Housing Selection 2023-2024
Current and Returning Students
New Housing Management Software
The Office of Residence Life is excited to announce that a new housing management software (StarRez) will be used to manage the housing selection process moving forward. This user-friendly software will enable students to search for and select a roommate based on their profile preferences. The system will also allow students to pick their own room during the lottery process.
Apply Here: Oberlin Housing Portal/Application
Note: Be sure to review the deadline dates for each process to ensure you don't miss the deadline to apply.
Current/Returning Student Updates:
- General Housing Lottery- May 3rd -5th
First-Year Student Updates:
Guide To Roommate Groups
Disability Accommodation Process
Eligibility
Students with disabilities may apply for housing and dining accommodations to request reasonable modifications. The College requires supporting documentation from an appropriately licensed professional that identifies the student's disability-related barriers to access and how the requested accommodation will mitigate or remove those barriers. Complete Details Available Here
Application
- ODA Documentation- Available Now
- Schedule ODA Meeting- Meet with the Office for Disability and Access staff
- Oberlin Housing Application
- Students with permanent approval from the Office for Disability and Access for their accommodation do not need to re-register with ODA. However, they must still complete the Housing Application. To verify if you have a multi-year approval, please review your ODA accommodation by going to Oberview and searching for AIM. Once in AIM, you will see your accommodation and approved time frame.
- If you have questions about your accommodation status, please contact the Office for Disability and Access.
Deadline- March 12, 2023
Students applying for a medical accommodation should still complete the Housing Application. If granted an accommodation, you will receive notice from the Office of Disability and Access. Students with accommodations will be assigned housing based on their accommodations and preferences provided in this application.
Students applying for a disability accommodation should still complete the Housing Application. If granted accommodation, you will receive notice from the Office for Disability and Access. Students with accommodations will be assigned housing based on their accommodations and preferences provided in the housing application.
Accommodation housing assignments will be sent via email near the end of March.
Updated 3/7/23
Students interested in applying for ILBC / Theme and Village housing can do so if they meet the qualifications for that process. Their accommodation placement will be held while they go through the selection process. If housing is obtained through a different selection process, the student can choose between the accommodation placement and the new placement
Students with permanent approval from the Office for Disability and Access for their accommodation do not need to re-register with ODA. However, they must still complete the Housing Application. To verify if you have a multi-year approval, please review your ODA accommodation by going to Oberview and searching for AIM. Once in AIM, you will see your accommodation and approved time frame.
Commuter and Other Exemptions Process
Eligibility
Commuter and other exemption statuses do not carry over from year to year, and students must reapply yearly. For complete details and requirements, visit Housing Exemptions.
- Age Exemption- Students who are 23 years or older by January 2 of the academic year in which the exemption applies to them.
- Commuter Exemption- Students who live with their parents or guardians and commute from their parents or guardians' primary home within a 50 mile radius of Oberlin and have a minimum of six (6) months established residency.
- Required Documentation-Copy of the parent/legal guardian’s driver’s license or state-issued identification, showing a matching address and a Utility bill with the guardian's name and address that is six months prior to the date of the request.
- Marriage Exemption- Students married by legal commitment and married to an individual who is a non-Oberlin student.
- Required Documentation- Copy of Marriage Certificate by August 15 for upcoming fall semester requests and December 15 for upcoming spring semester requests.
- Dependent Exemption- Students who are the primary caregiver for an underage dependent.
- Required Documentation- Most recent year's complete income tax form listing children who were claimed as dependents by the student.
- Part-Time Student Status-Students enrolled for five credit hours or less. The exemption will not be granted until after the add/drop period at which time eligibility will be verified.
- Required Documentation-Copy of the Part-Time Approval Form.
Application
- Complete the Housing Application and the Exemption Section
- Upload all required supporting documentation
Deadline- March 12, 2023
Exemption confirmations will be sent at the end of March.
Off-Campus Housing Process
Eligibility
Upperclassmen with six or more semesters at Oberlin by the end of the Spring 23 Semester.
Off-Campus offers are contingent on the student being enrolled at the Oberlin campus during the Fall 23 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.
Off-Campus approval does not carry over from year to year, and students must reapply yearly.
External Application
Deadline- March 5, 2023
- Off-Campus offers will be sent the week of March 13th
- Off-Campus offer confirmation due by March 27th
- Failure to confirm placement will result in the Off-Campus offer being forfeited.
Identity & Language-Based Communities (ILBC) and Theme Housing Process
Eligibility
Open to any student that meets the requirements of the specific community.
Deadline- March 12, 2023
Placement Offer letters will be sent the week of April 3rd. Once placement letters are sent, students with offers must confirm their placement acceptance within 72 hours.
If a student is approved for an ILBC or Theme placement and doesn't except the placement, they will be eligible to select housing after the General Housing Lottery.
If a student isn't approved for an ILBC or Theme placement, they are eligible to select housing through the General Housing Lottery in April.
Village Housing Lottery Process
Eligibility
Upperclassmen with four or more semesters at Oberlin by the end of the Spring 23 semester
Deadline- April 1, 2023
The Village Housing Lottery is tentatively scheduled for mid-April. Lottery timeslots will be emailed to applicants’ Oberlin email address a week before the lottery. Applicants will return to this Housing Portal to select their space during their designated time. The average of the group members’ lottery numbers will determine the group lottery numbers.
