Step 1: Review our Important Dates website to learn when bookings/selection times start.
To help manage the number of students accessing the system at the same time, selection times are assigned at the start of the offer process in each term.
Your selection time is based on several factors, such as your contract type (for example, Fall/Winter or Fall/Spring), when you submitted your application, and the total number of applicants.
You'll be able to see your selection time in the Campus Housing Application, and it will also be emailed to you about a week before your room selection date.
If room bookings have already started/selection times have ended, you may be able to proceed through the application to book a room and pay the deposit without requiring a timeslot (if you can proceed through the application now, then this is your situation)
Step 2: Access the application
Log into the Housing Hub, click on the Campus Housing Application button, and select the appropriate contract terms.
Note: While we offer winter-only and spring-only contracts for all students, fall contracts are only available as two-term (fall/winter or fall/spring) for undergraduate students.
Step 3: Request roommates (optional)
Want to request roommates? We offer 3 ways to invite others to live with you, or you can skip this step to be assigned with student roommates.
- Know who you want to live with? Locate your roommate search screennames on your Roommate Groups page of the application and use the “Search for Roommates by Details” to find each other and form a roommate group.
- Want to search for students who might make good roommates? Use the “Search for Roommates by Details” to search for keywords like “engineering, crochet, Bridgerton” or other hobbies, academics, or interests to see if there are students with things in common.
- You can also use the “suggest roommates” tool to have roommate suggestions appear based on similar responses to the lifestyle questions.
IMPORTANT: You must form roommate groups before bookings begin and/or you are issued a selection time to proceed to book as a group. A roommate group is considered confirmed when one group member sends invitations and all invited members accept them by the deadline. Any invitations that are still pending after the deadline will be removed. Check the important dates page on when bookings begin for each term and student type.
Once you have a roommate group and are ready to select your room(s):
- Only one group member (group leader) should log in and select the rooms for the group. If the group leader is unavailable during the selection time, the group can decide on another group member who can select rooms for the whole group.
- If the group leader is unable to select rooms, another group member may be designated to complete selection for everyone.
- You must choose a unit that matches your group size. For example, if you are a 3-person group, only units with 3 vacancies will appear. If you want to disband your group to select a smaller unit or individually, you will have to reach out to Campus Housing.
If you are currently in a roommate group but no longer wish to be in one, you can navigate back to the roommate selection part of the application and leave/disband the group.
Step 4: Rank your preference for room types.
While not all room types may be available to select when you get to the next step, ranking your preferences helps us plan what room types have the most demand for current and future housing availability.
Step 5: Book your room!
- When it is your selection time (or after selection times have ended), go into the Housing Hub and access the Campus Housing Application’s “Room Selection” section.
- If you are booking as an individual, you pick one room. If you are a group of 3, the person selecting for the group will pick three rooms within the same unit and then move forward. Once you select the room(s), a timer will start and you have 10 minutes to finish the selection process.
- Click Room Info to review details such as building location, air conditioning, and accessibility features.
- When selecting a room, you will see different room type designations:
- Co-ed: Students of all genders may live in these units. If a resident moves out, any student may move in.
- Female only: Only female students may live in these units.
- Male only: Only male students may live in these units.
- Unassigned gender (single gender): The first student to book determines the gender for all remaining rooms in the unit.
- If you have an approved accessible housing recommendation and do not see an appropriate option, email housing@uwaterloo.ca for assistance.
- Select Confirm Bed only when you are certain of your choice. If you are in a group, you must use the dropdown to pick a different lettered bedroom for each group member. This step is final, and you will not be able to edit your application afterward.
Step 6: Complete your booking
After completing room selection, you (and your roommate group members, if applicable) must:
- Accept your housing contract, and
- Pay the $500 non‑refundable housing deposit
If you do not complete these steps by the deadline shown in your Housing Offer, your booking will be removed. Note that if you booked as a group but one person does not accept your contract or pay the deposit, it will only affect that person's booking and the rest of the group can still successfully book a room.
You will receive a confirmation email when your room booking is complete. You can also view your housing details on the Housing Hub main page. Any roommate information will appear only after they accept their offers.
Things to keep in mind during selection
