Room Selection for Current Students

Same Room Selection offers students who are eligible to* and want to keep their current room for the 2025 - 2026 academic year the opportunity to do so.  This selection level takes place between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm on Monday, March 3, 2025.  There is not a specific log in time for this selection.

*Students will be notified in January 2025 if they are eligible to participate in this selection date based on their assignment at the time in January 2025.  Residential Living will continue to notify students regarding eligiblity to reclaim their rooms during room changes as well.

This selection is for students who completed Same Room Selection and now wish to pull in a roommate or suitemate(s).  The selection takes place from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.  The student that same room selected must log in with the preferred roommates 920 number and preferred meal plan in order to pull them into the room or suite.  To be eligible to be pulled in, the roommate or suitemate must have a completed Residence Hall Agreement for 2025 - 2026.  There is not a specific log in time for this selection.

This selection is for members of the Brinson Honors College who would like to select a room in Balsam or Blue Ridge.  This selection takes place on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 from 7:00 am - 4:00 pm.  During this selection eligible students can select a room and pull-in a roommate or suitemate at the same time if they wish to do so.  If you are selecting a room in Balsam Hall the roommate or suitemate must also be a member of the Brinson Honors College.  There is not a specific log in time for this selection.

Log in times for Open Room Selection will be sent on this date.  Log in times are sent to the student's catamount email address.

This selection is for any student who has a completed Residence Hall Agreement and would like to select a room and has not yet gone through selection.  This selection takes place on Saturday, March 22, 2025.   Log in times will start at 9:00 am and continue throughout the day until all students have had the opportunity to log in.  Students should log in at the earliest time possible as additional students will continue to gain access throughout the day.

Eligible students will receive their log in time on Friday, March 21, 2025 in their catamount email.  

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 new 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 Exemptions for 2025 - 2026 will be available in the new housing portal launching in February 2025.  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 will be available in the new housing portal launching in February 2025.

The room selection process offers most students the opportunity to retain their room from one year to the next.  Certain rooms, however, cannot be retained.  Students impacted are notified in January each year.  Some reasons a student may be displaced and unable to retain their room for the following year include:

• The room is located in a building designated for first-year students.  Each year the department identified buildings for first-year student housing.  Students living in buildings designated for first-year students for the following academic year are displaced.  For 2025 - 2026 the first-year residence halls will be:  Albright Hall, Benton Hall, Black Rock Hall, Shining Rock Hall and Water Rock Hall.
• The room is designated for special use.  These include rooms held for Resident Assistant staff, approved Housing Accommodation Requests, and theme or living learning communities.

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.  The deposit will be available starting Monday, January 27th at 12 pm EST.  You should not pay the deposit prior to this as it will not credit to the appropriate term.

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.

If I live in a room designated for students with accommodation needs will I be able to select it?
No. If you were assigned to a room based on an accommodation request or were placed in a room with accessibility features, then you cannot re-claim the room. If you have an accommodations request, you must re-apply and be approved each year.

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 transferstudent for fall?
Please email housingquestions@wcu.edu with the name and WCU ID number of the incoming student(s) you would like to live with. They must also have paid their enrollment deposit, submitted a Residence Hall Agreement and requested you as their roommate on their preferences. Make sure that they also have your WCU ID number.