Office of Residence Life
Housing Selection For Current & Returning Students
As a four-year residential college, Oberlin College requires all enrolled students to live on campus unless they receive approval for Study Away, OSCA Housing, Off-campus, or an Exemption status. To comply with this policy, all students — regardless of their housing status — must complete the annual college housing registration.
Fall 2026 Housing Selection Process
The Housing Registration encompasses all college housing options and exemption statuses*. Be sure to take note of the distinct deadlines associated with each housing choice to ensure timely submission. Your attention to the specified dates is very important in preventing any oversight and ensuring a smooth application process for your preferred housing type. Off-campus and exemption applications are part of the housing registration process.
Housing Registration: Opens January 23, 2026
Off-campus Status Lottery
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.
Students approved to live off-campus are still required to have either a College dining plan or an OSCA dining plan.
Approval for Off-campus Status does not carry over from year to year; students must reapply annually.
Off-campus Status does not include On-campus Houses and Apartments (formerly Village Housing), OSCA Housing, or Exemptions. Each of these housing options has a separate application process.
Process: Prior to the Off-campus Lottery, the College pre-determines how many students will be released to off-campus for the next academic year. A lottery will be held for those who apply and who qualify for off-campus. Only students selected during the lottery will be approved to live off campus.
Apply Here: Off-campus Process
Off-Campus Information: Off-campus Policy
Important Dates:
- Application Opens: Friday, January 23, 2026
- Application Deadline: Friday, February 6, 2026
- Lottery Result Notification: TBA
- Confirmation & Orientation Deadline: TBA
- Paperwork Submission Deadline for Final Approval: June 1, 2026
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 2026 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 2026 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.
- Students who are offered tentative off-campus approval are required to complete an online off-campus orientation and all paperwork requirements listed in their tentative approval notification, including a landlord agreement, by June 1. All required instructions, links, and forms will be sent directly to students with tentative approval via their Oberlin email account, with exact copies of all emails appearing in the messages section of their Housing Portal.
Confirmation Details:
- Off-Campus Status is contingent on the completion of the Off-Campus Confirmation & Orientation by the set deadline.
- Once a student confirms their Off-Campus status, they are no longer eligible to participate in the on-campus housing selection process. However, if a student who has already accepted the Off-Campus status is unable to secure off-campus housing, they may request to rejoin the on-campus housing selection process. In doing so, their Off-Campus offer will be canceled and cannot be reinstated. To request a change from Off-Campus to On-Campus housing, students must email the Residence Life Office at reslife@oberlin.edu.
- Housing charges will not be removed from a student's account until all steps for final approval have been completed. Students who do not complete all steps for off-campus approval will be placed in on-campus housing. Off-campus housing does not include an exemption from the meal plan requirement.
- The application for Off-Campus status is built into the 2026 - 2027 Housing Registration. Students can complete the application in the Housing Portal, opening the week of January 19, 2026.
On-campus Houses and Apartments (formerly Village Housing) Lottery Participation:
- Students approved for Off-Campus status on February 16 may wait until March 3 to confirm their acceptance. This allows them the option to participate in the On-campus Houses and Apartments Lotteries. If a student or their group selects a On-campus Houses and Apartments assignment during the lottery, their Off-Campus offer will be canceled and cannot be reinstated.
- Important: If a student selects housing during the On-campus Houses and Apartments Lottery, they will no longer be eligible for Off-Campus status for the 2026-2027 Academic Year.
Students approved for Off-Campus status who do not select On-campus Houses and Apartments (formerly Village Housing)or complete the Off-Campus Confirmation & Orientation by March 7, 2025, will forfeit their Off-Campus offer.
On-campus Houses and Apartments (formerly Village Housing) Lottery Process
Eligibility
Students with four or more semesters at Oberlin by the end of the Spring 25 semester.
On-campus Houses and Apartments (formerly Village Housing)Details and Policies
Single Occupancy Apartment Lottery
Throughout this procedure, individuals will receive a designated lottery time to access the Housing Portal and choose from the available single apartments. Given the limited quantity of single apartments, allocations are made on a first-come, first-served basis during the lottery process.
Important Dates
- Registration Opens: January 23, 2026
- Register Here: Housing Registration
- Apply By: February 16, 2026
- Lottery Times Sent: TBA
- Lottery Selection: TBA
Multiple Occupancy Apartment Lottery
Students seeking a multiple-occupancy apartment must form a roommate group that matches their desired room size. Each group member will receive the same lottery time, determined by averaging their individual times. During the assigned lottery time, the group can select from available apartments that accommodate their size. Any group member may finalize the selection, though it is recommended that groups designate a representative for this task.
If no apartment of the preferred size is available during their lottery time, groups may adjust their member count to explore alternative apartment sizes until they find a suitable option.
