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.

The New Student Housing Application will open on April 11, 2024. After applying, students will then be able to relax until May, when they will be able to begin to self-select their exact room on campus for next year! 

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

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 and Room Selection

  April 11, 2024: The 2024-2025 Housing Application opens for new/incoming and transfer students.

  A $250 housing prepayment deposit is required to successfully submit your housing application. The $250 housing prepayment deposit will be applied to the Fall 2024 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.

  May to June, 2024:

  All incoming students will participate in what we call self-selection. This is the process in which students, with a completed Housing Applicaiton, will go online to the Housing Portal and select the exact room they want to live in for the upcoming academic year. The Housing Portal show all available rooms at the time of selection. If a specific building or room type is not shown, that means the student is either not eligible to select that space or it is no longer available. For example, if a first-year student is attempting to select Honors housing, but they are not an Honors student, the system will not show them Honors rooms.  Housing and Residential Experience will send a step-by-step guide in May to students on how to successfully select a room via the Housing Portal in May. 
  

• How do I apply for on-campus housing?

  Beginning April 11, 2024, incoming students can apply for housing for the 2024-25 Academic Year. By completing a Housing Application, this signals to Housing and Residential Experience that you are seeking to live on campus next year. You will access the application using the credentials you created for your Columbia Office 365 account. The application requires a $250 pre-payment, which will be applied as a credit toward your fall 2024 student account. An application is only considered submitted/complete when accompanied by the pre-payment. 

  Apply for housing here: www.colum.edu/housingapp 

  Inside the Housing Application, you will be able to indicate your living preferences, community preferences (Gender Inclusive Housing, Honors Housing, etc.), and provide emergency contact information. Starting in May, students with a completed Housing Application can self-select their on-campus room for next year via the Housing Portal! Please understand, room, building, and roommate preferences are not guaranteed and are subject to availability. 

• What is the timeline to obtain housing?

  WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THIS PROCESS? 

  April 11, 2024: Housing Application Opens 

  All new students may begin submitting their 2024-25 housing application on April 11. You DO NOT need to submit your application the day it opens. The first phase of room self-selection will be available for ANY NEW STUDENTS who complete your housing application April 11-May 1, 2024. The exact date and time of your completed application does not impact your room self-selection. Students who apply on or after May 2, 2024, will be in the second phase of our room self-selection process. The application requires a $250 pre-payment, which will be applied toward your fall 2024 student account. 

  May 1, 2024: Housing Accommodation Request Deadline  

  New students seeking housing accommodations for a documented disability or Emotional Support Animal (ESA) should apply with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office by May 1, 2024, to ensure timely review of their materials. Requests submitted after this date will be reviewed; however particular space accommodations cannot be guaranteed based on availability. The Housing and Residential Experience office works very closely with the SSD office during the summer to place students based on their approved accommodations. 

  May 22 – 31, 2024: First Phase New Student Room Selection 

  New students who complete their housing application between April 11-May 1, 2024, can self-select their housing assignment online via the Housing Portal during this timeframe. After selecting a room, you will be able to sign your housing contract - officially securing your housing assignment for next year!  

  June 4, 2024 - ONWARD: Second Phase New Student Room Selection 

  New students who complete their housing application on or after May 2, 2024, can self-select their housing assignment online via the Housing Portal during this timeframe. After selecting a room, you will be able to sign your housing contract which officially secures your housing assignment for next year! 

• How will I be able to select a room?
  All incoming students will participate in what we call “self-selection”. This is the process in which students with a completed Housing Application will go online to the Housing Portal and select the exact room you want to live in for the upcoming Academic Year (Fall and Spring). The Housing Portal will show all available rooms at the time of your selection. If a specific building or room type is not shown, that means you are either not eligible to select that space or the space is no longer available. For example, if a first-year student is attempting to select Honors housing, but they are not an Honor student, the system will not show them Honors designated rooms.  Housing and Residential Experience will send a step-by-step guide in May on how to successfully select a room via the Housing Portal.
• How much is on-campus housing?
  For specific housing and meal plan rates, please refer to this Columbia Central page: 2024-2025 Academic Year Housing Rates. 
• Where will I be living?

