Visit our COVID-19 information website to learn how Warriors protect Warriors.
Waterloo Residences will be open to students for winter term. Whether your classes are online or in-person, students are welcome to live with us.
Waterloo Residences is working closely with Public Health authorities to implement safety recommendations. See how we’re keeping you safe below.
Food Services will be open to students for the winter term. Learn more here.
Front desks are a major hub in each residence community. Students can pick up mail, make photocopies, ask questions and access resources. We have erected new plexiglass shields to keep both students and our front desk student staff safe.
All students in residence will have a single room this fall term. We are following the most up-to-date public health recommendations to support safe distancing practices within each residence.
Our Cleaning Services staff are meeting and exceeding public health recommendations regarding cleaning and disinfecting all spaces in residences, particularly high touch surfaces.
Our Student Development and Residence Life staff are working hard to ensure students feel connected, engaged, and academically supported in their residence communities through fun, virtual events and activities.
Touchless faucets have been added to most of our public washroom spaces to decrease high touch areas.
Disinfectant wipes dispensers have been added to dozens of spaces throughout our communities. This will allow students and staff to wipe down surfaces with a disposable disinfecting wipe between scheduled twice a day cleaning.
We must look out for one another and each do our part to keep our campus community safe.
Every student and employee has an important part to play in limiting the risk of COVID-19 and maintaining the safety of our campus community. It is up to each and every one of us to follow public health guidance and to respect each other as we share the space on our campus. Follow building signage, adhere to the current polices regarding guest and masks and ensure social distancing and hand hygiene recommendations are being followed.
Each resident is a part of this community. You have an essential role to play in supporting and uplifting the Waterloo Residences community. Just as we are working hard to keep your home at Waterloo safe, we encourage you to choose actions that keep you, your fellow students, and residence staff safe.
We expect all residents to abide by public health guidelines and have an open dialogue with each other if there is a concern. Our Residence Life team is here to help you navigate those conversations should you need support or guidance. Our team will focus on ensuring that all students adhere to their contract Terms and Conditions, including the no-guest policy, mandatory non-medical face coverings policy, and a commitment to following public health guidelines. All residents should be confident that we will maintain our facilities through cleaning and disinfection that exceed public health requirements, have extensive processes in place in case of illness, and that we will continue to adapt and address things we can control in residence.
Keep the following important information in mind.
Educate yourself
We rely on public health information – we expect you to as well. Stay up to date:
When and if they do, we will rely on Public Health’s contact tracing. In the case a student does disclose, we have designed and vetted a thorough protocol in consultation with Public Health and Campus Wellness which includes self-isolation space, if needed, as well as facilitated access to assessment and testing if necessary.
We have taken careful precautions and are prepared that during a pandemic, any member of the residence community could contract COVID-19. First and foremost, however, we will respect the privacy of all residents, including keeping confidential all conversations and medical information that students disclose to us. This means that while we are taking all necessary precautions to protect the health of our community, we will not be informing other students if someone is ill. All positive cases of Covid-19 on campus will be shared on the UW Coronavirus dashboard that can be found here.
We are here to support you. Please reach out to your Residence Life Coordinator to discuss your concerns. Campus Housing is also providing students as much flexibility as possible with their contracts. If you decide that residence isn't for you after moving in, students can leave by following this process.
For all information regarding Covid-19 on campus, including news and protocols, can be found at https://uwaterloo.ca/coronavirus/
Yes. Campus Housing will be operational for Winter 2021 and we encourage all interested students to apply.
Campus Housing in consultation with Public Health and Campus Wellness have implemented robust safety protocols to ensure that our students have a safe living environment in our residences.
All applicants who applied before September 22 must resubmit there application to remain eligible for winter housing. When resubmitting a winter application, the new application will override the previous information. Please ensure all information entered into the application is correct.
The Spring-only waitlist is now available and can be found here.
We understand that there may be questions on whether to live in residence during this time. Our goal is to provide you with information to help you make the best decision for your unique needs:
Residence offers students an opportunity to meet, connect, and build strong relationships with peers outside the classroom setting. These friendships form the basis of your social and academic support network and may even last a lifetime. All the Campus Housing staff are working to give you the benefits of the residence experience despite the pandemic. We have made several changes to our facilities, programs, and events to encourage safe distancing practices while maintaining opportunities for connection.
Follow @UWHousing on Instagram to learn more about what life in residence is currently like. Our Residence Life team is adapting and being flexible based on what current students are telling us when it comes to events and programming. We are currently seeing outdoor activities and connections being enjoyed safely by residents and will continue to be creative as the colder weather approaches.
