Incoming first-years

Live in residence, 100% guaranteed 

Living in residences means becoming part of a great community, with support to help make your transition to University life as smooth as possible. You have the choice of living in one of Waterloo Residences 5 first-year residences, or at one of Waterloo’s University Colleges.

At Waterloo, residence is guaranteed for all incoming first-year students who sign a contract for two terms (fall/winter or fall/spring) by June 1. What do you need to do?

The Residence Community Ranking Form is now closed. Incoming first-year students that missed the 100% Guarantee that would like to live with us for the 2020/21 academic year can still apply for housing through the Fall 2020 Vacancy Application. We will assign incoming first-year students on the vacancy list to residences starting in August. Vacancy list students are not guaranteed a residence assignment, but we will try our best to assign as many as we can based on available space.

COVID-19 update for fall 2020 applicants 

The housing deposit is typically non-refundable but if you are no longer able to come to campus, we will refund your $500 housing deposit. The deadline to request a refund is Friday, June 12, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Please note that requesting a refund cancels your residence guarantee for two terms and you will lose guaranteed space on campus in the fall and winter or spring. You are required to move into residence for the fall term in order to have accommodations in the winter/spring. If you do not arrive in the fall term, you will lose your space for winter/spring and remain financially responsible for the residence fees for both terms.

Interested in Winter or Spring Only Contract? Many students are asking if they can be guaranteed residence for winter only. A winter only application will be available on July 28th at 9 a.m. EDT. We will announce information about the Spring Only later on in the academic year If you are interested in residence for an upcoming term (winter or spring) we recommend the following:

• If you submitted your $500 housing deposit and Residence Community Ranking Form by June 1st and have not notified us that you want to cancel your current application for a two-term contract, complete the form sent to your email on June 2 by Friday, June 12, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Students that are a part of the 100% guarantee are not eligible for a winter or spring-only contract.
• The Winter 2021 First-Year Winter Only Application will be available starting Tuesday, July 28th at 9 a.m. EDT. You cannot apply to this application if you still have an active Two-Term application, Vacancy Application or have received a residence offer from us. If you would like to cancel your two-term application or vacancy application, please email us at uwaterloo.ca subject line: I want winter housing. If you have received a residence offer, you would have to decline the offer and forfeit your $500 deposit if not on a study permit. 
• Spring-only application is not yet available and will depend on public health guidelines and space availability. More information will be available later this academic year.
• If you change your mind about fall term after requesting a refund, you may reapply to residence by submitting the first year vacancy application. Space is not guaranteed. 
• We encourage you to check our website regularly for updates and as soon as we have information about winter and spring applications, we will post it here.

Get Ready for Residence Webinar

Did you miss the Get Ready for Residence Webinar? Watch the recording below!

Printable checklist

The Road Home

Part 1 - Residence Community Ranking Form

Accept your offer to the University of Waterloo

Congratulations on becoming a Waterloo Warrior!

Prepare to apply for Residence

Research the difference between Waterloo Residences, and the University College communities (St. Jerome's, St. Paul's and Renison). Check out available meal plans, Living-Learning Communities, and visit Bringing Waterloo to You for a digital experience.

 

Go online and complete the Residence Community Ranking Form

The online form (RCRF) opens Saturday, February 1 and closes on Monday June 1 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

On this form, you are only selecting which on-campus residence community you'd like to live with and which living-learning community you would like to join.

If you have a housing accommodation request, you must complete the Housing Disability Verification Form and submit it by the  June 1 deadline. 

 

Pay your non-refundable $500 deposit

To complete your form submission, you must make a $500 CAD deposit. Payments can be made online by credit card to ensure the deposit is received by the deadline.

Please note: The housing deposit is typically non-refundable but if you are no longer able to come to campus, we will refund your $500 housing deposit. Please note that requesting a refund cancels your residence guarantee for two terms and you will lose guaranteed space on campus in the winter or spring. Failure to arrive in residence in the fall will result in the cancellation of your residence booking and your winter/spring accommodations. Your initial payment will be forfeited, and you will be held financially responsible for your full (both terms) residence fee. A deadline date to request this refund will be communicated once decided.  As part of the residence contract, you are required to live in residence for the entire fall term in order to be continuing to have accommodations in the winter/spring. 

Interested in Winter or Spring Only Contract? Many students are asking if they can be guaranteed residence for winter only. A winter only application will be available on July 28th at 9 a.m. EDT. We will announce information about the Spring Only later on in the academic year If you are interested in residence for an upcoming term (winter or spring) we recommend the following:

• If you submitted your $500 housing deposit and Residence Community Ranking Form by June 1st and have not notified us that you want to cancel your current application for a two-term contract, complete the form sent to your email on June 2 by Friday, June 12, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Students that are a part of the 100% guarantee are not eligible for a winter or spring-only contract.
• The Winter 2021 First-Year Winter Only Application will be available starting Tuesday, July 28th at 9 a.m. EDT. You cannot apply to this application if you still have an active Two-Term application, Vacancy Application or have received a residence offer from us. If you would like to cancel your two-term application or vacancy application, please email us at uwaterloo.ca subject line: I want winter housing. If you have received a residence offer, you would have to decline the offer and forfeit your $500 deposit if not on a study permit. 
• Spring-only application is not yet available and will depend on public health guidelines and space availability. More information will be available later this academic year.
• If you change your mind about fall term after requesting a refund, you may reapply to residence by submitting the first year vacancy application. Space is not guaranteed. 
• We encourage you to check our website regularly for updates and as soon as we have information about winter and spring applications, we will post it here.

 

Watch video on YouTube

 

 

 

Accepted to Waterloo Residences

Check your email on Thursday, June 25 to find out which residence community (Waterloo Residences or the University Colleges) you will be joining. If you are in Waterloo Residences, you will receive a confirmation from Waterloo Residences with next steps.

Accepted to a University College Residence

Students in University College Residences will receive next steps directly from that University College through email by Thursday, June 25.