Academic Year Housing Selection
2026-2027 Housing Selection
The Housing Application for the 2026-2027 academic year will open in January 21, 2026 at 9 a.m. via the Housing Portal and is the first step students will take in the selection process. The application also offers the opportunity for students to start thinking early about their living plans for next year according to their class year and, therefore, residency requirements before selection.
As you plan, be sure to review the important information below regarding housing for the 2026-2027 academic year, please note that housing selection will occur after Fall 2026 class registration as students must be registered to classes in order to participate in housing selection. We encourage you to check here regularly for updates.
THINGS TO KNOW
Wake Forest University views living on campus as integral to a liberal arts education and the Wake Forest experience. In support of that view, the University has a six-semester residency requirement.
Those with 6+ housing credits (typically seniors), will be asked to express their intent to live on or off campus for the upcoming academic year. Those who do not express an on-campus intent by the deadline will be assigned an off-campus application.
Students for whom a portion of college costs are provided by Wake Forest Need-Based Scholarship funds should carefully consider their housing and meal plan selections. Please read about the financial impacts of the various options and then contact Student Financial Aid at finaid@wfu.edu with any questions.
Students who select during housing selection will NOT be permitted to request a room change between housing selection and the Fall Semester. The earliest opportunity for a room change for those students is during the Fall Semester.
If students would like to make rearrangements of their current selected suite, they must submit the following linked form between May 1 and July 31.
Unapproved room changes may result in a fine, a return to the original assignment, and/or other administrative actions.
Residents of the apartment/block/room may have the first opportunity to fill vacancies during the year by pulling in a roommate of choice.
There is a second round of the room selection process which occurs during the summer, usually in July, each year. All students who are required to live in campus housing, but do not select during the first round of housing selection, are automatically placed into the second round. Again, this is a normal part of our assignments process and occurs each year.
During the summer, rooms open up across campus for a number of reasons, including when students decide to go abroad or transfer. After allowing time for these changes to be processed, unused spaces are made available alongside those which were not yet selected in our second round of housing selection. Students on the list for the second round will receive an email with a selection day to go online and select at that time.
During the second round of selection, students can plan to select a single bed or to look for open doubles in a roommate group of two people.
SPECIALTY HOUSING
Fall Study Abroad
Fall Study Abroad
Students studying abroad during the Fall Semester will NOT select housing during Academic Year Housing Selection. Instead, students abroad for the Fall Semester will be required to select their housing for the Spring Semester ONLY online in December.
Spring Study Abroad
Students planning to study abroad during the Spring Semester should proceed with Academic Year Housing Selection for the Fall Semester. During the Fall Semester, our office will be notified by Global Programs and Studies that these students are going abroad, and their Spring Semester housing will be canceled.
During the Spring Semester, these students will be able to participate in Academic Year Housing Selection for the following fall from abroad.
All students who will be living in Theme Communities
must:
- Complete the Housing Application
- Provide your name and University ID number to the group leader.
Theme Communities are considered on-campus housing and, therefore, are subject to all regulations and guidelines outlined in the Guide to Community Living, the Housing and Dining Agreement, and other University publications. Some Theme Communities may have additional requirements.
By providing your name and University ID number, you agree to live within that Theme Community for the entire academic year. Students choosing to live in Theme Housing do not have the option of moving to other campus locations during the academic year.
Please note that some Theme Community spaces are co-ed; contact the appropriate group contact regarding the possibility of shared bathrooms.
If you are going to be an RA for the Fall Semester, you will participate in this online process. When instructed, you will need to visit the Housing Portal to update contact information, pull in suitemates – if your space allows, select a meal plan, and sign the Housing and Dining Agreements.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Want to learn more?
- On-Campus Housing Options
- Living Off-Campus
- Theme Communities
- Housing Rates
- Guide to Community Living
Please contact the Office Residence Life and Housing at housing@wfu.edu or 336.758.5185 for further information.
Selection By the Numbers
Thinking about group sizes and where to look? Use this guide to help get you started!
Note: This guide is pulled from our most common floor plan numbers – reference against the availability list to see what’s actually available before your selection time.
Information Tabling Sessions
More information to come!
Want to learn more about selection this year?
We encourage attending a Housing Selection Information Session to learn more about the process and visit Find Your Way Home for detailed step-by-step guides for completing the Housing Selection Process.
THE SELECTION PROCESS
Completing a housing and dining application is required each year.
To participate in the housing selection process, students must first update their profile information in the Housing Portal.
Plan ahead with those you want to live with about where you would like to live. While completing your application, there is a section labeled “ Roommate Search Settings”. You must click the box stating “Check this box if you wish to be included in the roommate searching process”. A group leader should invite others and form a housing group.