The entire Campus Housing staff has and continues to implement several safety measures aimed at helping students to remain safe and healthy in residence. These measures meet and, in some cases, exceed the recommendation set by public health officials. Some of these measures include providing each student with a single room, installing plexiglass shields at front desks, expanded cleaning protocols using hospital grade disinfectants, foot operated elevators, distancing-friendly use of shared spaces, and virtual and creative programming.
All Waterloo Residence staff have been trained on COVID-19 procedures. They are also aware and encouraged to navigate conversations if community safety is at risk due to protocols not being respected. The Terms and Conditions of each student contract outlines the expectations of all residents.
We anticipate continuing the no-guest policy for the foreseeable future to keep all residents safe. Front Desk Assistants will continue to support the implementation of the policy, however safety is a shared responsibility of all residents and we are and will continue to work closely with all students to ensure that no one is putting others at risk by ignoring the policy.
Reducing isolation and building connections is a key priority for our Residence Life staff and your Don will create opportunities for check ins, social events and other distancing-friendly programming. Shared spaces with relevant guidelines are also available in residences to help you make new friends safely. We encourage all residents that are struggling or feel the experience could be improved to contact their don or Residence Life Coordinator for support.
While our Residence Life team is working hard to ensure everyone will still feel supported and connected while living on campus, we recognize that the current living environment we offer may not be suitable for everyone.
If you move into residence and determine that living in residence is not the best option for you, you can submit a cancellation form and cancel your residence contract*. Completing the cancellation form will result in a cancellation of your entire residence contract and you will receive a pro-rated credit from your key returned date. The pro-rated credit will be calculated from the day all your belongings have been removed from your room and your key has been returned to the residence front desk. When completing the form please indicate Pandemic Concerns as your reason for cancelling in order to receive your pro-rated credit.
If you cancel your residence contract and leave after moving in, your pro-rated credit will be less a $500 cancellation fee. Canceling your residence contract with less than 30-days remaining in the winter term will result in no credit.
*Please note that this process excludes student family contracts. Student families must continue adhering to the 60 days written notice in order to cancel their contracts or move-out.
The Marketplace eatery at UWP’s Claudette Millar Hall will be open to students for the winter term. Village 1 and REV eateries will remain closed.
No – residence gyms will be closed for the winter term. For information on campus athletics facilities including what’s available for use please see their COVID-19 updates here.
We understand your concerns about sharing spaces with other students especially during this challenging time. All students will be placed in a single room in a traditional or suite-style residence for the winter term. There are lots of posters and reminders around residence on how to share public spaces safely and residents are expected to adhere to the Terms and Conditions of their contract.
If you are placed in a suite, we know that adjusting to life with a suite mate can be stressful. If your suite mate has consented to share their information, we encourage you to reach out and make arrangements you’re both comfortable with about how to keep your space safe.
We will also share regular safety messages by email – such as cleaning products to consider, how to encourage social distancing, and how to develop a cooking and cleaning schedule. If you aren’t already following us on Instagram @uwhousing, this is another great place to stay up to date on trending topics and get tips to make your move in process seamless and safe.
After move-in, be sure to connect with your Don, an upper-year student mentor living in residence, to create a roommate agreement and safety plan.
We know many of you were expecting a traditional style residence assignment. To balance the increased need for safety with ensuring that students in residence do not feel increasingly isolated, we made the difficult decision to close Village 1 and Ron Eydt Village, two of our popular traditional and predominantly first-year residences for fall term. These two residences will remain closed for winter term as well.
This decision was made in consultation with Public Health and Campus Wellness in order to lessen the student to bathroom ratio. In our traditional style buildings for example, up to 16 students could share a bathroom that had 3-4 sinks, showers, and toilets, whereas in our suite style buildings, we can minimize that ratio so that in majority of cases there is a 2:1 student to bathroom ratio. We believe this will put you in a better position to manage your environment and prevent exposure.
Room changes will not be permitted unless high level support/safety needs exist. Our facilities and residence life teams are working hard to ensure all our spaces are welcoming, inclusive and safe so that you have an excellent residence experience. All public health guidelines are being met or exceeded within our residence communities.
Please see our move-in pages for details. Move in information for the winter term will be available in late November.
There will be no early arrival options for students for the winter 2021 term. Please see your specific move-in page (incoming first year, upper year, exchange & transfer, graduate, optometry & student families)for more information about move-in.
Students who are travelling to campus and need to self-isolate as per Public Health guidelines will need to do so prior to moving into residence. Residence space can not be offered to students for this purpose. There is a list of options and resources below that can help you find a place to stay during this time. Students can then make their own decision of the best accommodation option before moving into residence. Students will be required to plan their own activities and make payment directly with the accommodation provider.
