How it works
We're excited to welcome you to the University of Iowa! If you have been admitted to Iowa and will be 16 years of age by August 1, 2027, you can apply for housing in the residence halls. You do not need to accept your admission to the University of Iowa in order to apply for housing. You can submit your application as you finalize your decision to become a Hawkeye.
Students interested in joining a Living Learning Community (LLC), will complete a two-question application within the standard housing application. Responses will be reviewed by campus partners and outcomes will be sent via UIOWA email.
Step 1: Submit your housing application online
In order to to be eligible to live in a Living Learning Community, your housing application and LLC application must be submitted no later than May 3.
The LLC application is within your housing application which you can access through your Admissions Profile in MyUI. You will need to verify your personal and emergency contact information, indicate a desire for a disability accommodation, agree to the contract terms and conditions and pay your non-refundable $100 housing application fee.
Step 2: Explore and apply for an LLC or Honors Housing
After you have submitted your housing application, you will then be able to apply for a Living Learning Community. To be considered for an LLC, students must answer the following questions:
- Why are you interested in being a member of this LLC/Honors Housing?
- How will this community benefit from you being a member?
Step 3: LLC application review period
Your responses will be reviewed by campus partners and you will receive an outcome via UIOWA email address. Students being offered placement into the community will need to respond to their offer by the deadline provided in their offer email. To accept or decline a community offer, students will log into their housing application.
Students that are offered placement in a community will need to log into the housing application to accept or decline placement. After completing this step, students will then be able to look for a roommate within their community.
Step 4: LLC roommate matching
Students that accept placement into their desired LLC will be able to search for other students that have joined the community.
To note: all students living in a LLC or Honors Housing must apply for, be offered placement, and accept into the community to be eligible for a housing assignment in the community.
If a student declines their community offer, they will be able to look for a roommate within the the group of students that have not applied for a living learning community or honors housing.
Students applying for housing by May 3 must have roommate groups confirmed no later than May 15.
Step 5: Housing assignment process
Students that have accepted placement into a Living Learning Community or Honors Housing will not participate in online room selection. Instead, their housing assignment will be made by University Housing and Dining staff within the community.
Students living in a Living Learning Community or Honors Housing may be assigned to a double, triple, single, or quad room within their community.
To guarantee an LLC housing assignment and to remain paired with roommates, students must:
- Applying for housing by May 3
- Confirm roommate groups by May 15
- Be scheduled for an orientation (SOAR) session by May 15
- Orientation must be scheduled but does not need to be completed.
- International students will complete orientation upon their arrival to campus in August and will not register for an orientation session and will remain eligible for an LLC or Honors Housing.
Returning student LLC key dates
November 11
The housing application portal will open for returning students.
Living Learning Community application opens within housing portal.
November 16 - February 2
Living Learning Community applications reviewed on a weekly basis with outcomes being sent via UIOWA email weekly. Returning students have 2 weeks to accept or decline their LLC offer.
February 15
Returning students that have accepted their LLC offer will receive their housing assignment.
New Student LLC Key Dates
January 6
The housing application portal will open for new and transfer students.
Living Learning Community application opens within housing portal.
Living Learning Community applications are reviewed on a monthly basis with outcomes being sent via UIOWA email. Students have 2 weeks to accept or decline their LLC offer.
February 5
January applicants will receive their outcome.
February 19
January new student applicant deadline to respond to LLC offer
March 5
February applicants will receive their outcome.
March 19
February LLC applicant deadline to respond to LLC offer
April 2
March applicants will receive their outcome.
April 16
March LLC applicant deadline to respond to LLC offer
May 7
April applicants will receive their outcome.
May 14
April LLC applicant deadline to respond to LLC offer
May 15
Deadline to confirm roommate groups
Deadline to be registered for an orientation (SOAR) session
Application instructions
You can login to your Application via MyUI. If you've already started filling out an application, this allows you to return to that contract.
Application Instructions
Personal information
This page allows us to gather some personal information for your housing contract. By giving us your additional contact emails, we can send these individuals important information and updates about living on campus. Anyone can opt out of this communication later, if they wouldn't like to receive these updates.
On this page, we offer a place for you to give us information about who to contact if you are reported missing. Federal law requires that we obtain this information for all students living on campus.
University Housing and Dining maintains your privacy and adherence to FERPA. Providing an additional contact will only give them general information, it will not grant them permission to access your specific housing and dining information.
Medical (ADA) accommodations
This page allows you to request a reasonable medical accommodation. If you need to request an accommodation, you are able to download and complete a form. You will also need to check the box that states that you are requesting a reasonable housing accommodation.
Your accommodation is not complete until you receive official confirmation from University Housing and Dining after completing all steps of the process. We will work with you one-on-one to complete the process.
Priority deadline for incoming new students is May 1.
Terms and conditions
Please take the time to review your housing contract, as it is a legally binding agreement. If you agree to the terms of the contract, you will receive a copy of the terms and conditions of your contract to your @uiowa.edu email address upon completion of your application.
You will be asked to electronically sign this page by entering you full name and eight digit university ID number.
This contract becomes binding seven days after you are notified of your room assignment via email.
Payment or deferral
Your $100 non-refundable housing payment is required with your housing application. This fee is payable via credit card. We are able to accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover.
If your admissions fee has been waived by the University, your $100 housing application fee will be deferred and charged to your fall university bill (U-Bill).
Submit your application
This page allows you to officially submit your housing application. Once your application is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email to your University of Iowa email address.
Personal profile and lifestyle questionnaire
This section allows you to tell a bit about yourself for roommate matching. What your write in this section will be displayed to help you potentially match with a future roommate.
Apply for a Living Learning Community
Living learning communities allow you to connect with other students that share your same major. We encourage you to consider a Living Learning Community (LLC) experience in our residence halls.
Students will be able to apply for one community by selecting that specific community and answering a few brief questions. If you are selected for an LLC, you will need to confirm your acceptance within 1 week of the offer letter being sent.
Roommate requests
This is where you can search for or request a roommate to live with. You are able to search for potential roommates based on responses to the lifestyle questionnaire or a common Living Learning Community interest.
Roommate requests must be mutually confirmed online by May 15. If you apply for housing after May 3, you will be assigned a room and roommate by our staff.
Please note: Students that are in a living learning community or in Honors Housing must have a roommate in the same community.
GradGuard renter's insurance
The University of Iowa assumes no responsibility and provides no insurance or financial protection for your personal property. You are fully responsible for your belongings when living on campus and we highly encourage all students to obtain renter’s insurance.
University of Iowa residents are eligible to protect their belongings through GradGuard's exclusive student-endorsed renter's insurance program. For about $13 per month, you will receive protection in the case your property is stolen or damaged. Learn more about GradGuard.
Meal plan
This page allows you to select your meal plan for the upcoming year. Changes to the plan may be made in the first two weeks of the semester. If you do not select a meal plan, you will be assigned the unlimited meal plan by default.
Online room selection
Students will receive their room selection lottery number based on monthly randomization. If you apply before May 3, you will have the opportunity to participate in online room selection in June. The date of your room selection time slot is based on the month in which your housing application was received. Students that have applied in a given month are randomized together (January first, February, March, etc.).
Students must be registered for an orientation date by May 15 in order to proceed with online room selection and remain in their roommate group and Living Learning Communities.
