Our Availability Philosophy

Housing Lottery

In the past, the application process was first come, first served. This year the process will change to a housing lottery for the earliest applicants, collecting applications during a window of time and using randomization to determine housing rankings. This process change evolved from direct feedback from applicants that the competitive nature of the first come first served model created significant stress and access challenges. This change will reduce the stress of “application sprinting” so our future Broncos can carefully apply and consider important details such as where you most want to live on campus!

We try our best to accommodate your preferences. Approximately 1,700 beds of the 2,500 available are held for First-Year Students who have assignment priority in these residence halls and suites: Chaffee, Driscoll, Keiser, Morrison, Honors College, Sawtooth Hall, Taylor, and University Square. We maintain a waitlist in the event that spaces open up. If you opt out of the waitlist, you will lose your place and lottery number.

First-Year Students

Historically, our earliest applicants do receive a housing assignment. When community assignments are announced in April some students may receive their assignment right away and others may be placed on the waitlist according to their lottery ranking. Our team works diligently to assign students from the waitlist as assignment openings inevitably occur throughout the summer. Students applying after the lottery is announced will be added to the waitlist, following early applicants, in the order they apply.

Sophomore and Above Students

Last year the demand for housing created a portal rush that crashed our housing system and hindered our support team’s ability to respond to questions in a timely manner. We look forward to adding the Capitol building (270 bed spaces) next year to better support this demand for Sophomore and Above housing, while also developing a more leisurely application experience through the housing lottery process. Although a waitlist for some of our earliest SOPH+ applicants can still be expected, we anticipate this shift will create a more equitable solution for our students as they seek housing on-campus and ensure our team is ready to support you through the application process should any questions arise.

If you’re a current residential student, transfer student, or non-traditional student, your options are single rooms in Lincoln Townhomes, University Suites, Honors College, the New Capitol building (official name pending), and in apartments on a space-available basis. If you receive housing via the lottery process, you can select roommates through your Housing portal. If you are currently living on campus in Sophomore and Above housing you will still need to re-apply for the upcoming academic year.

Returning Residential Students

Welcome back! Whether you have traveled abroad, completed an internship, taken a year off, or transferred to another school we are glad you’re here. If you have been out of Housing and Residence Life for a semester or more, you’re eligible to live in sophomore and above housing on a space-available basis.

Graduate Students

Graduate students are welcome to apply for apartments and townhomes since most other housing is reserved for undergraduate students.