to live with one to four of your cohorts, for a total group of up to five students. When you sign up for Spring Housing Selection, the Block page will allow you to create or join a block. Each block has one designated block leader that is responsible for assigning everyone in the block to any space within the same building.
Who can be in my block?
All students must have a housing application to be eligible to join a block. Students can only block with those who are going through the same room selection process.
How can we change a block leader if necessary?
The block leader can reassign block leader responsibilities to another student in the group through the portal at any time before the application closes. After closing, you may submit an inquiry on our help page and a member of the housing team will update your block leader for you.
Are you able to change blocks once you have joined?
A student may remove themselves from a block via the Housing and Dining Portal prior to the application deadline. After this time, students are no longer able to remove themselves from a block to join another block. After timeslots are released, your block timeslot is your timeslot even if you do not wish to continue with that block of friends. You will simply login to the Housing and Dining Portal during that timeslot and select your room yourself instead of having your block leader select for you. You may only be in one block at a time.
Can I live with someone of a different gender?
Yes, you can share a room or suite with someone of a different biological sex, gender, gender identity, or gender expression. Students can join a block with other students, regardless of the gender identity in the Housing & Dining Portal. Students will need to contact the Housing office during their timeslot as the system will not allow students who have different gender identities in the same room and will require an override from our office or they can request a proxy by our office.
What happens if our block selects gender-inclusive housing, but during Room Selection we do not fill the suite/ double / quad / triple and there is a vacant space?
That vacant space will be taken by another student who matches the gender identity of the currently assigned student or most prominent gender of all those assigned in our system.
Are rooms / suites pre-designated for male and female students?
During Room Selection, rooms / suites are pre-designated as male (“M”), female (“F”), or dynamic (“D”). A dynamic room / suite has its gender designation changed to male or female based on the gender of the first person who reserves a bed in the room / suite.
Which room configurations are available for blocking?
Each building is a blocking section. At predetermined periods during room selection, students may be restricted to only filling an entire room/suite or allowed to fill any available room space. Please refer to your process's specific details for more information.
If you wish to be in a different section than your block, please select for yourself during your timeslot. Blocking sections will be viewable before Room Selection through the Bed Availability Reports during Room Selection.
When blocking with friends, can we choose all single rooms?
This depends on which part of your specific room selection process we are on. Please refer to your process's specific details for more information.
When blocking with friends, do we have to “fill” each of the rooms, or the suite, that we block?
This depends on which part of your specific room selection process we are on. Please refer to your process's specific details for more information.
What if I’m not planning to live with anyone, or block with a group?
You can choose a single (if any are still available during your timeslot), choose a free bed in a partially occupied room, or choose a bed in an empty room (understanding that another student can select the remaining bed in your room).
Can I select a free bed in a room or suite in which other beds have already been reserved?
Yes. You may select any free bed that’s available to your gender marker during your timeslot. If blocking with friends, you may assign - or be assigned to - any free bed in the same blocking section as your friends’ beds.
How much time do I have to choose a room?
You may sign in to the Housing and Dining Portal as soon as your timeslot begins, or any time afterwards until Housing Selection ends (please see either the Fall Housing Selection Process for Rising Juniors and Seniors or the Spring Housing Selection for Rising Sophomores for process timelines). You have until the end of Room Selection to choose your room. But once you choose your room, you must reserve your room within four minutes of choosing it, and sign your license within five minutes to confirm and reserve your room choice. Please keep in mind that every 20 minutes, a new group of students will have access to the Housing and Dining Portal to select their rooms, so it is to your advantage to choose your room and sign your license as early as you can.
When do I sign my housing license?
As soon as you select your room online, you must accept the Terms and Conditions and electronically sign your housing license. If you do not sign your housing license by the end of the day, the room will NOT be held for you, nor will rooms for any roommates/blockmates who you may have assigned. If you are assigned by another student, you will receive a confirmation email as soon as your block leader assigns you to a room/bed and signs their license. Within twelve hours of this email being sent, you must log in to the Housing and Dining Portal at housing.cornell.edu to electronically sign your own housing license. If you do not, your room will NOT be held for you. Please note that all signed housing contracts are legally binding for the entire academic year.
Can I view the Terms and Conditions of my housing license before I sign my license? We encourage you to read the Terms and Conditions before Room Selection by visiting Rates, Amenities & Contracts. When you choose your room, you will be asked to accept the Terms and Conditions (also viewable in the Housing and Dining Portal during Spring Housing Selection) before signing your license. Your signature on the contract indicates knowledge and acceptance of the stipulations listed in this instructional information and in the Terms and Conditions.
Can I view the floor plans of buildings I’m interested in before Room Selection?
Floor plans will be viewable before and during Room Selection through the Bed Availability Reports and in the Floor Plan report in the Housing and Dining Portal. For the security of our residents, we do not post floor plans online for the general public to view. You may also visit the Housing Office to look at paper copies of floor plans.
What happens if you run out of rooms during Room Selection?
All students who have a residential requirement will participate in the Spring Housing Selection Process. During this process, all students will be able to select a bed. The Housing office will always make more beds available than students going through the process, so all students have some choice in their assignment.
For rising juniors and rising seniors, a wait list will be available to those who are still interested in living on campus. Offers will be made throughout the Academic Year and Summer to students who are on the wait list.
