Residence Life
Returning Residents
Students who wish to return to housing for the upcoming academic year will be required to participate in the Room Selection Process. In order to participate, returning residents must meet the eligibility requirements listed in the Application Process section, submit their housing deposit, and update their housing application by the dates indicated on the room selection timeline.
We encourage you to carefully review the "Residential Living Agreement" prior to selecting your room, as your electronic signature provides your consent to abide by all rules and regulations as outlined in the Agreement. Please refer to the Residence Life website for all policies and procedures related to both the selection and homesteading process. Our office will email students prior to the start of each selection process to ensure you do not miss your specific selection date.
Note: Students are encouraged to clear up any outstanding balance with the University prior to paying the required $300 housing deposit. If you have an outstanding balance and pay the housing deposit, that payment will be put towards your account balance and you will therefore not have the ability to submit a housing application.
Fall 2019 Room Selection Dates for Returning Residents
Please select the appropriate link below for information regarding your Room Selection process.
- Returning Resident Application Process
Eligibility Requirements for Returning Residents:
- Be a current resident and have lived on campus for eight semesters or less (commuting students may be requested as a roommate if they meet all other eligibility requirements and be pulled into a room during the homesteading process)
- Meet New York State immunization requirements
- Have no outstanding balance on your student account
- Students must pay the $300 housing deposit
- Students must register as a full-time student and maintain full-time status throughout the academic year
Submitting the 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:
- Simply log into https://my.hofstra.edu
- Click on the "Navigation Menu" in the top left hand corner.
- Click on the "Student Services" menu.
- Click on "Student Payment Center" under General.
- Click on "My Payment Center".
- Select the "eDeposits" tab.
- Select the term for which you are applying for (e.g., Fall 2019)
- Select the type of deposit you want (i.e. Housing Deposit).
Submitting the Housing Application
Beginning early March, you can complete and/or update your housing application and housing preferences online and indicate if you wish to homestead, be pulled into another resident student's room, be administratively assigned, or choose to go through the selection process. As a reminder, you must pay the housing deposit first before being able to access and update your housing application. To complete your application, please follow the steps below:
- Log into https://my.hofstra.edu
- Click on the "Navigation Menu" in the top left hand corner.
- Click on the "Student Services" menu.
- Click on the "Residence Life" menu.
- Click on the "Residence Life Room Application" under the Residence Life Menu.
- Select the term for which you are applying (e.g. 201909 for undergraduate, graduate or law students; 201911 for medical school students).
- Follow instructions to complete the housing application and select a dining plan as it is a condition of residency for all undergraduate students.
- Returning Resident Selection Options
Room Selection Process
There are five ways in which students can participate in the room selection process. Students can choose to Homestead their current room, apply for the Themed Living Communities, participate in the Relocated Selection (if applicable), participate in the General Selection, or request an Administrative Assignment - in which students can request that the Office of Residence Life assign them a space according to their housing preferences outlined on their application. Instructional videos posted at the bottom of the Room Selection Process description will help guide you step-by-step through the online selection process.
Specialty Housing Options
Themed Living Communities
Themed Living Communities offer upperclass students who share educational, social, or extracurricular interests the opportunity to live together in Nassau Hall. TLC residents explore their passions with a cohort of like-minded residents and enjoy an increased sense of belonging. These communities are open to all students, regardless of major. Prior participation in the First Year Living-Learning Communities is not required, but highly encouraged as the selection of students for the TLCs is highly competitive. To participate, students indicate their interest on the Residence Life Housing Application and select one of six predetermined TLCs:Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Math, Science's, Engineering, Communications, Pre-Health(Prep) and Zarb. For more information and full TLC descriptions, go to Hofstra.edu/TLC.
Co-Ed Housing
Co-Ed housing offers students the option to share a suite, regardless of sex. For more information please visit our Co-Ed Housing page.
General Housing 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 in the high rises must have two occupants and a suite must have each bedroom other than the single filled to capacity).To successfully homestead your room you MUST check the homesteading box on your online housing application during the advertised homesteading periods.
*If a student's space is ineligible for Homesteading, due to relocation, the student can elect to participate in the Relocated Selection (see below). First-year students living in areas or designated first-year spaces cannot homestead their rooms, and are not eligible for relocated selection. First-year students must select to live with another student who is eligible to homestead their room, participate in general selection, or request an administrative assignment.
Relocated Selection
Relocated Selection is provided to students who have been identified and informed by the Office of Residence Life that their current room or suite is not eligible for Homesteading. Relocated Selection occurs prior to General Selection since relocated students are not eligible to Homestead their current space. Eligible students may participate in Relocated Selection by signing into their housing application online via my.hofstra.edu during the advertised Relocated Selection Process and selecting a room that is identical to the type of room the student currently resides in from a list of available spaces (i.e. if you live in a triple in a high rise, you must select a triple room in another high rise building).
NOTE: Students assigned to first-year areas or spaces on the Themed Living Community floors located in Nassau Hall are not considered relocated.
