Room Selection for Current Students

The housing portal will open on Monday, March 31, 2025 for assignment changes.  Students may log in and make changes to their 2025 - 2026 assignment during this open assignment change period.

June 1, 2025 is the deadline to submit a Housing Cancellation Request to be released from you housing agreement without paying the $1,000.00 Housing Cancellation fee.  All Housing Cancellation Reuqests should be submitted in the Housing Portal.

Students should be mindful of their subjectivity to WCU Policy 96 prior to cancelling to move off campus.  Students may not be eligible to cancel or may incurr additional costs if they cancel without an approved Residency Exemption and are subject to WCU Policy 96.

The housing portal closes on Monday, June 23, 2025 for assignment changes.  No additional changes to your 2025 - 2026 housing assignment can be made after this time.

On-campus living is an integral part of campus life. The experience of living in the residence halls and the support of the staff provided by the Department of Residential Living enhance the intellectual, personal and social development of our students. Accordingly, WCU requires new undergraduate students to live on campus in the residence hall for a specific period of time based on how a student is classified at enrollment.

In general terms, first-year students enrolling at WCU are required to live on campus for two academic years and new transfer students for one academic year.

For details, we encourage you to review WCU Policy 96 in full.

Students subject to WCU Policy 96 who maintain their enrollment at WCU must either live on campus or receive a residency exemption.

WCU Policy 96 allows for Residency Exemptions for students to receive a waiver of the on-campus living requirement.  Qualifying exemption reasons include:

• Students enrolled exclusively in a distance learning program.
• Students enrolled exclusively in extension courses.
• Students enrolled in less than 6 total hours a term.
• Non-degree students unless participating in a program that requires on-campus housing.
• Students over 21 upon initial enrollment - by August 1 for fall entry or December 1 for spring entry.
• Married students.
• Students with dependents.
• Students living with a parent or legal guardian in one of the following North Carolina counties: Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain or Translyvania.
• Military veterans with 18 months of active duty.
• Students who have earned 90 or more hours towards graduation.

Students who believe they qualify for an exemption should submit a request along with any requested supporting documentation.  Residency Exemption Requests for 2025 - 2026 are available in the new housing portal.  Residency Exemptions must be applied for each academic year that the student is subject to WCU Policy 96.

Western Carolina University is committed to providing equal access to housing for all students living on campus with qualifying disabilities. Toward this goal, WCU provides accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Fair Housing Act, and other applicable laws.
Requests for a housing accommodation are reviewed and approved through the Office of Accessibility Resources (OARs).  Please refer to their Housing Accommodations page for information about the process and how you can submit your request.  Students should submit requests by the following dates:
Academic Year Assignments (Occupancy starting in Fall) - June 1
Spring Room Assignments (Occupancy starting in Spring) - November 1
Summer Housing - May 15
Housing Accommodations must be applied for each academic year.  

Continuing students who decide not to live on campus after completing a Residence Hall Agreement and/or selecting on-campus housing for the following academic year have until June 1 to request a cancellation of their agreement and/or housing without being subject to the Housing Cancellation Fee.   Cancellation of the Residence Hall Agreement after June 1 will be subject to a Housing Cancellation fee of $1,000.00.  The Housing Cancellation Request for 2025 - 2026 can be found in the Housing Portal.

How do I pay the $150 non-refundable housing deposit?
You will pay the $150.00 Fall 2025 Continuing Student Housing Deposit in your MyWCU account or in person at Student Accounts.  In your MyWCU account, please navigate to the Special Payments menu to make sure your payment is coded as a housing deposit.

What if I pay the deposit, complete the Agreement and then don’t select a room?
If you do not select a room, then Residential Living may assign you to a room.

What if I don’t get the room I want, can I change it later?
If the building you want to live in is full when it’s your log in time, then we suggest you find an alternate room. Once all students have had an opportunity to select a room you will be able to log in and change your fall assignment until June 23, 2025. After June 23rd, no changes will be made until room changes begin the second week of fall classes.

Will I have to pay the cancellation fee if I cancel before June 1, 2025?
If you’re not subject to WCU Policy 96 and wish to cancel your agreement you will not be charged a cancellation fee if you cancel prior to June 1, 2025. If you are subject to WCU Policy 96, be sure you understand your ability to cancel and the assessment associated with cancelling if you are in the second year of your residency requirement. Please remember that all cancellations must be done with the Housing Cancellation Request.

How much is the cancellation fee if I decide after June 1, 2025 that I want to commute to campus?
The cancellation fee is $1,000.00 and will be applied to your student account once we receive your Housing Cancellation Form.

Do I get my $150 deposit back when I cancel?
The deposit is non-refundable.

Do I have to have a meal plan if I live on campus?
Yes, even students living in buildings with community kitchens or living in Robertson must have a meal plan.

If I select my double room by myself does that mean I won’tget a roommate?
You should expect to get a roommate assigned.  Either another continuing student will select the space during Room Selection or a new student will be assigned when their assignments are made in July.

Will I be able to keep the same mailbox number?
Yes, if you participate in room selection prior to June 1, 2025.

What if I want to room with an incoming freshman or transfer student for fall?
While we do ask that these requests are submitted prior to your Room Selection date, we can still work with you to try to honor a request to live with a new, incoming student for Fall 2025.  Since selection dates have passed, it will likely mean a change to your room assignment for Fall 2025 to accommodate the request.  We will provide you with available options once we confirm the roommate request.  Please email housingquestions@wcu.edu with the name and WCU ID number of the incoming student(s) you would like to live with and we will begin the process.  Please note the student must be accepted to WCU and have paid their enrollment deposit to begin the process.