General Housing Lottery Process
Eligibility
Current and Returning Students
Interested students and students who didn’t receive a housing placement through an earlier housing process, will be assigned a lottery time to participate in the General Housing Lottery in May.
Deadline- April 1, 2023
The General Housing Lottery is tentatively scheduled for early May. Lottery timeslots will be emailed to applicants’ Oberlin email. Applicants will return to this Housing Portal to select their space during their designated time.
Oberlin Student Cooperative Association (OSCA)
Oberlin Student Cooperative Association (OSCA) has four housing & dining co-ops and one dining-only co-op, which includes one dining safe space and one program hall. As a member of OSCA, you may choose from both room & board and board-only options.
All members of OSCA are placed by lottery number without exception. Lottery numbers are assigned randomly in March for students returning to Oberlin College in the Fall, and in June for incoming first-year and transfer students. At all other times, lottery numbers are assigned sequentially from OSCA wait lists on a first-come, first-served basis. Lottery numbers are higher when assigned from a waitlist, and most students are placed into OSCA during the Spring Lottery.
Deadline- March 1, 2023
If you have any questions about co-op membership, contact the OSCA office (in the Tank apartment) 440-775-8108 or, email them at office@osca.coop.
Submit A Question
Have a question that isn't answered here? If so, you can submit your questions here.
What if I want to room with an incoming new or transfer student?
You should complete your Housing Application and also send an e-mail, stating you wish to room with a new or transfer student. We will send you more information about the process once we receive the notification.
How and when do I apply if I want to live in a co-op next year?
To register for OSCA, you should fill out the application for housing on the OSCA website and the housing application with ResLife. There is no guarantee that you will get housing in OSCA, seeing as it is based on a lottery.
What if I am planning to study abroad in the fall? Should I go through the housing selection?
Please complete the Housing Application, but indicate that you are planning to take a leave. If you are not sure that you will get into the program you want or that your leave might not be approved by the time of housing selection, you should go through the selection process.
How do I apply for housing, while abroad?
Students on Study Away during the Spring of 2023 can participate in the Current Student Housing Selection Process. The Housing Application and Selection Process will be a virtual experience for all students. The Housing Application will be available on February 27, 2023. The Off-Campus Application is available now.
I have applied or have been hired as an RA. Should I still complete and return the housing and dining request form?
Yes. All students must complete the Housing Application.
My friend and I want to be roommates next year, but I may not be here in the fall semester. What will happen to my roommate?
Go ahead and select housing. If you decide not to come in the fall, your roommate can request another person for a roommate (before June 30) or someone else will be assigned to the space. If you wish to live together in the spring, your roommate should place your names on the waitlist in December as a requested roommate. You should enter his or her T Number on your Return From Leave Registration Form, available the middle of October. We are unable to hold spaces and we will not force a student to relocate in order to accommodate your request for a roommate.
How do I apply to live in a Program House?
Students interested in ILBC or Themed Housing should complete the Housing Application. As part of the application, students will have the opportunity to preference specific ILBC or Theme areas. Once ILBC or Theme areas have been selected, the corresponding questions will appear in the Housing Application.
I would like to register with a group larger than 4 people. Is this possible?
Unfortunately, the group size for registration is limited to four people since this is the largest multiple occupancy space.
I completed a village housing orientation session last year. Do I have to complete another one this year?
Yes. The village housing orientation takes place through Blackboard and must be completed within the first 3 weeks of the start of the semester.
I did not select a housing assignment. What will happen?
Students who have not selected a housing assignment by the end of the spring semester will have assignments made for them based on vacancies that occur during the summer. We will try to honor the preferences submitted on your Housing Application. Please be aware that:
- All students are assigned housing before the opening of residence halls for the fall semester and most will receive assignment information in late July.
- It is possible that students could be assigned as non-program residents in a program house or overflow space in lounges. These students will be expected to move to traditional housing as soon as space becomes available.
I have a permanently approved ODA accommodation, do I need to reapply with ODA?
Students with permanent approval from the Office for Disability and Access for their accommodation do not need to re-register with ODA. However, they must still complete the Housing Application. To verify if you have a multi-year approval, please review your ODA accommodation by going to https://oberview.oberlin.edu/ and searching for AIM. Once in AIM, you will see your accommodation and approved time frame.
I have an accommodation, can I still participate in ILBC/Theme and Village housing processes?
Students interested in applying for ILBC / Theme and Village housing can do so if they meet the qualifications for that process. Their accommodation placement will be held while they go through the selection process. If housing is obtained through a different selection process, the student can choose between the accommodation placement and the new placement
I'm getting an error message when I try to log into the housing portal.
If you receive an error message when trying to log into the Housing Portal/Application, try restarting your internet browser or a different browser. If this doesn't fix the issue, please contact the ResLife Office for support.
How do I apply to live in a Program House?
Students interested in ILBC or Themed Housing should complete the Housing Application. As part of the application, students will have the opportunity to preference specific ILBC or Theme areas. Once ILBC or Theme areas have been selected, the corresponding questions will appear in the Housing Application.