Housing Reapplication for 2023-2024

Housing reapplication opens in February for current residents to live on-campus again.

Housing Reapplication is a three part process

  1. Complete the housing application on the SMU Housing Portal by March 1
  2. Find a Roommate (optional)
  3. Reserve a room 

Step 1:  Housing Application

In early-February, all current residents will get an email letting them know the reapplication process is open.

  • In the Housing Portal, complete the 2023-24 Housing Application
  • The deadline to apply to participate in room selection is March 1 at 5 PM.
  • Exemption requests (fraternity/sorority, personal hardship, etc.) are completed in the Housing Portal and are available after a student completes the application.  Information about exemptions is below.

Step 2:  Roommate Matching (Optional)

After you complete a Housing Application, you can pair with a roommate in the Housing Portal.

  • You will search for your roommate with their SMUID, and it will email them asking them to confirm the match.  Roommate matches must be mutual and completed in the portal.
  • You can only match with a roommate if they have a completed housing application.
  • Matching with a roommate will allow the person with the first timeslot to assign the other resident to the same room during General Room Selection.
  • The deadline to match with a roommate is March 1 at 5 PM.
  • Roommates cannot pull their roommate into a room they don’t qualify for.  
    • For example, a rising-junior cannot pull a rising-sophomore into Thomas House (reserved for juniors and seniors only).  
    • Another example, a Boaz Commons resident cannot pull a Virginia-Snider Commons resident into Boaz Commons, because that student is not a member of Boaz Commons. Roommates from different RCs have an opportunity to select together from available space, but assignment may be to a third RC or upper division housing. 

Step 3:  Room Selection 

There are three types of room selection. 

  • Same Room Selection      
    • Rising sophomores can sign up for their same room after reapplying and signing the housing agreement. 
    • Deadline for sophomores to reserve same room is March 1 at 5 PM.
    • Students who reserve their same room have completed the Room Selection process and may not select a different space later.
    • Roommates who want to stay together must individually reserve Same Room.
    • Rising juniors and seniors cannot reserve Same Room until after the Lottery.
  • General Room Selection
    • General Room Selection is March 6-9. Students will receive an email with a timeslot and an end time.  This window of time is when you can log in and pick a room.
    • Sophomores will see available rooms in their Residential Commons and some Upper Division Housing (Moore and 3050 SMU Blvd).
    • Juniors and Seniors (determined by number of years at SMU) who are successful in the lottery will see available rooms in their current residential community and Upper Division Housing (Thomas, Moore, 3050 SMU Blvd, Martin).
    • Living in the Service House? The RCD will have information about Service House room selection in April.
  • Roommates from Different RC Room Selection
    • For sophomores only, where roommates give up up their RC to be a with a roommate who doesn't live in their RC this semester. (Giving up the RC applies to both roommates.)
    • Must be requested when student applies for housing, and both roommates must request each other on portal.
    • Selection is March 21 & 22. Students will receive an email with a timeslot to reserve a room. 
    • Students approved for this selection will see available space in upper division housing and residential commons. Space is limited in each community and is on a first-come, first served basis. 

Dates/Timeline:

February:  Residents will be emailed when the portal is ready for applications

February 20:  Deadline to submit new disability accommodation request with DASS

March 1:  Deadline for application to be included in Room Selection

March 1:  Deadline for rising sophomores to reserve their Same room (ends 5 PM)

March 1:  Deadline for roommates to be requested/accepted in the SMU Housing Portal

March 3:  Notification of General Room Selection timeslot. Juniors & Seniors notified whether successful in lottery or placed on Stand-by List.

March 6-9:  General Room Selection (log in at your timeslot)

March 21-22:  Selection for Roommates from Different RCs (log in at your timeslot)

March 28:  Wait List for Reassignment open (assigned residents only)

April 1:  Deadline for juniors/seniors to cancel housing without penalty

April 1:  Deadline for sophomores to submit Exemption request

May 1:  Deadline for fraternity/sorority exempted students to submit chapter lease/contract to RLSH 

SMU Service House

Interested in living in the SMU Service House? The Service House is a co-operative living option for students interested in service and a supportive community. The Service House features features doubles rooms with suite-style bath, large living room area and community kitchen, and central location near Hughes-Trigg Student Center. Apply here today!

Fraternity/Sorority Exemptions

Rising sophomores intending to live in a fraternity or sorority must first apply for housing, and then request an exemption.

  • In the application, indicate that you intend to live in a fraternity/sorority on the Room Selection Intention page.
  • After completing the application, you will be routed to the exemption process.  Complete that process.  The deadline for this is April 1.
  • Students who request an exemption to live in a SMU-owned fraternity house must later register as a fraternity resident. The deadline for this is May 1. 
  • Students requesting exemption to live in a sorority or Sigma Chi must later log in and upload a copy of their lease.  The deadline for this is May 1.

Personal Hardship Exemptions

Rising sophomores requesting an exemption must first apply for housing, then request an exemption.

