Housing selection is fast approaching! Per the University's 3-year residency requirement, all students in the class of 2027 and 2028 must select housing for the following academic year (2025-2026) by participating in the housing lottery & selection process during the spring term. Students in the class of 2026 have the option of participating based on the selection timeline, with priority given to classes of 2027 and 2028.
Seeking a roommate? Complete the roommate matching form or attend one of our roommate mixers. This is an opportunity for students to meet others looking for roommates and/or to complete roommate groups.
Roommate Mixer #1: March 19, 2025,5:00 PM via ZOOM.
Roommate Mixer #2: April 17, 2025, 6:00 PM at Elrod Commons 216
Info Session #2: April 8, 2025, 5:00 PM in Elrod Commons 216.
Info Session #3: April 17, 2025, 12:00 PM via ZOOM.
Info Session #4: April 24, 2025, 12:00 PM in Elrod Commons 216.
The Process to Obtain Housing for the Upcoming Academic Year:
Apply for Housing
To live on-campus housing, ALL students, regardless of where they plan to live or what housing process they go through, MUST register online via eRezLife by completing the "RETURNING STUDENTS - Fall 2025 Housing Application."
The housing application is available beginning February 3, 2025.
The housing application MUST be completed by April 7, 2025, to participate in the housing lottery. Students enrolled at W&L who do not complete their application on time and are required to live on campus will receive the last time slot within their class year.
Students participating in the Greek and Theme Housing processes MUST have their housing application submitted when they submit their Theme House Application or Chapter House Roster. Students who do not complete their application on time will not be placed in Theme or Greek Housing and will be entered into the lottery per the above instructions.
The housing application in eRezLife is located under Recommended Actions when you log in, OR you can click on "Housing Overview" on the left-hand menu and then select the green "Apply Now" button next to the term you intend on applying for.
Students participating in fall study abroad are NOT eligible to participate in housing processes for the Fall. Fall study abroad students who return to campus for winter term 2026 will have a separate application process during the fall term. Students who plan to be on campus for fall 2025 but abroad for winter 2026 must participate in the upcoming lottery/selection. For more information, visit the Study Abroad FAQs website.
Your next steps are based on what process you intend to participate in ...
Click the "+" to expand each term.
Theme Housing Process
Are you interested in broadening your campus living experience? Theme housing is a unique living opportunity provided to upper-division students at W&L. Students taking advantage of this opportunity are afforded experiences that center around a variety of organizational, cultural, and personal interests. Students reside in theme houses for the purpose of bonding around and sharing with the campus community, a common theme. Each house, its theme, and its amenities are unique. There is a Residence Life staff member assigned to each house who, in addition to fulfilling administrative tasks, is responsible for building community through programming as well as advocating for their community's needs and interests. A faculty or staff member at W&L who embraces the theme also serves as an adviser to each theme house. Browse theme house options.
Each year during the winter term, rising sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply to theme house living prior to general housing selection. These applications are reviewed by house advisers and/or Residence Life staff to determine occupancy for the next academic year. For questions about theme house applications or the assignment process, please email creid@wlu.edu.
Timeline
February 3, 2025 — Theme House Application opens. Log into eRezLife to fill out and submit your application.
To apply, you MUST have completed the Housing Application for the upcoming fall term prior to completing the Theme House Application.
Students who do not complete their application on time will not be placed in Theme Housing and will be entered into the lottery per the Housing Lottery and General Housing Selection Process.
There is one form for all theme houses, located in eRezLife under the "Forms" tab on the left-hand menu.
You may apply for more than one theme house using the same submission. Be sure to rank your preferences!
If you are requesting a roommate, be sure they also complete a Theme House Application and list you as their requested roommate.
Room preferences will be noted. However, we cannot guarantee preferences will be granted.
March 3, 2025 — Theme House Application closes.
Applications will be shared with appropriate advisors to make housing assignment decisions.
March 7, 2025 - Applicants will receive notice via their WLU email stating whether they have been offered, declined, or waitlisted a room in a theme house.
March 14, 2025 - Response deadline. You MUST respond to Dr. Reid (creid@wlu.edu) accepting or declining a room offer by this date. After this date, offers will be null/void, and applicants will be required to participate in upper-division housing selection.
Students who accept their theme house offering are bound to the room they select and are not eligible to participate in the lottery/selection process.
All rising sophomores and juniors who decline their theme house offering must participate in the lottery/selection process.
Any theme house rooms that are vacant at the end of the theme house process may be randomly assigned and/or made available during the housing lottery/selection process.
April 21, 2025 - The deadline to request any Theme Housing assignment changes.
The room freeze takes effect for Theme Housing on April 21, 2025. You will not be permitted to move into a different room at move-in. Students who move into an unassigned room will be assessed a $100 fine and referred to student conduct per the Student Handbook.
Greek Housing Process
Generally, Greek organizations set their own requirements for eligibility to live in their chapter houses. Those requirements can vary from chapter to chapter. As far as the University's end of the process, all organization members must complete their housing application on time and submit a housing roster of eligible members to live in the house in compliance with the expectations of occupancy as outlined in their organization's agreement with the University. Remember:
Each fraternity/sorority house must be filled to capacity upon roster submission. Rising sophomore and junior placements must take priority over senior placements.
Chapters are expected to fill all their beds with active members including any rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors if/as needed. Chapters may not hold beds for potential bids.
If a chapter fails to fill the house, Student Affairs reserves the right to randomly assign chapter members until the house is filled. Otherwise, the chapter may be responsible for covering the cost of unfilled beds.
