Housing and Residential Experience

Welcome to Columbia College Chicago! We are thrilled that you are joining our student community and are considering the endless possibilities of living on campus.

Here you will find information to help guide your decision, apply for housing, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Additional information regarding the Housing Application process will be posted online at: https://students.colum.edu/residence-life/

The Housing Contract is for a full academic year (both fall & spring semesters). Breaking the full academic year contract (aside from withdrawing, graduating, or Semester in LA or abroad) will result in early termination penalties and fees, up to the full cost of the signed contract.

• Housing Application

  April 3, 2023: The 2023-2024 Housing Application opens for new/incoming and transfer students.

  A $500 housing prepayment deposit is required to successfully submit your housing application. The $500 housing prepayment deposit will be applied to the Fall 2023 housing charges.

  As part of the application process, students will also complete a personal profile, indicating their housing preferences and information about their personal habits (i.e., cleanliness, guests, sleeping, studying, etc.) to be used in the housing assignment and roommate pairing process.

  The housing application is available through the housing portal.

  *Please note that dates may be subject to change.

• First Year Experience (FYE) Housing

  The First Year Experience (FYE) Learning Community will be expanding for 2023-2024. The new FYE communities will be housed in the Dwight, floors 2, 3, 4, and 5.

  These communities will have a structured focus on the experiences and student development aimed at the first-year and second-year experiences at Columbia. Residents who choose to live in these communities will engage in intentional learning, social, and creative opportunities designed to enhance the Columbia student experience. FYE residents will participate in community development opportunities on campus and around Chicago, gain essential leadership skills, and have unique opportunities to complement their academic experience.
  
  *Please understand the rooms are subject to availability.*

• Priority Deadline for FYE Housing Preferences

  Incoming students interested in participating and living in our First Year Experience (FYE) Learning Community will need to have completed their housing application with a submitted housing preference for the FYE community by May 22, 2023.

  *Please note that dates may be subject to change.

• Move-In Time Slots

   All students who have completed their housing application and submitted their housing prepayment deposit of $500 will be able to pick a move-in date and time for the Fall.

  New student move-In will occur Monday-Thursday, August 28-31, 2023. · Students assigned to the First Year Experience (FYE) community are encouraged to move-in on Monday or Tuesday, August 28-29 in order to take full advantage of FYE programs and activities.

  Move-in timeslots will not be available on September 1st due to Convocation.

  *Please note that dates may be subject to change.

• Move In Dates

  August 28th-31st - September 2nd-3rd

  Fall Semester Move-In:  All new/incoming students should plan to participate in Convocation on Friday, September 1, 2023.

  Move-in timeslots will not be available on September 1st.

  First Day of Fall classes start September 5, 2023.

• Waitlist Options

  We recognize that your on-campus home plays an integral part of your Columbia College Chicago experience. To the best of our ability, we are committed to ensuring your residential experience is a fulfilling and postive one. It is possible that you realize your original housing assignment is not the experience you were hoping for, or perhaps you have found an interest in moving elsewhere for a variety of reasons.

  Beginning August 1, 2023 - the Housing & Residential Expereince Office will open waitlists for each residence hall, themed communities (i.e., FYE, SYE, Gender Inclusive Housing, or Honors), and single rooms. Students can add their name to ONE waitlist at a time. Pending space availability, students will be contacted from the waitlist in the order in which they were added.

  There is no guarauntee that students on any waitlist will have their request honored.

  Students who have signed their housing contract for their initial assignment may begin “wait listing” different communities/living setups. 

  Requests will be honored pending space availability.

• Roommate Group Requests

  Requesting Roommates

  • New, Incoming and Transfer Roommate Request

    • If you are requesting to reside with specific roommates, you and the other party/parties must notify our office via email at housing@colum.edu requesting one another to be in a group.
    • In the email, please include each participants full name (first name, preferred name, and last name).

    • All participants requesting to be in a roommate group must have submitted a housing application, meaning they submitted the housing deposit.

    • It's required that all participants to notify our office via email.

    • Roommate requests will not be accommodated without all participants submitting a request via email.
    • Please note that our office cannot guarantee any specific rooms, room types, living communities, or buildings as they are all subject to availability.
    • We cannot guarantee Roommate Group Request can be honored as it is subject to available spaces.