Rising Juniors and Seniors
The 2025-2026 Housing Application for general selection closed at 5PM on October 23. Students who submit a housing application now will have the option to be added to the housing wait list.
University housing is not guaranteed for juniors and seniors.
Please note:
- There is a different process for rising juniors/seniors who want to apply to live in a theme, special interest, fraternity or sorority community. More information is available below.
- Students with medical or religious accommodations should note their accommodation in their housing application on the appropriate page and work directly with the StAAR Center and/or the Office of Equal Opportunity to ensure that proper registration and paperwork have been submitted. Approval for accommodation(s) does not guarantee on campus housing.
- If you have previously been approved for accommodation(s) please re-confirm with the office that approved your housing accommodation that you want to continue to use your accommodation(s) in the 2025-2026 academic year.
All students who have submitted an intent to study abroad and a 2025-2026 housing application will automatically be placed on a study abroad waitlist, despite when their application for campus housing have been submitted. Students on the study abroad waitlist will receive priority consideration only if the study abroad program is cancelled; this information will be shared with Residential Life by the Global Education Office. Students who change their minds about studying abroad will be added to the general waitlist for juniors and seniors. If a student who submits an intent to study abroad form is issued a lottery number, their lottery number will be rescinded ahead of group formation.
The application for theme and special interest communities will remain open for all undergraduate students until January 23, 2025. Rising juniors and seniors who are waitlisted (unless waitlisted due to study abroad intent) are still eligible for theme, special interest, fraternity, and sorority housing.
Housing Application, Group Formation, and Selection Timeline
- September 18: Housing applications open for general and special interest communities
- October 18: Deadline to request an accommodation through the StAAR Center or OEO
- October 23: Housing applications close for juniors and seniors at 5:00PM
- October 30: Rising junior and senior lottery numbers are distributed via email
- November 4 – November 8: Housing Accommodations Placements
- November 12: Sophia Gordon Group Formation (4-person and 6-person groups)
- November 13 & 14: Community Housing (CoHo) Group Formation (various group sizes)
- November 19 – Sophia Gordon Housing Selection for approved groups
- November 20 – CoHo Housing Selection for approved groups
- November 21 – General Housing Selection
- December 4 – Deadline for priority consideration for the waitlist
- December 11 – Waitlist numbers released
Accessing the Housing Portal
- Log into SIS.
- Click on “About Me,” then click on “Housing.”
- Once you have reached the Home Page, click on “Application” on the top left of the screen.
Understanding Lottery Numbers vs Waitlist Numbers
- Students who are given a lottery number are guaranteed a housing assignment for 2025-2026 as long as they select a space as instructed at their assigned selection time.
- Lottery Numbers: Rising Juniors/Seniors need to apply for housing to be eligible to receive a lottery number. The junior/senior housing supply determines how many lottery numbers are assigned to applicants. Students are only allowed to utilize the lottery number assigned to them by Residential Life and Learning; lottery numbers cannot be transferred, exchanged, or sold. Lottery numbers are assigned randomly.
- Waitlist Numbers: Rising Juniors/Seniors who apply for housing and do not receive a lottery number are eligible to receive a waitlist number. Being on the waitlist means you are not guaranteed housing. If you are given a waitlist number, you will be updated regularly regarding your status/likelihood of receiving on-campus housing. The process of issuing waitlist numbers is dependent on the date the application is completed before the priority deadline to join the waitlist (December 4, 2024) and when the request to join the waitlist was received after December 4, 2024.
- There are two wait lists. There is a Priority Housing Waitlist for students who did not receive a lottery number but submitted their 2025-2026 Housing Application by 5PM on December 4, 2024. There is a Study Abroad Waitlist for students who complete a Housing Application and an intent to study abroad form. Residential Life will offer on campus housing to students on the Study Abroad Waitlist after the Priority Housing Waitlist has been exhausted.
- Lottery Number Ranges: In all of the ranges noted, the lowest number selects the earliest in the process within each class year's group. Rising seniors (including fifth-year seniors) have been assigned lottery numbers between 1 and 300. Rising juniors have been assigned lottery numbers between 300 and 500. Rising sophomores have been assigned lottery numbers between 1000 and 3000.
