Housing Selection

Dear Students and Families,

As you begin to think about where you will live next year, we want you to know there has never been a better time to live on campus at Loyola University Maryland. The University is committed to helping students develop the skills they need to succeed academically, professionally, and personally. Creating a welcoming, inclusive, positive living experience on campus is a big part of our commitment. All Residence Life & Housing staff understand the importance of a student's positive living experience. Recently, through department programming and one-on-one conversations, we have not only received student feedback but, as a result, have made changes that will ensure Loyola University housing feels like a second home.

One of the most exciting parts of the year is choosing where you will live on campus. Residence Life & Housing also recognizes that this may be stressful. To make it easier, we have developed the Returning Student Room Selection Guidebook to help you navigate the room selection process.

Several housing options are available to returning students, which are highlighted in the guidebook and on the Residence Hall webpage. We encourage you to talk to your friends about where you want to live as soon as possible so that you can approach room selection with a plan and meet all deadlines.

We encourage you to explore what on-campus housing offers and enjoy the many benefits of living here. Some of these benefits include:

• Convenience- why drive to class when you can walk?
• Security- the residence halls are secured and monitored 24/7.
• Hassle-free living- everything is included: no paying monthly bills or hiring maintenance contractors.
• Better grades- studies have shown that students who live on campus get better grades and are more likely to graduate in 4 years.
• Friends- there is no easier way to meet friends than living on-campus with more than 3000 greyhounds!

Please contact us if you have any questions about the room selection process or living on campus.

All students (with the exception of those that are graduating in May 2024) need to complete this phase. The application can be submitted in the RoomRez Housing Portal. You can access the RoomRez Housing Portal via InsideLoyola. During this phase, you will declare your residential intent for the 2024-25 academic year, update your home and emergency contact information, and agree to the housing contract if you want to live in Loyola housing. If you are considering transferring and have questions, please contact the Garrison Schmitt.

Refer to the Housing Selection Frequently Asked Questions page for questions about "Residential Intent."

Substance-Free Housing

Are you interested in living a substance free lifestyle?  Want to join a community with like-minded individuals?  Join the substance free community!  This community is traditionally housed in Seton Court and offers students the opportunity to live in a community free of alcohol, substance use, and tobacco. Every student will indicate if they want to live in Substance Free Housing on their housing application; there is no separate application.

Refer to the Housing Selection FAQ page for questions about Substance-Free Housing.

Global Connections Housing

Are you interested in living with an international exchange student?  Are you still looking for one more person to complete your roommate group?  Participate in the Global Connections Housing Program!  Whether you are about to go abroad, just returned from abroad, or aren't planning to study abroad at all, the Global Connections Program is a great way to expand your own knowledge of the world while sharing your own culture with a new member of our Loyola community. With this option, your group will be paired with one international exchange student for next year. Every student will indicate if they want to live in Global Connections housing on their housing application. If you have questions or would like to learn more contact Garrison Schmitt, assistant director for housing operations.

Refer to the Housing Selection FAQ page for questions about Global Connections Housing.

Students scheduled to study abroad for the Fall 2024 or full Academic Year

The Office of Residence Life & Housing is in frequent communication with the Office of International Programs. If a cancellation or change impacts your scheduled study abroad trip, the Office of International Programs will contact Residence Life & Housing. Residence Life & Housing will then contact affected students to communicate the next steps in the housing process. We are committed to offering you Loyola housing if your program is cancelled. If you voluntarily withdrawal from your study abroad trip, please contact us at residencelife@loyola.edu so that we can update your account and support you with the following steps to secure housing.

During this phase, you will need to form a roommate group.  Each group will designate a group leader to create the group and assign a username and password for the group.  Once this is done, the group leader will then assign students to the group or give the group members the username and password so they may join the group themselves.  Groups must be comprised of 2, 4, 6 or 8 individuals in order to be complete;  incomplete groups will not be permitted to participate in room selection, unless you are interested in Theme Housing (Substance Free or Global Connections).  The group leader must be the one to choose the room during the assigned time slot. Once the group is complete, the group leader will need to log in and verify the group.

Refer to the Housing Selection FAQ page for questions about roommate group formation.

Searching for Roommates in RoomRez

The housing application offers many ways to search for roommates. Visit page 40 in the Returning Student Housing Selection Guide to learn more about searching for roommates. 

Roommate Search Mixer

Are you unsure of whom you will live with next year? If so, join Residence Life & Housing for roommate search mixers to meet others looking for future roommates!

When:  February 27 and March 12
Where:  McGuire Hall
When:

• Class of 2027 (rising sophomore): 6 PM 
• Class of 2026 (rising junior): 7 PM 
• Class of 2025 (rising senior): 8 PM 

February 27 Registration

March 12 Registration

In the heart of the community, being on campus is one of the most exciting parts of moving away to college. Loyola University Maryland has developed returning student communities with multiple room type options to accommodate the needs of our students. Our residence halls are among the best in the country and offer spacious, fully furnished spaces to spend times with friends.

Room Types

The type of rooms available across campus is listed below and vary by building. Before each room selection day a list of rooms available, organized by room type and building, is communicated so students can prepare to select a space.

• An efficiency apartment houses two people
• A 1-bedroom apartment houses two people
• A 2-bedroom apartment houses four people
• A 2-room suite houses four people and has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and a small dining space. There is no living/common room in a suite
• A 3-bedroom apartment houses 6 people
• A 4-bedroom apartment houses 8 people

All apartments have a living room, dining room, and 1-2 bathrooms.

You can also learn more about the various residence halls, including seeing video tours and photos, at Loyola on the Residence Halls section of the Residence Life & Housing website. 

