Returning Student

Retention means that a student, or students, are choosing to retain the current room assignment for the following academic year.

A room can only be retained if 100% of the available beds are filled.

The room does not have to be filled with the current residents in order to be retained. There only needs to be at least one original resident of the space for it to be retained as long as that original inhabitant is the group leader. This means that you may need to find 1 to 3 new roommates in order to retain a room, or all of the current roommates can choose to stay in the room.

1. Please decide if you plan on retaining your current room assignment or if you will be selecting a new room for next year.
2. Decide on who your roommates will be (if you plan on having them). There must be 100% occupancy in order to retain a space or select a new space.
3. Choose a group leader for your roommate group.
   1. The group leader is automatically chosen based on who sends out the roommate invitations to the other future, or current, inhabitants of the space. While the other members of the group must accept or deny any invitations that are sent to them, this person must currently live in the space that you want to live in if you are planning on retaining a space.
4. Log into the OCU Housing Portal.
5. Submit your electronic housing application.
6. Retention will take place from March 12-15, 2024. Your space will open up to others after March 15th if you fail to retain your space.

Self-Selection takes place after the retention process is complete. This process gives students the opportunity to choose a new place to live. Self-Selection will take place March 26-29, 2024

You must apply for the self-selection by completing the 2024 - 2025 housing application. You must complete your housing application no later than 11:59 p.m. March 19, 2024, in order to participate self-selection process. 

1. Your lottery timeslot will be sent to you only if you have a completed application on file by 11:59 p.m. March 19.
2. Your lottery timeslot will be sent to you on March 22.
   1. Your timeslot is not a time limit of when you can select a room. It is time that you are free to choose a room and you can continue to select a room at any time after that.

Cokesbury Court:

Methodist Hall: 

Where can I find the housing application?

You can find the Housing Contract at the link here.

When does the housing application open and close?

The housing application for the 2023-2024 school year opens on Feb. 7 and closes on Feb. 14 to take part in the room retention process. The application for the self-selection process will close on Feb. 24. After those processes have been completed the application will remain open until March 30, 2023.

Can I complete Retention or Self-Selection without requesting or approving roommates?

You can retain your room or go through Self-Selection if you choose to live in a single, otherwise, you will need to request and/or approve roommate requests in order to reach 100% occupancy in all available spaces. Please note that roommate requests should be completed before you turn your application in, even if it is for Self-Selection. We may also place a resident in your room if your roommate chooses to no longer live in on-campus housing.

Should I fill out an application if I am going through the Self-Selection process?

Yes! Yes! Yes! The application is what we use to generate your specific lottery times for Feb. 28 to March 4, which will allow you to choose a room based on available inventory.

What happens if I do not fill out an application by 11:59 p.m. Feb. 24?

Failure to fill out an application by 11:59 p.m. Feb. 24 will result in Housing and Residence Life manually assigning you to a room after retention and Self-Selection are over.

Does ranking my preferences mean that I am guaranteed those spaces?

Your preference does not guarantee you a specific space which is why it is so important to participate in either the Room Retention or Self-Selection process.

I am searching for my roommate(s), but I am unable to find them. How can I find my roommate?

Please make sure that you use a Screen Name on the Web Profile of the application that is easy to remember and find. We suggest that all students simply use their first and last names. It is also imperative that students select the box that allows other people to search for them in the Housing portal.

Are there any important things that I should pay particular attention to during the application?

Please read the Housing Contract in its entirety. It is important that you understand what you are signing.

For additional information about applying for Housing, you may contact Residence Life at [email protected].