- What is Housing Selection?
- What is self-service?
- What is the importance of my lottery number, and what are the housing selection times?
- What happens if no space fits my group, or my group is not approved?
- I have a group of rising juniors and seniors; how do we secure a house/flat/suite for the group?
- I am in a group of sophomores and juniors/seniors. How do we sign up for space?
- What is the ideal group size?
- I submitted a group application, but the group membership has changed. What do I do?
- What are my odds at getting a single if I am a rising sophomore or junior?
- How do I sign up for an unaffiliated flat in Commencement?
- What is homesteading?
- What's a pull in?
- I am currently abroad, on leave, or otherwise unable to attend Housing Selection. What do I do?
- Can I sign up for housing if I am going abroad next year?
- I have a specific housing accommodation need. What do I do?
More questions about residential living policies and procedures? Read more information.
What is Housing Selection?
Housing Selection is when all current students may sign up for housing for the upcoming academic year. Unless you have been selected for themed housing, group placement, living in a Greek House, or studying abroad and working with Residence Life on housing placement, you will be selecting your housing online via myPugetSound. Students will be able to pick an assignment in the following order:
Rising juniors and seniors: Individuals will be able to pick their housing out of all available housing on a first-come, first-serve basis. Students will be able to pull in roommates up to the capacity of the room (i.e., double, triple, or quad), NOT the building or suite (i.e., house or Trimble suite). Groups comprised of rising juniors and seniors are encouraged to set up a time to self-select housing on individual devices simultaneously. For example, a group of rising sophomores that are interested in a specific house can log in to myPugetSound while on separate operating devices in Diversions and choose their own room in that house at that time.
Group Registration: Group registration is designed for groups containing rising sophomores. Any group of all juniors and seniors could apply for a group. However, by the time group registration self-service is turned on in mid-February, all members of that group would already be able to select their individual space as an agreed up location. Approved groups will be granted access to their designated suite or house, with individual members choosing their specific room within that space. Groups will be placed in suites or houses left vacant after juniors and seniors pick their housing.
Residence Life strongly recommends selecting as many suitable housing options from the housing application as possible, as juniors and seniors may fill highly desirable locations before becoming available to groups. Additionally, groups may submit more than one application as a back up to their priority. Please note in the housing application, the priority application. For example, a group interested in the one 8-person house on campus may submit a group application for that space and an additional two 4-person group applications as a contingency if the 8-person house is filled.
Rising Sophomores: Sophomores who have not already selected housing via group registration, are not a part of a Greek House, or are not a part of a themed living area, will be able to select their housing after spring break via myPugetSound. More details on this process will be posted early spring semester.
What is Self-Service?
Self-Service refers to the process of self-selecting a housing assignment. Rising juniors and seniors who are not members of an approved group, or are not already placed, will have access to self-services in mid-February. Those who have completed their housing contract at least 12 hours in advance will have access via myPugetSound to housing self-service starting at predetermined times based on students' class standing. Students will be able to see what housing is available, potential roommates/housemates/suitemates, and select a specific housing assignment such as "Trimble 125A." The availability of options will be updated in real-time. Once a selection is made, a confirmation screen will appear asking if the user is sure they want to submit their selection. Once a confirmation is made, the housing contract is binding for the full academic year. The self-service window will close about a month later.
Rising sophomores who are not members of an approved group or are not already placed will have access to self-service in late March. Several rooms will be available for sophomores not in groups to choose from, including rooms in RCC houses and suites and all remaining openings in Residence Halls not filled by rising juniors and seniors.
Read our Housing Selection Guide for more information about completing the housing contract and selecting housing in myPugetSound.
What is the importance of my lottery number, and what are the housing selection times?
Lottery numbers are randomly generated in the housing management system and are irrelevant to a housing selection time. The housing selection time drives the priority in which a student can choose their own specific housing assignment.
What happens if no space fits my group, or my group is not approved?
If there are no available locations that accommodate your group size, you may reduce your group size by removing members or forming two smaller groups.
Please keep in mind that not all houses and suites will be available after rising juniors and seniors have made their selections. All available options are included in the housing application to rank a group's preference. This does not indicate those options are necessarily available at the time of submission. Residence Life strongly recommends selecting as many suitable housing options from the housing application as possible.
I have a group of rising juniors and seniors; how do we secure a house/flat/suite for the group?
For rising juniors and seniors, the selection process is first-come, first-served starting at a predetermined time. Residence Life suggests one member of your group signs on at the earliest available time to select the house you’d like to live in. Each member of the group will need to select your specific room within that house individually, which you can do by logging in on separate devices simultaneously, or one at a time once a house is selected. Residence Life will not be able to “hold” rooms, though, so you’ll want to coordinate with your group timing.