Refer to the Housing Selection FAQ for questions about housing options or your housing search.

Refer to the Housing Selection FAQ page for specific questions regarding Lottery Times.

What do I need to know and do in order to prepare for housing selection? Below are three sections that will each help you prepare for the process of selecting a room.

Room Selection Dates by Class Year:

• Rising Seniors (Class of 2025):  April 12, 2024
• Rising Juniors (Class of 2026):  April 16, 2024
• Rising Sophomores (Class of 2027):  April 18, 2024

Before your room selection time:

• Have a conversation with your group about where you are interested in living. Use the "Rooms Available List" sheet (emailed to you prior to your selection time) to determine where rooms are available and rank order the group choices from highest choice to lowest choice.
• Decide who is going to live together in each bedroom and make sure the group leader knows the roommate pairs as they will need to assign each student to a specific bedroom.
• Make sure that the group is aware of the lottery/selection time and group leader. The group leader you designated is the ONLY one who can select a room for the group, so it is imperative that the group leader is prepared. If you need to change your group leader, you must email Garrison Schmitt immediately.

A few minutes before your designated room selection time: 

1. Log into your “Inside Loyola” account so you are ready to click on the “RoomRez Housing Portal”.
2. Take a deep breath; you are going to select a great room!

When your designated room selection time arrives:

1. Click on the “RoomRez Housing Portal”
2. Click “Housing Applications”
3. Select “24-25 Academic Year” and then click “Continue”
4. Select "Continue" if you are on the Phase 2 Hold Page
5. Select “Building”
6. Select a room and then click “Add to Cart”
7. Select which bed you and each of your group members will live in and then click “Reserve Beds”
8. Once you confirm your assignment you are finished!

For step by step instructions and screen shots visit page 36 of the Returning Student Housing Selection Guide. 

If you are experiencing difficulty while selecting a room, please call 410-617-5081.

Things to consider when living off campus

• You may feel disconnected from campus life. You likely will have fewer friends residing around the corner or down the hall and need to plan more intentionally to attend and participate in campus events.
• You need to research the property management company and surrounding area.
• Apartment complexes may not be as flexible as the university regarding payments and working with student loan options.
• You need to build time for travel and find parking when planning your day.
• You have to stay more conscious of gas and electric usage; you will pay these utilities monthly.

Questions to ask yourself about living off campus

• Did I participate in Room Selection and signed a housing contract with Loyola? If so, you must contact Residence Life & Housing before making alternative arrangements to request to cancel your housing contract.
• What is my budget? What can I afford? What about a deposit? How much are utilities?
• What do I know about the area?
• Do I have to purchase furniture? What will I do with it after this year?
• What amenities are priorities, and are they in my budget?
• How will this affect my financial aid and Loyola University bill?

The housing contract is a legally binding agreement between the student and the University. It is essential that students and families read and understand its content before agreeing to it.

Top ten things to know about the housing contract

1. You agree to living in housing for the entire Academic Year (August-May).
2. If your housing needs change, you must request to cancel before June 1 to avoid penalties. Students cannot simply inform the university they are no longer living on campus.
3. You must be registered for at least 12 credits by the start of the semester to move in and no later than the end of Add/Drop to remain in housing. There is a process for students to request to remain in housing while part-time. 
4. Students requesting accommodations for a disability must do so by February 1. Requests submitted after the deadline will be provided based on space availability.
5. All students are required to participate in the University meal plan program.
6. The housing contract goes into effect once it is signed.
7. Students agree to the Loyola University Community Standards by agreeing to the housing contract.
8. The University reserves the right to select the specific bedroom and building to be assigned to a student, assign other occupants to the unit, and move a student to another bedroom or unit at any time, at the University's sole and absolute discretion.
9. Students who need to remain on campus during University break period must submit a housing break extension request. A submission does not guarantee automatic approval and additional fees may apply.
10. A copy of the housing contract is available on the Residence Life & Housing website and can be downloaded from the housing application.

Acceptable reasons for cancellations

Students requesting to cancel their housing contract will need to submit a formal request using the Request to Cancel Housing form. On the form students will need to answer "what unforeseen circumstance has occurred since signing the housing contract." Acceptable reasons for cancellation may include:

• Drastic reduction in financial resources after executing the contract
• Unusual health problems in which the University cannot accommodate through a Disability Support Services accommodation
• Transfer/ withdrawal/ leave of absence
• Other exceptional changes in the Student's status after executing the contract
• Student studying away from the Evergreen campus (example: studying abroad, internship where the student will not take any classes on the Evergreen campus)

In all instances, students should plan to submit supporting documentation. 

Cancellation dates and penalties

Students may change their residential intent through the Phase 2 deadline. After the Phase 2 deadline students must request to cancel their housing contract and it must be approved by Residence Life & Housing. If you need to cancel your housing, please submit a request to Residence Life & Housing using the Release from Housing Contract Request form. Be aware that submitting a request is not an automatic approval. You will be notified via email once a decision is made. We highly recommend that you do not sign an off-campus lease until you are officially notified of a decision.

• Suppose a contract cancellation request is received by June 1 and approved, the advance payment and damage deposit will be credited to the Student's account. In that case, no cancelation fee will be assessed, and any housing room charges billed under this contract will be refunded.
• Suppose a contract cancellation request is received between June 1 and August 1 and approved, the advance payment and damage deposit will be forfeited. In that case, no cancellation fee will be assessed, and any other housing room charges billed under the contract will be refunded.
• Suppose a contract cancellation request is received after August 1 and approved, the advance payment and the damage deposit will be forfeited and a $300 cancellation fee will be assessed. Any housing room charges billed under this contract will be refunded.