Apply for Housing: New Residents

Incoming undergraduate, graduate, law and medical students are assigned on a first come; first served basis based on the student’s housing application submission date. Information regarding the housing application process is sent to the student’s home in his or her Admission’s acceptance packet.

Students who wish to apply for housing must complete the two-step application process outlined below. Once both steps have been completed, the Office of Residential Programs will assign a housing space and will communicate the housing assignment to newly assigned students by sending a letter to the student’s home address. This mailing will include where the student will be living, along with contact information for any roommates/suitemates (if applicable). Information about moving into the residence halls will also be included.

Eligibility Requirements for Incoming Residents:

• Students must be admitted to Hofstra University
• Students must pay the $300 housing deposit
• Students must register for full-time course load during selected orientation session and maintain a full-time course load throughout academic year to remain in housing

Paying Your Housing Deposit

Students can avoid long lines by opting to pay the required $300 housing deposit online. Housing deposits may be paid via electronic check online through e-bill located on the Deposits tab through the student portal at my.hofstra.edu. Students paying by cash, check or money order must do so at the Student Financial Services Suite, 206 Memorial Hall.
In order to pay online, please follow these steps:

1. Simply log into http://my.hofstra.edu
2. Click on Hofstra Online Tab.
3. Click on Student Payment Center.
4. A new browser will launch (the e-Bill Center) and a tab will appear that says Deposits.
5. On the "Deposits" tab, select the term Fall 2012.
6. Select the type of deposit you want (i.e. Housing Deposit).
7. Enter payment amount of $300.
8. Select payment method and complete payment

Completing Your Housing Application

After paying your housing deposit using the steps above, students should complete their housing application. To complete your application, please follow the steps below:

1. Log into http://my.hofstra.edu
2. From the Navigation menu on the left, choose Hofstra Online.
3. Click on Hofstra Online Information Systems.
4. Click on the Residential Programs Menu.
5. Click on the Residential Programs Room Application.
6. Select the term for with you are applying (i.e. 201209).
7. Follow instructions to complete the Housing Application.

Housing Selection: Returning Residents

Returning residents who wish to participate in the annual housing selection process to obtain a room for the following academic year need to meet the eligibility requirements listed below, submit a $300 housing deposit and submit a completed housing application by the established deadlines. Once each step has been completed, returning residents will be permitted to participate in the room selection process described below and in the room selection process brochure.

Eligibility Requirements for Returning Residents

• Student must be a current resident to participate in room selection (commuters may be requested as a roommate if they fulfill all other eligibility requirements) during the homesteading process.
• Student must have lived eight (8) semesters or less in on-campus housing
• Student must pay the $300 housing deposit by the established deadlines
• Student must be in compliance with New York state immunization requirements (or deposit will be rejected)
• Student must not have an outstanding account balance at time of deposit
• Student must be registered full-time and maintain full-time status

Paying Your Housing Deposit

Students can avoid long lines by opting to pay the required $300 housing deposit online. Housing deposits may be paid via electronic check online through e-bill located on the Deposits tab through the student portal at my.hofstra.edu. Students paying by cash, check or money order must do so at the Student Financial Services Suite, 206 Memorial Hall.
In order to pay online, please follow these steps:

9. Simply log into http://my.hofstra.edu
10. Click on Hofstra Online Tab.
11. Click on Student Payment Center.
12. A new browser will launch (the e-Bill Center) and a tab will appear that says Deposits.
13. On the "Deposits" tab, select the term Fall 2012.
14. Select the type of deposit you want (i.e. Housing Deposit).
15. Enter payment amount of $300.
16. Select payment method and complete payment

Completing Your Housing Application

After paying your housing deposit using the steps above, students should complete their housing application. To complete your application, please follow the steps below:

8. Log into http://my.hofstra.edu
9. From the Navigation menu on the left, choose Hofstra Online.
10. Click on Hofstra Online Information Systems.
11. Click on the Residential Programs Menu.
12. Click on the Residential Programs Room Application.
13. Select the term for with you are applying (i.e. 201209).
14. Follow instructions to complete the Housing Application.

Room Selection Process

Returning residents who meet the eligibility requirements and have completed the deposit/application steps described above may participate in one of the following room selection processes: Homesteading, Theme Lottery, Relocated Lottery, General Lottery or Random Assignment. Instructional videos posted at the bottom of the Room Selection Process description will help guide you step-by-step through the online selection process.

Homesteading

Homesteading is a process by which students can reserve their current room or suite for the next year. This process also allows students to request to live with another student in their current room or suite* (being pulled into a room). Students may request to "Homestead" their current space by completing the online housing application and indicating that they wish to Homestead their current room. All rooms must be filled to capacity (i.e. a double room must have two occupants).

*If a student's space is ineligible for Homesteading, due to relocation, the student can elect to participate in the Relocated Lottery (see below). First-year students living in areas or designated first-year spaces cannot homestead their rooms. 

Themed Lottery

Themed Housing Lottery is designed to offer students who share educational, social or extracurricular interests the opportunity to live together. Students may choose to join an existing theme or create a theme with friends from common classes, clubs, organizations, fraternities or sororities. All rooms must fill to capacity. 

Relocated Lottery

Relocated Lottery* is designed for students who have been informed by the Office of Residential Programs that their current room or suite is not eligible for Homesteading. Relocated students are given an earlier lottery time than all other students since they could not Homestead their current space. Students choosing this lottery must select a similarly configured space to the one in which they are currently assigned (i.e., If you live in a triple in a high rise, you must select a triple room in another high rise building).

Relocated students who do not intend on returning to the same type of room from which they were relocated (i.e., currently living in a triple, but want to live in a double room), must return to their housing applications at a later date and time during the General Lottery based on their regular allotted lottery time to secure a bed space for the 2012-2013 academic year. Students may participate in the Relocated Lottery by signing on to their housing application online during the designated Relocated Lottery time and selecting a room from a list of available spaces (all rooms must be filled to capacity).

*Students assigned to first-year areas are not eligible for the Relocated Lottery.

General Lottery

The General Lottery process gives students the opportunity to select a space in the living area that best suits their needs and preferences. Selection priority is randomly assigned to all current resident students by computer-generated lottery numbers. General Lottery numbers are prioritized by class year (i.e., Rising Senior, Rising Junior, Rising Sophomore). All rooms must be filled to capacity (i.e., a double room must have two occupants).

Random Assignment

Students who have paid their deposits by the designated deadlines who would prefer to have our office choose a room for them or choose not to participate in the Homesteading, Relocated Lottery, Themed Lottery or General Lottery processes must complete the online housing application and indicate that they wish to be randomly assigned by our office no later than Friday, April 6. The Office of Residential Programs will assign students a space based on preferences and they are notified about their housing assignments via mail. Students who apply for housing after the April 6 deadline will be assigned on a space-available basis later in the summer.

View Online Selection Instructional PowerPoint

Download Powerpoint with Narration [42MB]

Must Use Microsoft Office 2007 or higher (or use 2007 Viewer)

Download Powerpoint with Narration [27MB]

Must Use Microsoft Office 2007 or higher (or use 2007 Viewer)