What if I don’t like any of the rooms left during my timeslot?
If you are subject to the residential requirement and you do not select a room during Spring Housing Selection and you do not hold a housing license for a program house, one of eight university-owned cooperative houses or have not received a housing assignment from an approved sorority or fraternity or affiliated property, you will be administratively assigned to and/or be bursar billed for housing.
What happens if I forget to sign up for Housing?
For rising sophomores, the housing application has been created for you and failure to select a room during the Spring Housing Selection Process will result in you being assigned to a room based on what is available after the process is complete.
What happens if I’m not available during my Housing Selection timeslot?
There are a number of reasons why you may not be available during your assigned time slot, including sports practice, academic commitments, religious observances, etc. If you cannot participate during your timeslot, you may:
- Sign in to the Housing and Dining Portal to choose your room any time after your timeslot, as long as it’s before Room Selection ends.
- Have a housing staff member serve as your proxy to choose your room for you during your timeslot, after which you will have 2 hours to log in to the housing portal to electronically sign your housing license. To request a proxy, you must submit an online request.
What is a proxy, and how do I submit a proxy request?
A proxy is a person who can act in your place during Room Selection, if you are unavailable during your timeslot due to academic reasons. To submit a proxy request, you must submit an online request. The Housing Office will select the best available space, based on your instructions, during your time slot. You will have two hours from the time of assignment to sign your license agreement. If there are no rooms available that match your preferences during your proxy timeslot, the housing office will not select a room for you and will instruct you to go in and select from what is available.
How does the housing Wait List work?
Sign up for the housing wait list by visiting housing.cornell.edu. Rising juniors and rising seniors who are interested in living on campus but cannot select a space during the Fall Housing Selection process, will be placed on the regular wait list. Obtaining a room assignment while on the wait list is not guaranteed. After the Fall Housing Selection process is complete, rising juniors and rising seniors in need of housing for the following academic year are encouraged to explore off-campus options and can reach out to our office for resources and more information.
What happens if I sign a housing license for a room, and then decide I don’t want the room? Or my plans change, and I won’t be on campus next semester/year?
All housing licenses are legally binding. As a general rule, license releases will not be granted, so you will have to keep the room you chose. However, approvals may be granted for students who meet our acceptable criteria. Rising sophomore students are not permitted to cancel their housing licenses unless they fall into one of the approved criteria. Rising juniors and seniors are permitted to cancel their license prior to moving in however will be held accountable to the fee structure outlined in the Housing License.
I have a disability or medical issue for which I need special accommodation. How do I apply?
Complete the registration process with Student Disability Services for housing accommodations by the deadline provided for your specific process; visit sds.cornell.edu for details. This process must be completed prior to the designated deadline. Rising sophomores with existing housing accommodation approvals through SDS do not need to renew or re-register unless you need to modify your accommodation. You will receive a timeslot for the SDS Room Selection process along with an Open Room Selection timeslot. Please note, if you fail to select an assignment during the SDS selection process, we can not guarantee that you will be able to select a room that meets your needs.
I’m a rising sophomore and am interested in living in the West Campus House System. What are my chances of securing a room – or a suite – in one of the Houses?
The number of students who wish to live on West Campus is greater than the number of available spaces. The majority of rising sophomores will live in residences on North Campus and South Campus. In past years, approximately 20% of rising sophomores were able to select spaces in the West Campus House System.
What are the differences among the West Campus Houses? How many suites are available?
Programmatically, the Houses are all similar in that they are faculty-led with high student engagement. Physically, each House has its own dining room, programming spaces, and accommodations for about 350 student residents. Becker House is made up of a single main building. Cook House, Bethe House, Keeton House, and Rose House are each made up of a main building plus affiliated Gothic buildings.
There are 152 suites spread among the new buildings on West Campus: Cook House has 16 suites; Becker House has 45 suites; Bethe House has 38 suites; Keeton House has 37 suites; and Rose House has 16 suites. The vast majority are 5-person suites with 3 singles, 1 double, a bathroom, and a sitting area, although there are also a handful of suites accommodating 4, 6, 7, and 10 students. Not all of these suites will be available during Fall and Spring Housing Selection.
I’m a rising junior or rising senior. What are my chances of securing on-campus housing?
Rising Junior and Rising Senior Housing Selection occurs in the fall. Space availability is limited, and the process is timed in a manner that will best allow you to explore off-campus housing options should you not secure space in on-campus housing for the following academic year. We do offer a wait list for students who are not able to select a room during the Fall Housing Selection process but still want to be considered for hHousing throughout the year.
I’m interested in living in a University Co-op. How do I apply?
First, apply for Housing so your information is in our system, and because later in the process you’ll sign your Co-op housing license online through the Housing and Dining Portal. The actual application and selection process for Co-ops is handled individually through each house. To apply to a Co-op (or Co-ops), please contact the house(s) in which you have interest – contact information can be found at housing.cornell.edu/cooperatives. To learn more about the Co-ops, take part in Co-op Mosey Open House which will be held each spring prior to Housing Selection.
What buildings have suite-style, corridor-style, or pod-style configurations?
Cornell University has a wide variety of residence halls in its housing portfolio, but in general, the buildings fall into one of two types of room configurations: traditional/corridor-style and suite-style. Learn more about which buildings have each style of configuration by visiting Residence Hall Configurations.