General Selection
The General Selection process gives students the opportunity to select a space in the living area that best suits their needs and preferences. Selection is 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).
Administrative Assignment
Students who pay their deposits by the designated deadlines may request on their Housing Application that the Office of Residence Life assign them a space according to the preferences outlined on their application. The Office of Residence Life will assign you a space based on your preferences and notify you of your housing assignment via email in the summer.
Note: Students who apply for housing after the deadline will be assigned on a space-available basis later in the summer.
- Room Selection Tutorials
- Frequently Asked Questions
Returning Resident Room Selection FAQ
- What are the eligibility requirements to participate in room selection?
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You must:
- Pay the $300 housing deposit by the established deadlines
- Meet NY state immunization compliance
- Have cleared up any outstanding balance on your student account at the time of deposit
- Register as a full-time student for the fall 2019 semester by Friday May 24, 2019.
- Where can I pay my housing deposit?
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You may pay in person in Memorial Hall or you may pay online with credit card through the Hofstra Portal.
- Where do I complete my housing application?
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You may submit your housing application via the Hofstra Portal. You must pay your housing deposit before you are able to update your application.
- Do I have to complete another housing application to participate in the room selection process?
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Yes, every student must submit their online housing application, indicating if they wish to homestead, be pulled into a student’s room, be administratively assigned by the Office of Residence Life, or participate in the general room selection, before they will be permitted to select a room for the upcoming academic year.
- There’s a lot to do! What order do I do it all in?
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First, meet all eligibility requirements. Secondly, pay your housing deposit. Thirdly, submit your housing application. Fourth, participate in whichever process you select on the dates advertised.
- Why are the deadlines for deposit and housing application different?
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The deadlines are based on the specific room selection process you are interested in participating in.
- I’m homesteading and my roommate is not returning to the room. Does my roommate have to do something in order for that to work?
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Yes! Your roommate must also submit his or her housing application to indicate that they will not be homesteading their space. After they do this, you will be able to pull another residential student into that space. Graduating students do not have to submit a housing application.
- My preferred roommate is a commuter and does not meet the “current resident” requirement. What should we do?
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Commuter students may submit their housing deposit and housing application online requesting you as a roommate. The Office of Residence Life will administratively assign you both based on availability.
- What if I’ve lived on campus for eight or more semesters?
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In order to participate, you will need to contact the Office of Residence Life for a waiver form to request permission to remain in residence.
- What if I have an outstanding balance on my student account at time of deposit?
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You must clear any student account balance prior to paying your deposit. If you have an outstanding balance when you make your housing deposit, the $300 deposit payment will be applied towards your outstanding balance.
- What if I miss the deadline to participate in the room selection process?
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Residents who have paid their deposit but have not selected a housing assignment by the end of the housing selection process will be administratively assigned by the Office of Residence Life.
- Can someone else pull me into their room?
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Yes, as long as you both meet all eligibility requirements, pay your housing deposits, and submit your housing applications on time to mutually request each other.
- I’m pulling in another student when I homestead my room. What do I need to know?
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The person you are pulling in must submit their housing application BEFORE you, listing you as their preferred roommate. Once they’ve updated their housing application, you will update yours – indicating that you also want them as your roommate and select the homestead option on your application during the advertised homesteading period.
- May someone else sign up for housing on my behalf?
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Yes, after listing each other as preferred roommates on your housing applications, the student with the most credits may select a room or suite on behalf of the group. NOTE: All selections, made by you or your preferred roommate(s), are final.
- I plan to live with three friends in a suite. How do I know who will be my assigned roommate and who will be my suitemates?
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You must list your specific roommate FIRST when listing roommates. The first student listed will share a room with you. The other two will share a room with each other and will be your suitemates.
- My two friends and I want to live in a suite. Can we select that option in online housing selection?
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All rooms and suites must be filled to capacity. In order to select that option, you must fill an entire suite by finding an additional friend to take that space. You may also check the “roommate finder” book in the Office of Residence Life, or select to be administratively assigned with your preferred roommates.
- How can I secure a single room for next year?
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Students when they submit their housing applications can preference a single room (do not list any roommates in the roommate section). Students then participate during their designated room selection time based on their current class standing. The system will indicate where on campus single rooms are still available and they can select a single in the community of their choice.
- I’ve already participated in the room selection process, but changed my mind and wish to edit my selection. Can I?
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Unfortunately, no. All selections made during room selection are final. Students will not have the ability to access their housing applications once they have made their selection.
- I want to live in the Co-Ed Housing, may I do that online?
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Students who wish to apply for the Co-Ed Housing must submit their housing application online and then contact the Office of Residence Life (244 Student Center) regarding specific housing options. Applicants must still submit their $300 housing deposit.
- What are some other specialty housing opportunities available for upperclassmen?
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Themed Living Communities located in Nassau Hall offer upperclassmen unique living experiences. For more information about Themed Living Communities, go to Hofstra.edu/TLC.