  T

  Transfer and Exchange Students 

  New students, who are not first-time freshmen, will be eligible to select available housing at the Arc, 30 East, and the University Center. On the housing application, you will be able to indicate if you are interested in Gender Inclusive Housing (GIH) which is offered in all our buildings. If eligible, you will be provided the option to select Honors Housing and/or our 21+ Community. There will be Honors living options at the University Center and at 30 East Balbo and our 21+ Community will be located at the Arc.  

  We encourage you to review housing options here: https://students.colum.edu/residence-life/Housing_Options/  

  Freshmen 

  The Office of Housing & Residential Experience is thrilled to be expanding our First Year Experience Community (FYE) for the upcoming year.  All first-time freshmen will be joining our First Year Experience Learning Community and will be living at the Dwight Lofts for the upcoming year! 

  The FYE community has an intentional focus on the first-year collegian experience. We place an emphasis on providing programs and experiences that align with the needs of first year students; prioritizing a transition to college, acclimating to Columbia College Chicago, and life in Chicago. Residents who live in the FYE community will engage in a variety of intentional learning, social, and creative opportunities designed to enhance the Columbia student experience. First Year Experience residents will participate in community development opportunities on campus and around the city of Chicago, gain essential leadership skills, and have unique opportunities to complement their academic experience. 
   
  FYE programs include (but are not limited to), establishing healthy habits, meeting other students, exploring various study techniques, how to get involved, improve communication, and much more 

  All new students will be able to indicate their interested in living in Gender Inclusive Housing (GIH) on the application, which will be on the 15th and 16th floors of the Dwight. Students living on GIH floors at the Dwight are still a part of the First Year Experience.  

  If you are part of the Honors program, you can select to be part of the Honors Community or Floors on the Housing Application.  There will be Honors living options at the University Center and at 30 East Balbo. If you do not select Honors on the Housing Application, you will be enrolled in the First Year Experience and live at the Dwight.  

• First Year Experience (FYE) Housing

  The Office of Housing & Residential Experience is thrilled to be expanding our First Year Experience Community (FYE) for the {TermID.Description}. All first time freshman will be joining our First Year Experience (FYE) Learning Community at the Dwight for the upcoming year!
  
  By default, all new First Year students will be enrolled in the First Year Experience. Students will be able to indicate if they are interested in Gender Inclusive Housing on the upcoming application, which will be on teh 15th and 16th floors of the Dwight.
  
  If you are new Honors students, being a part of the Honors Community or Floors will be an option to you. If you do not select Honors or GIH in the drop downs below, you will be enrolled in the First Year Experience.
  
  This community has an intentional focus on the first year collegian experiences. We place an emphasis on providing programs and experiences that align with the needs of first year students; prioritizing both an acclimation to college and to Columbia College Chicago. Residents who live in the FYE community will engage in a variety of intentional learning, social, and creative opportunities designed to enhance the Columbia student experience. First Year Experience residents will participate in community development opportunities on campus and around the city of Chicago, gain essential leadership skills, and have unique opportunities to complement their academic experience.
  
  FYE programs include (but are not limited to), establishing good habits, meeting other students, identifying healthy habits, exploring various study techniques, how to get involved, improve communication, and much more!
  
  > **Quick Facts:** Due to popular demand, the entire Dwight building will house the FYE Community.
  >
  > The Dwight has a combination of private and shared-bedroom in a shared apartment options - averaging 4-6 students per apartment.

• What does Gender Inclusive Housing mean?

  Columbia College Chicago is committed to providing a safe, accepting and inclusive experience for all students.  The College has a nondiscrimination policy that includes gender identity and/or expression which extends to student housing.  Housing and Residential Experience offers Gender Inclusive Housing (GIH) that provides an on-campus residence experience that welcomes students across all gender identities and/or expressions, especially for transgender, questioning or gender non-conforming students. All residential students, regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation have the option to request gender-inclusive housing. This community is not for those that want to live with their significant others. Please note we do not use gender as a criteria in the assignment process for the GIH communities. All students assigned to the GIH community will live with others who have requested this living accommodation. 

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  WHAT ABOUT MEAL PLANS? 

  There are two types of meal plans. Let’s start with the suite room types at the University Center. Most first year students will be residing at the Dwight; however, if you are in the Honors program and select a private room suite, a deluxe double suite, or a semi-suite room at the University Center, the full meal plan is mandatory for the academic year contract. Suite rooms do not have kitchens, so the meal plan is required. The rates published on the college’s website for suite rooms include the cost of the meal plan, but the charge will appear separately on your student bill. All suite rooms are in the University Center, which is where the dining hall is also located. 

