The University of Utah is launching a revamped housing application process and a new Student Success Initiative designed to make securing on-campus housing easier and more flexible for students.

The upper-division housing application opens Monday, Oct. 5, at 10 a.m. MT. Beginning this year, students will be able to pick their room and select their roommate immediately rather than submitting an application and waiting several weeks for a designated room-selection period.

“This new approach is intended to engage upper-division students and streamline the housing process,” said Sean Grube, associate vice president for Housing & Dining Programs. “We want to provide an easier process that eliminates the wait and need to remember extra dates and repeatedly log into the Housing U portal.”

The new process introduces a Student Success Initiative with financial incentives for on-campus residents. Under the new process, students can receive up to $3,500 in savings, and the $200 reservation fee has been eliminated.

• The first 400 students to book any available space will receive a $1,000 discount.
• Students ranked 401 through 1,000 who book an upper-division space will receive a $500 discount.
• The first 100 students to book an upper-division residence hall space, where a dining plan is required, will receive an additional $2,500 discount. This incentive can be combined with either the $1,000 or $500 discount if the student is among the first 1,000 students to book.

The incentives will be applied as a credit to students’ accounts for the Fall 2027 semester and may be reported to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Students who receive financial aid should contact the office to understand how the incentive could affect their individual financial aid package.

Student success initiatives like this improve retention and degree completion in higher education institutions. With this initiative, the U is shifting from a traditional structured housing program to a modern approach, including financial incentives to help reduce students’ financial stress while fostering campus engagement.

For Paul Kohn, senior vice provost for Strategic Enrollment and Student Success, the new initiative is part of a bigger picture. “We have enough data to know that living on campus is much more than getting a key to a room and being close to class,” he said. “It’s a key to graduating on time, with better grades, and crucial access to professors and the life-changing experiences that only happen on campus. It forges lifelong connections with professionals and classmates. We know it’s an investment in a student experience that leads to higher earnings and connections that last a lifetime.”

New application process

The updated housing process is based on a contract model. Instead of submitting a housing application and waiting for an assignment, students will complete a housing contract and immediately select their room and roommate. Students who complete a housing application but have not yet selected a room will be assigned a space through the HDP Assisted Placement process—an administrative assignment process wherein Housing & Dining Programs will place a student based on available bed spaces and application preferences.

After paying their enrollment deposit to the University of Utah, students can apply for housing through their CIS account. A one-time $130 housing application fee is required. Students who have previously paid the fee will not need to pay it again. The new process eliminates the $200 reservation fee because the housing contract itself will serve as the student’s commitment to their selected space. With this new approach, Students who complete the application process for housing have committed to living on campus. If they would like to opt out of this commitment, a request for contract release is required.

Event on campus

To celebrate the launch of the new application process, the U will host an on-campus housing event on Monday, Oct. 5, from 1 to 4 p.m. Students will have the opportunity to tour Trailhead, Lassonde Studios and the Impact & Prosperity Epicenter.

Tours will take place every 15 minutes and will allow students to see different room types, explore building amenities, meet other students, and enjoy treats and swag. The event is intended to give students a closer look at their housing options and help them prepare to apply to live on campus for 2027 – 2028.