Columbia University Housing

First-Year Students

First-year students of Columbia College and SEAS are guaranteed residence for eight semesters. First-year students may elect housing to begin in their second year and still be assured of guaranteed residence provided they apply for accommodation by October 15 of the year they enter Columbia.

General Studies/Special programs

Undergraduate students admitted through the School of General Studies or the Division of Special Programs may be eligible in certain circumstances for housing space in graduate facilities only and are never eligible for Room Selection.

Transfer Students

Transfer students admitted to Columbia College are guaranteed housing for a number of semesters proportional to their year of entry, provided they accept their assignment in the first semester of attendance at Columbia. Transfers into the regular four-year undergraduate program at SEAS are eligible for undergraduate housing. Newly enrolled 3-2 SEAS transfers registered in the combined plan program may apply for graduate housing and are eligible for housing in the Carlton Arms their first year at CU. A limited number of returning SEAS 3-2 students living in the Carlton will be eligible for undergraduate housing in their second year at Columbia.

Visiting Students

Visiting students admitted to Columbia College ONLY are guaranteed housing during the duration of their stay for up to two semesters, but are never allowed into the Room Selection process. Visiting students to any other school or program are not eligible for academic year housing at Columbia, unless they are approved by Admissions.

Five Year Programs

Students who enter Columbia as first-year students in the 3-2 SEAS program are guaranteed housing for 10 semesters. Students in other authorized five-year programs, such as 4-1 SEAS or HEOP, are also guaranteed housing for ten semesters and may enter the lottery twice with 30 points. They are not allowed to claim same room rights their fifth year.

Study Abroad

Students who study abroad for one or two semesters under a program approved by their respective schools and who pay tuition to Columbia are guaranteed housing upon their return. Students on an approved study abroad in the spring semester may register and select online or have the option of designating a proxy to act on their behalf and select a room for them in the Room Selection process. Students who plan on studying abroad in the fall semester may not participate in the Room Selection process in the spring before their semester abroad. However, their time away counts toward the eight or ten semester eligibility as described above.

Sorority/Fraternity/IRC Housing

CC, SEAS and BC students who are guaranteed housing may choose to live in a Columbia-owned fraternity building off-campus or at the Intercultural Resource Center and still maintain guaranteed housing in the residence halls, provided they continue to meet all other terms of eligibility. They will sign a contract for the brownstone with Undergraduate Housing, and may participate in the Room Selection process, including performing swaps and transfers in accordance with stated rules.

Medical Leaves

Students in CC and SEAS who are granted a medical leave of absence by their respective schools are guaranteed housing upon being readmitted, provided they were in residence and had guaranteed housing at the time of their departure. Students on medical leave may never participate in room selection for any reason.

Participation in Room Selection

Undergraduate CC and SEAS students who are guaranteed housing but fail to participate in room selection lose their guarantee of housing. Students who miss some phase of the reapplication process may maintain their guaranteed housing by registering at the Housing Services Office in 125 Wallach Hall prior to the last day of the spring Room Selection period. Those students will be assigned rooms over the summer. First-year students who participate in the lottery and who are unable to select a room due to a shortage of available space must complete a form at their appointment time that will place them on the Sophomore Wait List. This procedure ensures them an assignment over the summer and maintains their guaranteed housing status.

Loss of Guaranteed Housing

Students may lose guaranteed housing status for one of the following reasons:

• Voluntary withdrawal from the College or SEAS
• Required to withdraw from their respective schools
• Electing to move to off campus housing
• Disciplinary sanction by their respective school
• Study abroad not approved by school
• Failure to graduate on time (ninth semester seniors or extra semester transfers)
• Failure to live in residence during their first-year and failure to apply for housing by October 15
• Failure to live in Undergraduate Housing the first semester of acceptance as a CC or SEAS new transfer student (no other transfer students are eligible)

Married Couples

We do not offer housing to married couples, and we do not offer accommodations for children either.