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Confused about which application to use? Want to understand how residence assignments are made? Contact us, we're here to help!
Important notes
- While we offer a 100% residence guarantee for incoming (newly admitted) first-year, transfer, and PhD students, we cannot guarantee a space in residence for other student types.
- Residence offers for other student types are made on a rolling basis, taking into consideration a number of factors such as student type, accessibility needs, eligibility requirements, and more.
- Undergraduate students must be registered as full-time, enrolled in at least 1.5 credits, or be a co-op student on an approved work term to live with Campus Housing each term. For the spring term only, undergraduate students enrolled in a degree program who are taking at least 0.5 credits may also be eligible to live in residence. Contact housing@uwaterloo.ca with any questions you have about eligibility.
Undergraduate and graduate housing is available in the winter 2026 term.
The spring 2026 application will open in mid-January.
Family Housing continues to have a waitlist.
Undergraduate First-Years
Straight out of high school or new to post-secondary education? If you have never taken any postsecondary courses before and you have been admitted to a first-year program, you're considered an incoming first-year student.
Undergraduate Upper-Year and Transfer Students
Have you already taken some postsecondary courses at Waterloo or another institution? If you are a transfer (external or internal), exchange, or current undergraduate student on an academic or local co-op work term, you'll apply through our Undergraduate application.
Click the apply now button to see which residence applications are open!
Important
We have lots of beds available for upper-year students for winter 2026 contracts. Apply today!
Please note:
- Any cancellations are subject to the terms and conditions of your housing contract (including any cancellation fees), and cannot be used to avoid financial responsibilities.
- Please note that you will not have to pay a deposit when submitting an application. When you receive an offer, you will be required to accept your residence contract and pay a deposit to confirm your space.
- Pharmacy students apply to upper-year housing.
Undergraduate Exchange
Accepted to Waterloo through an affiliated exchange program? You are considered an exchange student. Welcome! Please note that we will not be able to assign you to a residence if you have not yet been accepted to the University of Waterloo.
Click the apply now button to see which residence applications are open!
Graduate (including PhD) and Graduate Exchange
Enrolled in a masters, professional, or doctorate (PhD) program? Campus Housing offers graduate, graduate exchange and optometry students contracts in our dedicated graduate townhouse community. You can stay in residence as long as you are registered full-time with the University. If you are bringing dependents to Waterloo, please refer to the family housing application.
Click the apply now button to see which residence applications are open!
*Winter 2026 and Spring 2026: We typically have enough rooms to meet demand for graduate housing in Columbia Lake Village South in the winter and spring terms. Apply early to have the most options available to you.
*Fall 2026, and Winter 2027: We offer a 2-term (8-month) residence guarantee for newly admitted PhD students in our Columbia Lake Village South community, which includes a private bedroom in a shared graduate student townhouse in a vibrant community of fellow graduate students. PhD students beginning studies in Fall 2026 must apply to Campus Housing by June 8 at 11:59 p.m. ET to secure their spot for the Fall (September - December) and Winter (January - April) terms.
This guarantee applies to incoming PhD students in our single graduate student housing only. PhD students coming with a spouse and/or children can apply to the family housing waitlist but unfortunately we cannot guarantee availability.
Note: Graduate students currently living with Campus Housing on a 4-month renewable contract do not need to fill out a new application. Instructions for graduate renewals between terms will be sent by email.
Graduate students on an 8-month non-renewable contract will need to re-apply.
Families
Bringing your family to campus with you? Waterloo students with live-in dependents are eligible for family residence. Bring your spouse or partner and/or up to two children to live with you in our family residence community in Columbia Lake Village-North. Learn more about family housing and apply below.