Rising Sophomores
The 2025-2026 housing application for rising sophomore students will be available until January 23, 2025 at 5:00PM. Since university housing is required for sophomores*, failure to complete an application will result in an application being created for you. It is imperative that you complete this application on your own as you will have the opportunity to make a note as to whether you are interested in being contacted regarding housing accommodations, priority preference housing, or update your profile.
Different from the first-year housing placement process, rising sophomores have the opportunity to select who they live with and where they live through two separate processes: group formation and housing selection processes.
If you have previously been approved for accommodation(s) please re-confirm with the office that approved your housing accommodation that you want to continue to use your accommodation(s). A specific deadline to request housing accommodations will be shared soon – it is always best to reach out early!
*Please note that BFA rising sophomores who currently live on Beacon St. can request to be released from their two-year residency requirement. All sophomore students live on the Medford/Somerville campus as housing for sophomores isn’t available on Beacon St. Please check your Tufts email for more detailed information about requesting a housing exemption.
Accessing the Housing Portal:
- Log into SIS.
- Click on “About Me,” then click on “Housing”
- Once you have reached the Home Page, click on “Housing Applications” on the top left of the screen.
Housing Application, Group Formation, and Selection Timeline for Rising Sophomores, Theme/Special Interest Housing, and Fraternity & Sorority Housing
- October 24 – Housing applications open for general and special interest communities
- January 23 – General, theme and special interest housing applications close at 5:00PM
- January 30 – Lottery Numbers sent out via your Tufts email
- February 14 – Deadline to request an accommodation through the StAAR Center or OEO
- March 3 through March 14 – Theme and Special Interest Housing Selection
- March 24 through March 28 – Group Formation
- March 31 through April 4 – Housing Selection
Theme, Special Interest, and Fraternity/Sorority Housing
For students interested in theme and special interest communities, applications will be available through January 23, 2025 for rising juniors and seniors. A separate selection process will be held. Students interested in theme and special interest communities should complete the community specific application via the housing application. More information on those communities can be found here.
Students interested in living in their fraternity or sorority house should fill out a housing application and work with their leadership to make sure they are on the roster shared with our office.
Selection will reflect the housing selection process by allowing students to self-select into spaces within their approved theme communities by order of lottery number (Seniors and Juniors 1-700*, Sophomores 1000-3000). Time slots will be reflected in order by lottery number. Students with specific accommodations that cannot be met through regular selection will be invited to discuss their option prior to housing selection.
*Seniors and juniors who have previously had a lottery number for the Fall 2025 selection process will keep the same lottery number for this process. Waitlisted seniors and juniors will be issued random lottery numbers between 500 and 700.
**Students living in theme communities with approved accommodations should still plan to meet with Residential Life staff for appropriate placement.
Housing Application, Group Formation, and Selection Timeline for Rising Sophomores, Theme/Special Interest Housing, and Fraternity & Sorority Housing
- October 24 – Housing applications open for general and special interest communities
- January 23 – General, theme and special interest housing applications close at 5:00PM
- January 30 – Lottery Numbers sent out via your Tufts email
- February 14 – Deadline to request an accommodation through the StAAR Center or OEO
- March 3 through March 14 – Theme and Special Interest Housing Selection
- March 24 through March 28 – Group Formation
- March 31 through April 4 – Housing Selection
Students on Leave
Any student currently on personal leave of absence or a medical leave of absence may apply for housing if they intend to return from their leave in Fall 2025. Please make sure you complete all necessary requirements and adhere to any necessary deadlines.
Students who have taken a leave from the University may potentially not qualify for off-campus living per the two-year residency requirement. Qualification is dependent on the number of semesters students have completed for their residency requirement. For more information on the residency requirement, please visit the Housing Guidelines and Policies page.
Applying to be a Resident Assistant
Learn more information about becoming a resident assistant.
Webinars
Rising Sophomores
Aimed specifically at rising sophomore students and their families, this housing lottery and selection webinar will explain in detail the process in order to be successful during the group formation and housing selection periods.
Watch Housing Lottery and Selection Webinar from Spring 2024
Please join us on Zoom on January 29, 2025 at 12PM for the rising sophomore housing selection websinar!
Rising Juniors and Seniors
Watch the Rising Junior/Senior 2025-2026 Housing Selection Webinar