Before the group’s selection time, each person will need to log in and accept their invitation in order to be pulled in during selection.
Keep in mind groups looking to select multiple occupancy apartments/blocks/rooms must fill all beds in the apartment/block/room at the time of online selection.
The way a space is listed on the availability list and/or in the selection portal is fixed and will not be reduced in size.
Continuing students may choose to form single-sex or co-ed roommate groups.
Students forming co-ed groups will complete an additional agreement in the housing selection process, agreeing that:
- Students agree to Co-Ed Housing for the academic year with limited options for room changes.
- Should a resident of the suite/apartment leave the University, the group must work with Residence Life and Housing to fill the vacancy in a timely manner.
- Residence Life and Housing may consolidate students in Co-Ed suites/apartments in the event of unfilled spaces.
- Selection times are assigned based on a roommate group’s average housing credits.
- The earlier your time, the sooner you are allowed to participate and the more room options you may have.
- Students who are not guaranteed housing (including non-resident students, students beyond their 8th semester in housing, etc.) will not be issued a selection time and are not eligible to participate in the General Room Selection process.
- If you have a disability-related housing accommodation on file, someone from the Office of Residence Life and Housing will contact you to schedule a meeting to select your housing.
The earlier your selection time, the sooner you are allowed to participate and the more room options you may have.
A list of available rooms, including the type and occupancy of the room, and independent blocks will be posted and updated frequently during the selection process. Review the availability list regularly as you get closer to your selection time.
- Have a backup plan should your first choice (or second or third) not be available when your selection time comes.
- Review our community pages and the Guide to Community Living for information about the different communities around campus.
You (or your group leader) will log into the housing portal at your selection time on your selection date and select the housing, placing all members of a group in their beds for the coming year.
Help Desk
During General Room Selection, the Office of Residence Life and Housing will provide a help desk during all room and dining selection processes. Here, staff members will be available to provide personal, one-on-one assistance for any student who would like help.
Note: On a case-by-case basis during room selection, the Office of Residence Life and Housing may allow a student to delete an active assignment and select again if the student made an error or mistake in the selection process
Want to learn more about selection this year?
We encourage attending a Housing Selection Information Session to learn more about the process and visit Find Your Way Home for detailed step-by-step guides for completing the Housing Selection Process.
Important Dates
November 2025
Tuesday, November 11 @ 9 a.m.
Student leaders of Student Organization Blocks will receive direct communications from our office regarding the next steps in the housing selection process.
January 2026
Wednesday, January 21 @ 9 a.m.
The Housing Application Opens
Step 1: Complete the 2026-2027 Housing and Dining Application via the Housing Portal.
Here, you’ll update your student profile, contact and emergency info, privacy preferences, etc.
It’s important that you complete this information as soon as possible, as you’ll need this step completed to continue in the housing selection process. Completing this step ahead of time also allows you to think proactively about the next steps.
View step-by-step instructions for completing the 26-27 Housing Application.
If you would like to live off-campus but have not yet fulfilled the WFU Residency Requirement, you can enter the Off-Campus Lottery via the Housing Portal.
Only students with FOUR or MORE housing credits (typically rising juniors who have lived on campus) are eligible to enter the lottery.
As our office finalizes the number of students able to live on campus for the fall semester, we will use random selection to release the appropriate number of students.
The deadline to enter the lottery is Feb. 25. Lottery outcomes will be communicated to students by March 6.
View step-by-step instructions for entering the Off-Campus Lottery.
If you have fulfilled (or are on track to fulfill the residency requirement during the Spring 2026 semester –typically rising seniors), you will need to express your Senior Intent via the Housing Portal. This indicates whether you would like to live on-campus or off-campus for the 26-27 academic year.
The deadline to submit Senior Intent is Feb. 25. Those who have fulfilled the residency requirement and do not express an on-campus intent by February 25 will be assigned an off-campus application for the 26-27 academic year.
*Please note that if you leave the University before February 18, 2026, you will not receive credit for this semester and thus may still be required to live on-campus for the 2026-2027 academic year.
View step-by-step instructions for submitting your Senior Intent.
TBA for 2026
Theme Communities follows a student-led, staff-advised format that relies heavily on the entrepreneurial spirit of students to form and run their own communities.
Our office will release further details regarding Theme Communities for the 26-27 academic year via your @wfu email. You can learn more about Theme Communities here.
February 2026
Wednesday, February 25 at 9 a.m.
More details to come
Eligible students interested in the Off-Campus Lottery must submit their interest via the Housing Portal.
Outcomes will be released by our office by March 6.