I'm in a group of sophomores and juniors/seniors. How do we sign up for space together?
All seniors/juniors in the group should plan to sign up for the same housing location during their self-service time. Once one student has selected space, they may contact Residence Life to hold their group's remaining spaces. Residence Life will do the best we can to accommodate the group; however, priority will be given to houses comprised of all seniors, then all juniors, and then a mix of seniors and juniors.
This means it is incumbent on the rising juniors and seniors in the group to find a space for the group as soon as they can after self-service starts. Once the rising upper-division students have secured a suite/house, any member of the group may email reslife@pugetsound.edu to request that the sophomores in the group are manually assigned to the chosen location. Residence Life is unable to hold a space prior to self-service for the group. Note: Thomas Hall is not available for rising sophomores.
What is the ideal group size?
Group living communities such as campus houses, Trimble suits, and Thomas flats vary in size from 4-person suites to 7 person houses to 14 people Thomas flats. The majority of group housing options range between 4-6 persons in Trimble and Campus Houses. The diversity of ratio of singles to doubles in an on-campus house makes it difficult to determine the ideal group size and gender make-up for campus houses. Groups are encouraged to sign up for a space that exactly accommodates their group. However, smaller groups are able to sign up for housing in any location that accommodates their size. Because of this, smaller groups often have a better chance of finding housing that meets their goals. Large groups have more limited housing options.
Students are strongly encouraged to review all available photos, floor plans, and information on each of our residence halls and houses to make the best decision for them.
What are my odds at getting a single if I am a rising sophomore or junior?
There is no concrete way to determine your chances of selecting any specific room or type of housing. Historically, certain housing such as single rooms, have been filled early during selection while another housing has gone much later. As a rising junior, students likely have a better chance of finding a single room available in their preferred type of housing (campus house, Trimble, etc.). Rising sophomores have a lower chance of finding a single room, especially in their preferred housing type. Students are encouraged to think about what housing options would best fit their needs and interests and have multiple options to choose from.
How do I sign up for an unaffiliated flat in Thomas Hall?
Rooms in unaffiliated flats will be available in self-service. Thomas is only available for juniors and seniors, and therefore is not an option for group applications. Groups of rising juniors and seniors can review the floor plans and details for Thomas to determine which flat all members of the group would like to live in.
What is homesteading?
Homesteading refers to the process of keeping the room a student is currently living in for another year. Students who wish to keep their current housing assignment for next year should complete the Housing Application for Continuing Students available early December - late January. All eligible students will be emailed a unique link to the application.
What is a pull in?
A pull-in refers to a student who is "pulled-in" to a housing assignment by a peer. Students can only pull in another student to fill the capacity of a room, NOT a suite, flat, or house. In other words, a student may only pull in one other student into a double room, two students into a triple room, or three students into a quad. A student is not able to pull in a group of friends to fill a house or suite. Rising sophomores interested in group housing should complete the group housing application emailed to all eligible students in early March. Groups of Juniors and Seniors see the question above.
I am currently abroad, on leave, or otherwise unable to attend Housing Selection. What do I do?
Since housing selection will largely be done online over an extended period of time, Residence Life hopes students abroad or stateside can sign up for housing from any internet-capable device. If you have concerns about being unable to connect during your self-selection time, please contact Residence Life.
Can I sign up for housing if I plan to go abroad next year?
Yes! Residence Life hopes to sign up for housing the term you are on campus as easy as possible. If you are studying abroad spring semester, sign up for housing like any other continuing student. International Programs will inform Residence Life, who has been accepted to a program for the spring term and will cancel your spring contract upon verification. If your plans to study abroad fall through, please contact Residence Life as soon as possible to make spring arrangements for you. Please note the housing contract is binding for the full year, and if your study abroad plans do fall through, you will be expected to live on campus the full year.
If you plan to study abroad in the fall, please contact Residence Life; or submit a housing application. Finding a partner to swap housing with the opposite semester you are abroad is not required.
I have a specific housing accommodation need. What do I do?
If you have a specific housing need such as medical accommodation, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodation. Residence Life will work directly with this office to process and approve requests. You may email Accessibility and Accommodation at saa@pugetsound.edu. Most students with an approved medical single are approved for that accommodation as long as they are students. If you have any specific questions about your accommodation, please contact saa@pugetsoud.edu. Students who have already been approved for a medical single may work with SAA to be housed prior to the general selection process. For students who apply after the process begins, accommodations will be made on an as-available basis.