The on-campus housing application process, or Contract, is the process in which a student signs a binding Contract agreement online, in their Housing Portal, to secure on-campus housing and residential dining.
The Application Process
Become a 51ÁÔÆæ Student
You must apply to 51ÁÔÆæ, and be admitted as a student, to be eligible for on-campus residence with University Housing.
Determine Your On-Campus Housing Preferences
Note: Preferences are not a guarantee. They are used to assist in room assignment from spaces still available at the time a contract holder’s name in chosen in the lottery system.
What type of building/room do you want to be in?
If smaller/tighter-knit communities are your thing – look at Cambridge Commons or RiverView Residence Hall. If you want to be in the middle of all the action with nearly 2,800 other students, then Sandburg Hall might be a better fit. Remember – all of University Housing residence halls at 51ÁÔÆæ are suite-style accommodations, so you’ll always have suite mates living alongside you, sharing a suite bathroom, regardless of your bedroom’s occupancy.
The preference for Single/Double/Triple refers to the occupancy of your particular bedroom, not the entire suite. When listing your residence hall bedroom-type preference, please be aware that out of University Housing’s total bedrooms only 15% are single-occupancy and 3% are triple occupancy. Due to the scarcity of these two room types, most residents will be placed in a double-occupancy bedroom, regardless of chosen preference.
For upper class and Graduate students, you may find our apartment-style setting most fitting. Kenilworth Square Apartments* provides single occupancy bedrooms within 1-, 2-, or 3-bedroom shared apartments and a more independent living environment. Each apartment is furnished with a full kitchen (stove, refrigerator, microwave), and each bedroom has a full size bed, built-in closets and desk with desk chair provided. For a flat monthly rate, all utilities are included, so you never need to worry about variable monthly expenses.
Speaking of your room – do you want a specific roommate?
If so, there are some things you will want to do. First, you and your roommate need to request each other by forming a roommate group in your Housing Portal. Second – you need to list a preference, and be eligible, for the same LLC** (or both have the same preference for No LLC; the point is we can’t mix and match students as roommates if they aren’t looking for the same LLC experience). Third – the best practice is to not request a single room (requests for single rooms and roommates are conflicting for our computer system).
If you don’t have a specific roommate in mind (or just in case your specific roommate request is unable to be assigned to you), we will also ask you some questions about your personal habits/personality traits so that in the event of a random roommate pairing, we can try to put you with someone who is at least somewhat compatible with your preferences (sleeping, studying, socializing, etc.). Within your Housing Portal you can also use the Roommate Search feature to try to find a roommate based on preferences and profiles.
*Students must be a minimum of junior standing or 21 years of age by September 1 to be eligible to contract for housing in Kenilworth Square Apartments.
**LLC are not available in Kenilworth Square Apartments.
Review the University Housing Contract
Once admitted to 51ÁÔÆæ, you will automatically be granted to a University Housing Contract. Instructions will be emailed to you regarding how to access your University Housing contract via your Housing Portal, where you are able to read the contract1 in its entirety. Before completing, read it through completely to be sure you understand all terms of the agreement.
Access to the Kenilworth Square Apartments Contract is not automatically granted due to limited new vacancies each year. A contract must be requested (step 4), and then online access will be provided based on vacancies.
1 The University Housing Contract and Guidebook contains information related to residency in all University Housing Facilities other than Kenilworth Square Apartments (KSA). KSA has its own specific Contract and Guidebook. While these publications are very similar, there are some material differences, with respect to contract start and end dates, rates, and billing.
Apply for On-Campus Housing
Once you submit your University Housing Contract online, you are legally bound by the Contract. You will also be required to follow the Resident Handbook. The non-refundable contract fee is due, in full, at time of Contract Completion. Payment must be made via debit or credit card through the payment gateway in the Housing Portal. Priority deadline for Contract submission and payment of the $50 Non-Refundable Fee for new students is May 1.
After you have applied
If you submit your contract and payment by May 1, you are guaranteed on-campus housing. Contracts submitted after that date may not be accepted by University Housing based on space availability at time of submission. Information about Move-In will be sent to you in July.
IMPORTANT: Update the University with the best email to contact you, especially if you applied to 51ÁÔÆæ using a high school email address. AND, check your home and 51ÁÔÆæ email addresses during the summer to be sure you don’t miss any important University Housing dates and/or deadlines!
Important Information and Considerations
51ÁÔÆæ Residency Policy
While 51ÁÔÆæ has a residency policy that essentially states first-time, first-year students are required to live on-campus where space permits, we know that some students will want to live with their parent(s)/guardian(s) and commute; or have other extenuating circumstances which might necessitate them requesting an exemption from the policy. Those students will need to request an exemption by completing the  in the Housing Portal and submitting documentation to support their rationale.
Financial Commitment
Are you prepared for the financial commitment you’ll be agreeing to under the terms of the Contract? Start to prepare your budget by reviewing the most current Housing and Dining Plan rates. The official rates for any upcoming academic year will not be published until the Spring semester prior. For an approximate average academic year cost, use the price of a double-occupancy room. Add to that the “225” Dining Plan cost. There are rooms that cost more (or less), as well as alternative dining plans. However, because room assignments are made based on a random lottery that takes into consideration your preferences (and not on a first-come-first-serve basis), you should be prepared for a range of possible costs for your room and board (in addition to charges for tuition and fees).
If Full Capacity Is Reached
In the event University Housing facilities reach full capacity before you are able to complete a Housing Contract, you will be given an automatic exemption to the Residency Requirement and may pursue other housing options. However, if you would still wish to be considered for a University Housing contract, you would need to place yourself on a waitlist accessible through your Housing Portal. We would then offer contracts (via 51ÁÔÆæ email) based on the date/time you added yourself to the list, as space becomes available.
Other Housing Options
Admission to 51ÁÔÆæ does not guarantee on-campus housing. You are not guaranteed housing until you successfully submit your online Contract and pay the non-refundable contract fee. Eligible students may choose to live off-campus. This option is available to anyone who has already satisfied the terms of the 51ÁÔÆæ Residency Policy.
If you are eligible and choose to live off-campus, the Off Campus Resource Center can assist you in finding rentals and roommates.
Non-Discrimination Policy
University Housing accepts contracts and assigns rooms without regard to age, race, color, creed, or national origin. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee policies provide equal opportunity in admissions, employment, educational programs, and activities without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.