Students interested in exploring the student rates at the listed accommodation providers below should contact the service provider directly. Please note rates and availability are not confirmed until you speak with the service provider directly.
Resources with student rates:
COVID-19 testing requirements are outlined by Public Health and can be found here.
One non-medical reusable face mask is being provided to each student at move in. In the event you forget your mask, you will be reminded to retrieve it. Disposable masks will be available on move in days in the event that someone does not have one. Non-medical face masks will be required in all shared common spaces, including in eateries and dining halls. This does not include while students are in their unit, in the bathroom, or while eating food in cafeterias or dining halls.
If students want to have their private spaces cleaned (suite/bedroom) at any point throughout their stay, they can contact JDI Cleaning here to arrange their services. JDI Cleaning is trained for all UWaterloo campus and safety protocols, and because of this we ask at that only JDI is used for private space cleaning.
Please note that:
You are welcome to submit a winter application and withdraw it without penalty. A deposit will only be required when you receive an offer to confirm your contract with us.
Any student with a study permit will be provided additional flexibility when finalizing their plans for winter 2021. Here are a few scenarios and the steps to take if you must cancel your application or contract:
Cancelling a Winter 2021 application:
If your decision is made after you have submitted an application, please do not re-submit the updated Winter 2021 application. Your application will automatically be cancelled by not updating. If you need to cancel your application after the week of October 5, please email us at housing@uwaterloo.ca.
Cancelling when your Winter 2021 Residence Offer is pending:
If your decision is made while you have a pending residence offer, please decline the residence offer.
Cancelling after you accepted your Winter 2021 Offer:
If your decision is made once you have a confirmed contract, you should submit the cancellation form in order to be relieved of financial responsibility for your one-term winter 2021 residence contract. Only students on study permits will receive their $500 housing deposit credited back. All other students are eligible for a re-booking incentive credit if they chose to live with us in any future term within the next academic year, that is, until spring 2022.
We understand that plans have and will continue to change as we approach the winter term. Therefore, please let us know before move-in if you will not be arriving.
Assignments are based on space availability at the time of assignment and we will consider the date we received when making assignments.
Students that applied earlier than September 22, 2020, must resubmit the First-Year Winter 2021 application since the residence options have changed. Any first-year winter applicant that does not resubmit their application by October 6, 2020 will have their application refused. Students will be able to reapply for winter if they change their mind after October 6, 2020.
The first-year winter only application does not have a roommate request section. Our first-year vacancies will either be in traditional-style single rooms or single vacancies within suites with returning fall residents. Since we will be placing each student in a single room, roommate requests will not be accommodated.
If you require an accommodation for medical, sensory, physical, environmental, psychological, allergy/dietary restrictions, or mental health conditions and you will need to go through the Accessible Housing process. The Accessible Housing process information can be found on our Housing Accommodations page.
If you went through the Accessible Housing for Fall 2020 or any previous term and your needs have not changed, we will take your recommendation(s) into consideration when we make your assignment. If your needs have changed or your recommendation does not meet your needs, you will have to through the Accessible Housing process again so we can receive the proper recommendation.
You can indicate your interest in a longer bed on your winter application by checking the box that shares you are taller than 6’3. Please note that the beds are longer by a few centimeters and are not wider.
For the winter term, room changes will only be permitted if high level support/safety needs exist. All residence offers are final, and we encourage you to reach out to your new suitemates as soon as possible to start getting to know each other.
Students will still have access to Waterloo’s public transit system to visit nearby grocery stores and shops. Purchasing one of Food Services optional meal plans is another great option, so students can use their meal plan money at any of the open Food Services locations.
Yes. The upper-year winter only application has a roommate request section. Please note that roommate requests can only be accommodated in suite-style residences as each student will be assigned to a single room.
Any student with a study permit will be provided additional flexibility when finalizing their plans for winter 2021. Here are a few scenarios and the steps to take if you must cancel your application or contract:
Cancelling a winter 2021 application:
If your decision is made after you have submitted an application, please do not re-submit the updated winter 2021 application. Your application will automatically be cancelled by not updating. If you need to cancel your application after the week of October 5, please email us at housing@uwaterloo.ca.
Cancelling when your winter 2021 Residence Offer is pending:
If your decision is made while you have a pending residence offer, please decline the residence offer.
Cancelling after you accepted your winter 2021 Offer:
If your decision is made once you have a confirmed contract, you should submit the cancellation form in order to be relieved of financial responsibility for your one-term winter 2021 residence contract. Only students on study permits will receive their $500 housing deposit credited back. All other students are eligible for a re-booking incentive credit if they chose to live with us in any future term within the next academic year, that is, until spring 2022.
