Office of Residence Life

Off-Campus Status

Off-Campus Status releases a student from the requirement to live in College Housing. To obtain this status, students must apply and be selected through the Off-Campus Lottery. If approved, they are responsible for securing their own housing in the local community

Approval for Off-Campus Status does not carry over from year to year; students must reapply annually.

Off-Campus Status does not include Village Housing, OSCA Housing, or Exemptions. Each of these housing options has a separate application process.

Off-Campus Process

Based on expected enrollment, the college pre-determines the allocation of off-campus slots for the upcoming academic year.  Approval for off-campus status is granted to those students who apply, are eligible, and have been chosen through the off-campus lottery. 

Students should not sign a lease before being granted and notified about their off-campus status.

Off-Campus Eligibility

  • Students must apply and be selected through the Off-Campus Lottery Process. 
  • Students must have completed six (6) or more semesters at Oberlin by the end of the Spring 2025 semester. 
  • Students selected during the lottery must complete the online Off-Campus Orientation.
  • Off-Campus status does not carry over from year to year. Students must re-apply yearly and be selected through the Off-Campus Lottery. 
  • Off-Campus offers are contingent on the student being enrolled at the Oberlin campus during the Fall 2025 semester. If a student does not attend the Oberlin campus in the fall, the off-campus offer will be rescinded. The student will then be assigned an on-campus room upon their return in the spring.

Apply Here: Off-Campus Lottery Registration

  • Application Opens: Monday, February 4, 2025
  • Application Deadline: Friday, February 21, 2025
  • Lottery Result Notification: Monday, February 24, 2025
  • Confirmation & Orientation Deadline: Friday, March 7, 2025

I transferred to Oberlin, will my credit hours be adjusted?

If you are a transfer student, your transfer credits must be approved by the Office of the Registrar during the fall semester before the housing lottery. AP/IB and other courses taken in High School are not counted toward semesters at Oberlin. If you have questions about eligibility for the Off-Campus Lottery, please contact the Office of Residence Life.

Is there a group registration process for off-campus

There is no group registration process for off-campus. Only individuals can register for the Off-Campus Lottery. 

Students previously approved by the Office of Disability and Access for an off-campus accommodation should not apply for the lottery. 

Commuter status and other exemptions are separate processes from the off-campus lottery. 

Off-Campus Guide

Provides guidance and things to consider when choosing a place to live off-campus. 

The Office of Residence Life will host a Housing Fair on February 20, 2025. Local landlords and rental companies will be invited to have tables. This will be another opportunity for students to find off-campus housing.