The Office of the President and Housing and Residential Education are excited to announce that incoming first-year students who apply for housing at the University of Utah by the May 3 deadline will have a bed guaranteed on campus.

The news comes as part of the U’s plan to address housing demand and increasing enrollment numbers of the university.

“We are at the beginning stages of transforming the U campus into a college town,” said Taylor Randall, president of the University of Utah. “Housing is a critical component of this transformation and by guaranteeing first-year students a place to belong, they will be more successful academically and socially and help us toward our goal of revolutionizing the student experience.”

The U has been in record enrollment numbers over the last four years. With this housing announcement, the state’s flagship institution expects to be a top destination for students nationwide.

“This move will allow first-year students to enroll at the U with even greater confidence,” said Steve Robinson, Senior Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management. “They will have been already admitted to the university as well as have a guarantee of housing on campus for their first year. This will make their decision to come to the U even easier!”

Application process

Guarantees are not room-type or community-specific for the 2024-2025 academic year. Once students have paid their enrollment deposit fee to the U, they can apply for housing through their CIS account. The Housing Application opens on Wednesday, January 17, and students need their student ID number and credit card information to complete the process.

Applicants must pay a $130 one-time, non-refundable application fee in the Housing U portal. When reserving a room, students will pay a $200 reservation fee to secure the space. This $200 reservation fee must be paid within three business days of selecting a room, and the fee is counted toward the total cost of the room.

The application deadline for First Year Living Learning Community (LLC) is Wednesday, March 20, 2024, and Friday, May 3 for Traditional Housing. Housing costs at the U vary by community and room type. 

Benefits

Besides the academic benefits, by living on campus, students are able to connect with their community while developing a sense of belonging that provides opportunities for personal growth in a safe and supportive environment.

“Living on campus puts all of the resources, amenities, and excitement of campus at a student’s doorstep,” said Rachel Aho, director of Housing. “By living on campus, students experience all that the University of Utah has to offer. From meeting friends, getting involved, and deepening their academic pursuits; living on campus supports it all. There really is no comparison.”

Housing options

The University of Utah has 11 communities on campus and three off-site properties. Some residences are designated for first-year students, some are primarily upper-division, and others are a mix of first-year and upper-division students.

Undergraduate students have the added benefit of being part of a Living Learning Community (LLC) where they can dive deeper into an area of interest such as entrepreneurship, Honors program, community service, Engineering, Humanities, research, leadership, Science, and outdoor leadership.

This fall semester, the University of Utah selected a group of partners to help build and manage 5,000 new student beds on campus. Several housing projects are currently in planning stages or under construction, including the Impact & Prosperity Epicenter, scheduled to open in the fall of 2024. Approximately 12,000 beds are expected to come online in the next five years.