Eligibility for Room Selection
Housing offers undergraduate students four years (8 semesters) of on-campus housing as long as students maintain their eligible status. Please review the information below to confirm your eligibility for Room Selection.
Who is Eligible for Room Selection?
Room Selection is open to all currently enrolled first-year, sophomore, and junior undergraduates in Columbia College (CC) or the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) who reside in Columbia Housing, are studying abroad with a Columbia-approved program, or are first-year students approved to commute.
Students who are enrolled in the specific 4-1 SEAS or ASP programs are guaranteed 10 semesters of Housing, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements.
- 4-1 Students: Contact Housing to confirm your eligibility
- ASP: Contact your program administrator to confirm your eligibility
These students participate in Room Selection with rising senior status (40 points).
Students who entered Columbia with the 3-2 Combined Plan SEAS program are guaranteed housing for only their first year of the program. For their second year, 74 students are selected through the 3-2 Combined Plan lottery that takes place during fall semester. Students selected will be able to participate in Room Selection with rising senior status (40 points).
Only rising Barnard seniors are eligible to participate in Room Selection and only as members of a group with all Columbia seniors. Barnard seniors will receive 40-point value. Learn more about living with Barnard students.
Who is Ineligible?
Non-guaranteed students are not eligible to participate in Room Selection. Students lose their guaranteed housing status if they take a voluntary leave of absence, move off campus, are forced to withdraw from the University, or lose housing for another judicial reason.
Non-guaranteed students may submit a Housing Application in June to request on-campus housing for the upcoming academic year. Applicants are placed on a housing waitlist and are assigned to vacancies once all guaranteed students are assigned and as rooms become available, either prior to or after the start of the semester.
Housing availability for non-guaranteed students is assessed over the summer and is generally not known prior to the start of the academic year.
Students who are readmitted by their school’s Advising Dean may apply for Housing for the upcoming year as a non-guaranteed student. The non-guaranteed student application opens in June.
Applicants are placed on a housing waitlist and are assigned and as rooms become available, either prior to or after the start of the semester.
Housing availability for non-guaranteed students is assessed over the summer and is generally not known prior to the start of the academic year.
Current Barnard junior, sophomore or first-year students are not eligible to participate in Columbia Housing's General Room Selection. Barnard students may, however, apply for Special Interest Communities or Fraternity and Sorority Life.
Visiting and exchange students are not eligible to participate in Room Selection.
Students who moved off campus are not eligible for Room Selection but may apply as a Non-Guaranteed student. The non-guaranteed student application opens in June.
Applicants are placed on a housing waitlist and are assigned to vacancies once all guaranteed students are assigned and as rooms become available, either prior to or after the start of the semester.
Housing availability for non-guaranteed students is assessed over the summer and is generally not known prior to the start of the academic year.
Current Seniors in Columbia College or SEAS who have been accepted into a Columbia graduate program are not eligible. Such students should apply for Graduate Housing through Columbia Residential.
GS students are not eligible to live in Columbia Undergraduate Housing.