  • In the application, indicate that you intend to apply for an exemption.
  • After completing the application, go to the Housing Portal homepage and select the Exemption Request process.
  • Cancellation penalties apply for all approved exemptions completed after May 1.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Reapplication & Room Selection

Rising sophomores are guaranteed housing and must reapply by 5 PM on March 1 in order to participate in room selection. If you apply after the priority deadline, we will assign you where space is available.

Juniors & seniors are not guaranteed housing, but those who reapply by March 1 will be included in the lottery for General Room Selection. Juniors & Seniors will be notified on Friday, March 3rd if they are successful in the lottery OR if they have been placed on the Stand-by List. Students on the Stand-by List are not guaranteed housing.  The Stand-by List is used when vacancies become available for junior and senior assignments. 

Rising sophomores may select a room in their Residential Commons or in Upper Division Housing, pending space available. Communities include Perkins and Smith (doubles, some singles, community bath), Moore (shared efficiency apartment), 3050 SMU Blvd (doubles, community bath), or the SMU Service House (interview required).

  • If you are a sophomore living in a residential commons, you’ll be able to select from all available rooms in your same commons and in Upper Division Housing (Moore, 3050 SMU Blvd).
  • If you are a junior or senior living in a residential commons and you are successful in the lottery, you’ll be able to select from all available rooms in your same Residential Commons and in Upper Division Housing (Moore, 3050 SMU Blvd, Thomas House and Martin).
  • If you are a junior or senior living in upper division housing and you are successful in the lottery, you’ll be able to select from all available rooms in Upper Division Housing (Moore, 3050 SMU Blvd, Thomas House, and Martin).
When you log in for General Room selection, you will see everything that is still available for which you are eligible.

Yes, if your sorority or fraternity chapter has space for you to live there, and you request exemption by April 1. You must still reapply for housing on the SMU Housing portal, then complete the exemption request. You will also need to complete any paperwork your chapter requires such as a sublease or other housing agreement and upload a copy of that document on the housing portal. Deadline to complete the request for Greek exemption is April 1. (Deadline to upload the signed sublease with your chapter is May 1.)

If your assigned room was built and furnished for one person, the answer is likely yes. There are some ADA singles that are not available during selection.  Sophomores wanting to retain their single must log in and reserve the room before March 1 at 5 PM.  

Rising juniors and seniors who are successful in the lottery may be able to reserve their current room (if it is still available) when they log in during General Room Selection.

 

Double occupancy rooms will have two residents next year, and if you select alone, the other space will be available during room selection for other students. If you are interested in a single, you should look for a single when you select a room.

You should select from the double rooms available to you and then request to be on the waiting list for a single in your community.

Reassignment to a single from the waiting list is dependent on cancellations, and therefore is NOT guaranteed. If you are reassigned to a single, you’ll be notified. Otherwise, you’ll remain assigned to a double and a roommate will be assigned.

There is a limit of ONE mutual roommate request. The maximum room occupancy at SMU is two roommates in a double room. (Suitemates cannot be requested.) Roommate requests must be made in the SMU Housing portal (request/accept) in order for it to be recorded by the system. Requests that aren’t completed in the SMU Housing portal by March 1 are not guaranteed.

Changes between Residential Commons are not permitted, but you have the ability to select from available space in Upper Division Housing. If no space is available in upper division when you log in, you will be able to select in your same Residential Commons and ask to be on the Upper Division Housing waiting list. 

If you lived on-campus your first year, you are required to live on-campus again. You may request an Exemption from the requirement due to a hardship for disability/medical, financial or personal circumstances. However, the first step is to reapply for housing, and then request an exemption. Deadline for exemption requests is April 1.

Generally speaking, if you are required to live on-campus, you must have a "The Works" plan during those two years. For dining purposes, "sophomore" is determined by the number of years a student has lived on-campus, not by credit hours.

  • Residents living in a Residential Commons and 3050 SMU Blvd. must have a dining plan. Second year (sophomore) residents must have "The Works" dining plan. Junior and senior students may select from additional dining plans.
  • Residents in Moore, Martin, Thomas, and Service Houses may sign up for a dining plan, but it is not required. (There is no restriction on which plan.)

Rising sophomores who are exempted and living off campus as first year students may apply for housing after March 27. Assignment is not guaranteed and students do not participate in room selection. Contact our office for access if this applies to you. 

At this time, we are not accepting applications from off-campus juniors and seniors. 

RLSH works with the Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies (DASS) office regarding disability accommodation in housing. To establish eligibility for accommodation, students must contact DASS and submit required documentation. DASS works with students with learning disabilities, physical disability, psychiatric disorders and others. To request accommodation in housing, students must indicate the request when applying for housing in addition to establishing eligibility with DASS.

Students with a current accommodation will receive information regarding how this affects their reapplication and room selection.

Requests for a new disability accommodation must be completed by February 18, 2022 in order to be considered during the reapplication period. DASS will review and make recommendations according to the standard process. Requests received after February 18, 2022 are processed and considered as available during the summer.

Thomas House is reserved for rising juniors and seniors as determined by years at SMU, not by credit hours. Juniors and seniors who are successful in the lottery will be able to choose from available spaces in Thomas House at their selection time.