Seniors must submit a Senior Intent (decision to live on campus or off campus for the 26-27 academic year via) the Housing Portal.
Note: Prior to February 25,
- Students who have fulfilled the residency requirement may cancel their on-campus housing application and change their intent to off-campus with no penalty.
- To change your intent, please submit a written request to housing@wfu.edu.
Note: After February 25,
- Students who have fulfilled the residency requirement and want to cancel their on-campus housing application and change their intent to off-campus will be charged a $250.00 cancellation fee.
- Once you select on-campus housing, the agreement is final and binding.
Saturday, February 28 @ 9 a.m.
Students requesting disability-related accommodations should submit a request and all supporting documentation via the Housing Portal. Please carefully review the requirements for submitting disability-related accommodations and supporting documentation.
*The Office of Residence Life and Housing has a wide variety of housing and dining options and provides reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities who request housing and/or dining accommodations. A release from the University’s residency and meal plan requirements are generally not considered reasonable accommodations. Most housing or dining accommodations can be made among the current residential and dining facilities on campus.
March 2026
Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m.
All rosters for block housing must be submitted. Our office will follow up with communications as needed.
Friday, March 6 by 5 p.m.
Our office will release the Off-Campus Lottery results. Students who have not fulfilled the residency requirement should not sign an off-campus lease prior to being released from our office.
TBA
Housing selection times will be available in the Housing Portal.
April 2026
Monday, April 6 – Thursday, April 9
Theme Community and Block Housing leaders will need to log into the Housing Portal to assign housing for their group by April 9. Once assigned, all members will be notified to log into the Housing Portal to select their Fall 2026 meal plan.
RAs will need to log into the Housing Portal to assign housing for their Pull-Ins by April 9. Once assigned, all members will be notified to log into the Housing Portal to select their Fall 2026 meal plan.
Appointments for Disability-Related Accommodations will take place the week of April 6 – 9
A staff member from our office will email you to set up an appointment to discuss any recommended accommodations or necessary follow-up. During your appointment, you will discuss your accommodations with a staff member as part of an interactive process; our staff will also discuss housing selection timelines/processes with you at this time as necessary.
Wednesday, April 8
Students must be registered for at least one class by Wednesday, April 8 in order to participate in Housing Selection for 2026-2027.
Friday, April 10
Our office will release the Room Availability List via the Housing Portal. Here, you’ll be able to see what’s available (including the number of beds needed to fill a space, as well as any spaces that are allocated for a specific sex) at the time of your selection. Only spaces that match the size of your roommate group will be visible.
*The list is only available during selection week and will update every 15 minutes during housing selection.
View step-by-step instructions for navigating the Room Availability List.
2025-2026 Housing Selection
Important Note: Selection times are assigned based on a roommate group’s AVERAGE housing credits.
Housing Selection Open Office Hours
Open from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Residence Life and Housing office on April 13, 14, 15, and 16.
Housing Selection Help Desk
Open from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Residence Life and Housing office on April 13, 14, and 16.
Individuals or groups with five or more housing credits who have expressed an on-campus intent for the upcoming academic year will select housing on April 13 from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., according to your housing selection time.
Your selection time will be available on TBA by 9 a.m. via the Housing Portal.
If you are entering housing selection with a group, the group leader will select housing for your group.
Students are encouraged to stop by our open office hours between 1pm-4pm for assistance from our Assignments team.
Individuals or groups with three or more housing credits who were not released via the Off-Campus Lottery will select housing on April 14 from 4 p.m.- 8 p.m., according to your housing selection time.
Your selection time will be available on TBA by 9 a.m. via the Housing Portal.
If you are entering housing selection with a group, the group leader will select housing for your group.
Students are encouraged to stop by our open office hours between 1pm-4pm for assistance from our Assignments team.
Our office will pause selection and reopen the availability list and housing portal on April 15.
Students are encouraged to stop by our open office hours between 1pm-4pm for assistance from our Assignments team.
Individuals or groups with one or more housing credits (typically sophomores) will select housing on April 16 from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., according to your housing selection time.
Your selection time will be available on TBA by 9 a.m. via the Housing Portal.
If you are entering housing selection with a group, the group leader will select housing for your group.
Students are encouraged to stop by our open office hours between 1pm-4pm for assistance from our Assignments team.
*Please note that we recommend using a pencil, not a pen, when adding these dates to your calendar. Though we’ve taken a great deal to provide accuracy for the upcoming year, dates are subject to change as needed should institutional changes impact the 26-27 academic year dates. Check back here regularly as we near key dates and deadlines, and be sure to check your WFU email for the most updated information.