Students who are assigned to fraternity/sorority houses are not eligible to participate in the lottery.
Timeline
March 3, 2025 — Greek Housing Process opens. Blank housing rosters are sent to each chapter's President via a unique BOX link for completion.
Presidents: Ensure each member has signed their housing agreement before adding them to the housing roster.
Members: Check with your organization about your respective process and confirm your room assignment is correct once you are added to the roster and before your President submits it to Residence Life.
March 31, 2025 — Greek Housing assignments are due VIA BOX to Hannah Philips (hphillips@wlu.edu).
April 14, 2025 — Greek Housing assignments finalized and entered into eRezLife. Students may log in at eRezLife to review their assignments and roommate information.
Students who do not complete their application on time will not be placed in Greek Housing and will be entered into the lottery per the Housing Lottery and General Housing Selection Process.
April 21, 2025 - The deadline to request any Greek Housing assignment changes.
The room freeze takes effect for Greek Housing on April 21, 2025. You will not be permitted to move into a different room at move-in. Students who move into an unassigned room will be assessed a $100 fine and referred to student conduct per the Student Handbook.
Housing Lottery & General Selection Process
The Housing Lottery and General Selection Process is how you select a room for anyone not selecting a room through the Greek or Theme housing process. Available housing through this process includes Woods Creek and Village Apartments, Village Townhouses, and any remaining spaces in Theme Housing. Students living in fraternity, sorority, or theme housing; students approved for fall term abroad; or students with approved leave may not participate in the selection process.
Upper-division students may select from any available housing facilities during their individual timeslot, their group's best timeslot, or any time after their timeslot until the end of housing selection. Learn more about Upper-Division Housing locations here.
Preparation Timeline
To participate in the housing lottery and general selection, you must complete a housing application by the April 7, 2025, deadline.
Choose your roommates — Once your housing application is complete, you will have access to begin creating a roommate group.
Having a Plan A, B, and C is essential! It's important to note that not everyone will receive their first preference for housing. This may require changes to roommate groups. Looking for a roommate(s)? Utilize the roommate matching form. Students are encouraged to participate as a roommate group, though there will be limited options for students to participate as individuals. Individual participants are encouraged to review and apply for a theme house option prior to selection, as most apartments and townhouses are restricted to complete groups.
April 29, 2025 —The Housing Lottery Runs
Time slots are randomly assigned to all students who completed the housing agreement. Students will be notified via their WLU email. Connect with roommate(s) to discuss who has the better lottery time. Discuss plans and alternate plans for selection.
The procedural fairness of the lottery is ensured through a random selection process in which students receive computer-generated timeslots. Priority is determined by each student's class year as follows:
Rising junior (first priority): students whose anticipated graduation date is before June 1, 2027
Rising sophomore (second priority): students whose anticipated graduation date is before June 1, 2028
Rising senior: students whose anticipated graduation date is before June 1, 2026
Students should check the web directory to confirm their class year is consistent with university designation.
Prepare for your time slot.
At your earliest convenience, map out your plans A, B, & C for housing preferences, as well as any required changes to roommate groups. Because upper-division housing features apartment and townhouse-style living (and some theme house options), you will need to plan your roommate group carefully and early. You may view floorplans at the following links: Village Townhouses, Village Apartments, and Woods Creek Apartments.
Why do you need a Plan A, B, and C? Let's say you're a rising junior, and your first choice is a townhouse, but when your registration time opens, all of the townhouses are claimed, and suddenly your 6-person group must downsize to a 4-person group for a chance at an apartment in the Village or a 5-person group for an apartment in Woods Creek. Talk through these scenarios with your friends, and be sure you have your backup plan in place early. Groups will only be able to see available units for which their group meets criteria (i.e., group size, gender, co-ed). Learn more by attending a housing info session!
May 6-9, 2025 — Housing Selection Takes Place
See the table below for what is planned each day. When your Timeslot hits, to select your room, log into eRezLife; under housing overview, you will click on the button to the right of the upcoming fall term to enter the housing portal and proceed with selecting your room.
Selection Timeline
Tuesday, May 6 (beginning at 8 pm ET) — Rising Junior Day: Village Townhouses ONLY!
Class of 2027 (registered for the lottery) will enter room selection by designated times as displayed on eRezLife.
Only Class of 2027 members may be selected as roommates on 5/6/25. Only Village Townhouses will be available this night.
Wednesday, May 7 (beginning at 8 pm ET) — Rising Junior Day: Village Apartments and Woods Creek Apartments ONLY!
Class of 2027 (registered for the lottery) will enter room selection by designated times as displayed on eRezLife.
Only Class of 2027 members may be selected as roommates on 5/7/25. Village Apartments and Woods Creek Apartments will be available this night.
Classes of 2027 and 2028 (registered for the lottery) will be allowed to select registered and approved lottery participants in the Class of 2026 as apartment/housemates.
Friday, May 9 (beginning at 8 pm ET) — Rising Senior Day!
Class of 2026 (registered and approved to participate in the lottery) will enter room selection by designated times as displayed on eRezLife.
Housing selection ends Friday, May 9 Any student in the Class of 2027 or 2028 without a housing assignment at the conclusion of Room Selection will be randomly assigned housing by the Office of Residence Life, notified, and billed accordingly unless an exception is explicitly granted.
Your housing assignment is final once the room freeze on May 26, 2025, is in effect. You will not be permitted to move into a different room at move-in. Students who move into an unassigned room will be assessed a $100 fine and referred to student conduct per the Student Handbook.