On-campus Houses and Apartments (formerly Village Housing) Multi-Occupancy Apartment Types:
- Apartment 2-Person - Apartment with two separate bedrooms
- Shared Apartment 2 Person - Apartment with one bedroom for two residents
- Apartment 3-Person - Apartment with three separate bedrooms
- Shared Apartment 3 Person - Apartment with two bedrooms for three residents
- Apartment 4-Person - Apartment with four bedrooms
Important Dates
- Registration Opens: January 23, 2026
- Register Here: Housing Registration
- Apply By: February 22, 2026
- Roommate Groups Formed By: TBA
- Lottery Times Sent: TBA
- Lottery Selection: TBA
Woodland Hall Lottery
Oberlin College's newest residential facility. The building consists of four floors and 402 beds, which are configured primarily as four-person suites. Each suite features private bedrooms for each resident as well as a shared bathroom, kitchenette, and dining area.
Roommate Groups
Students seeking a Woodland four-person suite must form a four-person roommate group. Each group member will receive the same lottery time, determined by averaging their individual times. During the assigned lottery time, the group can select from the available suites. Any group member may finalize the selection, though it is recommended that groups designate a representative for this task.
Important Dates
- Registration Opens: January 23, 2026
- Register Here: Housing Registration
- Apply By: March 1, 2026
- Roommate Groups Formed By: TBA
- Lottery Times Sent: TBA
- Woodland Lottery: TBA
Living Learning Communities (LLCs)
Formerly known as LITE Communities
Eligibility: Open to any student who meets the requirements of the specific community.
Community Information:
Placement letters will be sent in April. Upon receiving these letters, students holding offers are required to confirm their acceptance. It's important to note that eligibility to partake in the Traditional Housing Lottery will no longer apply once a placement is accepted.
If a student is approved for an LLC placement and doesn't accept the placement by the set deadline, the offer will be rescinded.
Students not approved for an LLC can select housing during the Traditional Housing Lottery.
Important Dates
- Registration Opens: January 23, 2026
- Register Here: Housing Registration
- Apply By: March 6, 2026
- Placements Sent: TBA
- Confirmation Due: TBA
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 Registration
- 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.
tudents applying for a disability accommodation must still complete the Housing Application. If granted accommodation, the student 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.
Important Dates
- Housing Registration Opens: January 23, 2026
- Register Here: Housing Registration
- Apply By: March 13, 2026
- Placements Sent: TBA
- Confirmation Due: TBA
LLC Housing Note: Accommodation placements will be made for those who have applied and been accepted into LLC Housing.
Commuter and Other Exemptions Process
Eligibility
Some exemptions categories are the following:
- Age Exemption
- Commuter Exemption
- Marriage Exemption
- Dependent Exemption
- Part-Time Student Status
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.
Important Dates
- Registration Opens: January 23, 2026
- Register Here: Housing Registration
- Apply By: March 16, 2026
- Submit Documentation By: March 16, 2026
- Confirmations Sent: June 1, 2026
Traditional Housing Lottery
Located across campus, the halls range from smaller, more intimate environments that accommodate approximately 80 residents, to halls that house roughly 250 residents. Each hall includes students from multiple class years.
Single Room Lottery
Throughout this process, individuals will receive a designated lottery time to access the Housing Portal and choose from the available single rooms. Given the limited quantity of single rooms, allocations are made on a first-come, first-served basis during the lottery process.
Important Dates
- Registration Opens: January 23, 2026
- Register Here: Housing Registration
- Apply By: March 29, 2026
- Lottery Times Sent: TBA
- Lottery Selection: TBA
Multiple Occupancy Room Lottery
(Doubles, Divided Doubles, Triples, and Quads)
Students seeking a multiple-occupancy room should form a roommate group that matches their desired room size. Each group member will receive the same lottery time, determined by averaging their individual times. During the assigned lottery time, the group can select from available rooms that accommodate their size. Any group member may finalize the selection, though it is recommended that groups designate a representative for this task.
If no rooms of the preferred size are available during their lottery time, groups may adjust their member count to explore alternative room sizes until they find a suitable option.
Important Dates
- Registration Opens: January 23, 2026
- Register Here: Housing Registration
- Apply By: April 3, 2026
- Roommate Groups Formed By: TBA
- Lottery Times Sent: TBA
- Lottery Selection: TBA
Oberlin Student Cooperative Association (OSCA)
OSCA is a student-owned and student-operated nonprofit corporation that provides at-cost housing and dining services. As an independent nonprofit organization, OSCA is entirely separate from Oberlin College, but all OSCA member-owners are Oberlin College students.
Oberlin Student Cooperative Association (OSCA) has housing & dining co-ops. As a member of OSCA, you may choose from both room & board and board-only options.
Once a student is selected to live in OSCA, they will no longer be eligible to participate in the on-campus housing selection process.
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.