Living on Campus FAQs

First-year students are required to live on campus, typically in one of the 11 Residential Commons (RCs) on campus, which combine the best of academic, residential and social life.

The university permits very few exceptions to the residency requirement. New first-year students who are from Dallas may request a personal hardship exemption in order to continue to live at home with a parent or guardian. Exemptions may be requested after a student completes the housing application via the SMU Housing Portal.

Generally, a student requests a hardship exemption for financial reasons or because of a disability or family situation. Find more about the exemption process in our housing policies and procedures.

New transfer students are not required to live on campus — but they may apply and be assigned on a space-available basis.

Approximately 3,000 undergraduate students live in the residential commons and upper division housing communities.

The application window for new students opens in late January. You’ll receive an email with directions on how to apply for housing after you’ve been admitted to SMU and after we receive your nonrefundable $800 deposit for orientation, housing, and matriculation. You should complete your application within two weeks of getting instructions on how to apply for housing.

Yes, incoming first-year students can request a roommate on the SMU Housing portal.

Requests open April 1 and the deadline is June 1.

Incoming students receive notification of their assigned community and room type (double or single occupancy) in July, and roommate notification will be sent by email in early August.

Residence Life & Student Housing (RLSH) offers a number of different housing options at different price points across all of our communities. Please be aware that rates and fees are subject to change. The nonrefundable $800 admission deposit includes $100 that is earmarked for housing, and the rates for rooms vary by location.

Students in a Residential Commons, Perkins or Smith must have a dining plan. Dining plan costs are separate from room charges and are managed by SMU Dining.

Students are required to have mail service at the Hughes-Trigg Student Center post office. The annual cost is $97.50 ($48.75 per semester) and is included in room rent for Commons and Upper Division residents.

Yes, all residence halls are co-ed by wing, floor, or suite, depending on the layout of the hall — but SMU does not offer the options of co-ed rooms.

Residential dining facilities are located at Lee Dining Hall (in Umphrey Lee Center) and at Arnold Dining Commons. For more about meal plans, visit smu.campusdish.com.

Additional restaurants are located at the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, near McElvaney Commons, Owen Arts Center and Carr Collins Hall in the Law Quad. For more information, visit smudining.com.

The Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is staffed by full-time physicians, registered nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory and x-ray technologists for diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury. Additionally, counseling services for various concerns are provided by a psychiatrist and several psychologists in the Health Center.

SMU expects all students to be responsible citizens and to abide by all federal, state, and local laws. More information can be found in the SMU Student Handbook.

First-year students are allowed to have cars on campus, although parking space is limited. The car must be registered with SMU Parking and ID Services.