We understand that plans have and will continue to change as we approach the winter term. Therefore, please let us know before move-in if you will not be arriving.
Any student with a study permit will be provided additional flexibility when finalizing their plans for winter 2021. Here are a few scenarios and the steps to take if you must cancel your application or contract:
Cancelling a Winter 2021 application:
If your decision is made after you have submitted an application, please do not re-submit the updated Winter 2021 application. Your application will automatically be cancelled by not updating. If you need to cancel your application after the week of October 5th, please email us at housing@uwaterloo.ca.
Cancelling when your Winter 2021 Residence Offer is pending:
If your decision is made while you have a pending residence offer, please decline the residence offer.
Cancelling after you accepted your Winter 2021 Residence Offer:
If your decision is made once you have a confirmed contract, you should submit the cancellation form in order to be relieved on financial responsibility for your one-term winter 2021 residence contract. Only students on study permits will receive their $500 housing deposit credited back. All other students are eligible for a re-booking incentive credit if they chose to live with us in Spring or Fall 2021.
We understand that plans have and will continue to change as we continue through fall term and approach the winter term. Therefore, please let us know before move-in if you will not be arriving.
New incoming student applicants can rank their building community preferences and request a roommate on the application at the time of applying.
If you are looking to join Graduate housing in winter 2021, please apply for a placement through our winter 2021 housing application. Offers to new applicants will begin to be sent starting October 12, 2020. Your contract start date will be adjusted to begin on January 30, 2021 and end on April 29, 2021. You may move-in any time after 8:00 a.m. on January 30, 2021 and must move-out removing all belongings and returning residence room keys to the front desk of Columbia Lake Village by April 29 at 11:59 p.m. Our staff will be working to prepare residence areas for incoming spring 2021 graduates moving in May 1, 2021.
Cancelling when your Winter 2021 Residence Renewal Offer is pending:
If your decision is made while you have a pending residence offer, please decline the residence offer. You did not submit a deposit for the renewal and did not confirm a contract, therefore no residence fees will be added to your Quest account for the upcoming term.
Cancelling after you accepted your Winter 2021 Residence Renewal Offer:
If your decision is made once you have a confirmed contract, you should submit the cancellation form in order to be relieved on financial responsibility for your one-term winter 2021 residence contract. Renewal students do not need to submit a deposit in order to accept the contract.
Cancelling after you accepted your Winter 2021 Residence Renewal Offer and moved into residence:
If your decision is made once you have moved into residence and decide to leave, you should submit the cancellation form in order to be relieved on financial responsibility for any remaining days of your one-term winter 2021 residence contract. Your pro-rated residence credit is based on the day your belongings are removed and the front desk of the Community Centre receives your residence room keys. Your Quest account will be credited within 15 business days of your room keys being returned.
We understand that plans have and will continue to change as we continue through fall term and approach the winter term. Therefore, please let us know before move-in if you will not be arriving.
Students living with us currently or already on a confirmed contract for the upcoming term awaiting move-in do not need to apply for future housing. Students will receive an offer to renew your stay with us by accepting another 1-term contract for the upcoming term in the same room. At that time, you’ll receive information about roommate requests and room availability in other buildings should you wish to renew your contract for a new room placement. Please refer to the schedule on the Graduate Housing webpage for more details.
If you are confirmed to live in Graduate housing starting October 10, 2020 please accept your housing renewal contract sent on October 1, 2020 so that you may continue living in graduate from October 10 through the start of the winter term. Your winter 2021 renewal contract will be for the entire winter housing contract from January 1, 2021 to April 29, 2021. When you are ready to move out of residence, please submit a residence cancellation including within the comments details about your fall 2020 academic term finishing in the winter 2021 term. We will prorate a residence credit based on the day you remove your belongings and return your residence room keys to the front desk of Columbia Lake Village. The residence credit will reflect on your Quest account within 15 business days of your key return date.
Room changes will not be permitted unless support or safety needs are determined. Current residents must connect with their Residence Life Coordinator to inquire and receive approval for roommate requests and room availability in other buildings. Information will be sent at the time of renewing a contract for the upcoming term.
When you contract renewal offer is sent, please let the offer expire.
Please apply for the upcoming term you are looking to renew your residence placement for and email housing@uwaterloo.ca to let us know you missed the renewal but wish to stay in your current room for the next term. Due to the demand and interest of applicants we cannot guarantee you will receive the same residence placement you were offered for your renewal. We will make every effort to place you within the same unit and room you are currently in to honour your renewal placement and alleviate any moving required.
Waterloo Residences acknowledges that we live and work on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations that includes ten kilometers on each side of the Grand River.
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is centralized within our Indigenous Initiatives Office.