  For all other residential students (i.e. students not in suite rooms at the University Center) there is an optional, supplementary meal plan of 150 meals for the academic year which you can select inside the Housing portal and will be billed in the fall term. Meals in this plan are divided equally between fall and spring, with each term including 75-meals. There is also a 75-meal plan students can purchase for the spring only, but we only allow signing up for those in January 2025. All apartments in the Dwight have kitchens. 

  When considering whether to purchase the supplementary meal plan, keep these tips in mind: 

  The meal plan is non-refundable, in whole or in part, for any reason—even if you withdraw from the institution entirely after September 13, 2024. 

  All other room types (non-suites) have full kitchens, so students have the option of cooking for themselves—and many of our students do. There are three grocery stores (Jewel-Osco, Trader Joe’s, and Target) within a few blocks of campus, and grocery delivery is available from online services. 

  The dining hall serviced by the meal plan is located in the University Center at 525 S. State Street. Students living in other buildings should consider that they’ll be walking to and from the University Center for their meals. 

• What are the meal plan options I can choose from?

   

  There are two types of meal plans. Let’s start with the suite room types at the University Center. Most first year students will be residing at the Dwight; however, if you are in the Honors program and select a private room suite, a deluxe double suite, or a semi-suite room at the University Center, the full meal plan is mandatory for the academic year contract. Suite rooms do not have kitchens, so the meal plan is required. The rates published on the college’s website for suite rooms include the cost of the meal plan, but the charge will appear separately on your student bill. All suite rooms are in the University Center, which is where the dining hall is also located. 

  For all other residential students (i.e. students not in suite rooms at the University Center) there is an optional, supplementary meal plan of 150 meals for the academic year which you can select inside the Housing portal and will be billed in the fall term. Meals in this plan are divided equally between fall and spring, with each term including 75-meals. There is also a 75-meal plan students can purchase for the spring only, but we only allow signing up for those in January 2025. All apartments in the Dwight have kitchens. 

  When considering whether to purchase the supplementary meal plan, keep these tips in mind: 

  The meal plan is non-refundable, in whole or in part, for any reason—even if you withdraw from the institution entirely after September 13, 2024. 

  All other room types (non-suites) have full kitchens, so students have the option of cooking for themselves—and many of our students do. There are three grocery stores (Jewel-Osco, Trader Joe’s, and Target) within a few blocks of campus, and grocery delivery is available from online services. 

  The dining hall serviced by the meal plan is located in the University Center at 525 S. State Street. Students living in other buildings should consider that they’ll be walking to and from the University Center for their meals. 

• Move-In Time Slots

   All students who have completed their housing application and submitted their housing prepayment deposit of $250 will be able to pick a move-in date and time for the Fall.

  If you attended an Admitted Student Day and have been told you will have your pre-payment waived, DO NOT MAKE PAYMENT. Complete your housing application all the way up to the payment page and STOP. Our office will process pre-payment waivers every few business days and then you can return to the application after 72 hours to complete the application and you will not be asked for payment.

  New student move-In will occur the week of August 26, 2024. More details about move-in will be available this summer. 

  *Please note that dates may be subject to change.

• Roommate Group Requests

  Roommates

  After a student has completed their Housing Application and submitted their $250 prepayment, they will be eligible to self-select their specific housing assignment on campus for next year.  

  If your student has already connected with another student they wish to live with, we encourage them to apply for housing early, so they can be within the first group of students eligible to self-select a space on campus.  At the time of self-selection, students should coordinate with one another the time and date of their housing selection so they can choose the same room, apartment, and building in the Housing Portal.  

  We know some students may have their heart set on a particular building or room type. It is always best to have a second and third preference planned out. Please ask your student to keep in mind that, when selecting their space for next year, their first choice may not be available or a space large enough to accommodate multiple intended roommates may no longer be available.  We cannot guarantee room type or roommate preferences. 

  The Housing and Residential Experience office will not be accommodating with the creation of roommate groups, it is up to the students to coordinate amongst themselves to select a space for their group.

• Move In Dates

  Fall Semester Move-In:  Specific information for Fall 2024 move in will be available summer 2024. 

   

• 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, 2024 - the Housing & Residential Expereince Office will open waitlists for each residence hall, themed communities (i.e., 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.