Returning Students | SUNY Oswego

The returning student room selection process allows students to select their room assignment in upper-division designated communities for the upcoming academic year. Student participation in the returning student room selection process guarantees the student on-campus housing for the entire academic year. Students are bound to the terms of the Housing and Dining License for the full academic year.

The room selection process uses a weighted lottery system. Students who submit their Residence Hall Housing Application before the start of the selection period receive lottery numbers based on class year, which determines the order in which they choose from available rooms.. Participation in the room selection process requires acceptance of the Housing and Dining License and completion of the Residence Hall Housing Application.

Students have two opportunities to complete the Residence Hall Housing application before the Room Selection process begins.

Priority Housing Application Period:
During the fall semester, before the room selection process begins, all current students can complete their housing application and select roommates. Submitting the application during the Priority Housing application period gives students a better lottery number within their class year compared to those who apply in the spring.

General Housing Application Period:
At the start of the spring semester, current students will have another opportunity to complete the Residence Hall Housing application before the selection process begins. Students applying during this period will receive a lottery number within their class year, but it will be after those who participated in the Priority Housing Selection in the fall.

Students who are not required to live on-campus should only participate in returning student room selection if they are 100% sure they want to live on-campus for the entire upcoming academic year.

Please refer to the University Housing Policy for more information. SUNY Oswego students must adhere to this policy.

Application and Mate Matching Dates

Priority Housing Application Period November 3rd - December 7th

Residence Hall Housing Application January 27th - February 21st

Roommate matching: November 3rd -March 12th
Village Interest: When you complete your Residence Hall Housing Application, it will indicate if you are eligible to live in the Village. If you are eligible to live in the Village, you will be able to participate in the VIllage room selection process. If your application does not indicate eligibility and you feel it should, please contact Residence Life and Housing at [email protected].

Housing Application Process

The Residence Hall Housing Application can be completed during the Fall semester Priority Housing Application Period (November 3, 2025 - December 7, 2025) or when the application is available again during the Spring semester (January 26, 2026 - February 20, 2026).

Complete the Residence Hall Housing Application.

Login to the MyHousing portal.
Select ‘Application, Agreements, and Forms.’
Select 'Residence Hall Housing Application'.

Read and sign the Housing and Dining License.

To agree to the terms of the License, provide your electronic signature in the box at the bottom of the page. The License is a binding agreement for the full 2025-2026 academic year.
Select 'Continue.'

Answer the application questions.

Select the appropriate answer to each of the required applications questions.
Select ‘Continue.’

Select an LLC or Gender-inclusive option.

Indicate any interest in a Living Learning Community (LLC) or gender-inclusive housing on your application.
Select 'Continue.' A confirmation page will appear, notifying you that your Housing Application has been submitted.
If you said yes to either interest in an LLC or gender-inclusive housing, return to the MyHousing portal to complete the appropriate agreements.
Students who do not complete the agreement may be reassigned to other housing. Please note that we do our very best to honor your living interests; however, we cannot guarantee our ability to do so.

Submit a roommate request.

Once the Residence Hall Housing Application is completed, return to the MyHousing portal main menu and select 'Room Selection.'
Go to 'Select Roommates' from the menu, select the Term, and search for your mate using the search field (first and last name).
Only students who have completed the Housing Application will be able to request or be requested as mates. Please note that mate-matching must be mutual to form a fully matched group. If your requested mate does not request you as their mate, you will not be able to select a room together.
You will not be able to match with mates once you or your mate has been assigned to a room.

The Village Townhouses

Choose from available space via MyHousing portal according to your lottery number/start time.

*Returning students that have completed the housing application, but did not select a room will be assigned by Residence Life and Housing.

Eligibility

The Village townhouse community is for graduate students or upper-division students who have:

Started at Oswego as a First Year student.
Earned 30 Cumulative Credits before the start of Priority Housing in Fall semester, 45 Cumulative Credits by the first day of class in Spring semester and 57 Cumulative Credits prior to your Village move in date.
Lived on campus at Oswego for at least 3 regular academic semesters (including the current semester).

Village General Lottery

February 24th 10am-10pm (Fully matched groups of 4 and 6)

February 25th 10am-10pm (Not fully matched groups 5,3,2,1)

The Village General Lottery is for participants that are eligible, have indicated they are interested in living in the Village in the Residence Hall Application and have accepted the terms of the Housing and Dining License.

Residence Halls

Choose from available space via MyHousing portal according to your lottery number/start time.

Onondaga Suite Lottery

Enter all members of your group as roommates. Your requested roommates must request you as a roommate (match) or no one in your group will be able to choose a room together.
Be prepared! If you are able to sign up for a suite, you will designate who will live in each bedroom when you choose your suite.

If you are a Full Group (6 people for a 6 people suite)

February 27th 10am-10pm

If you are not a full Group (1,2,3,4,5 for a 6 people suite)

March 2nd 10am-10pm

All In LLC Selection

Living Learning Community will be located on the third floor of Waterbury.

March 4th 10am - 10pm

Paid Single Room Selection (Excluding the VIllage)

March 5th 10am-10pm

All students who indicate interest in a paid single will have the ability to participate in the Single Room Selection process. Be reminded that paid single spaces are limited on campus.

General Lottery

March 10th - 12th 10am-10pm each day

Enter all members of your group as roommates (if any). Your requested roommates must request you as a roommate (match) or no one in your group will be able to choose a room together.

Housing Priority

Returning students that would like priority within their class year during the housing selection lotteries may complete their Housing Application from November 3rd through December 7th at MyHouisng Portal.

First-Year and Upper-Division Residence Halls

CENTRAL CAMPUS

Hart Hall

Hart Hall is a mixed building housing first-year and upper-division students. Hart Hall is conveniently located in the center of campus. Hart Hall also offers limited paid single room options for upper-division students.

HART HALL

LAKESIDE

Waterbury Hall

Home to approximately 200 students, offering residents lake access, a rec facility, and a 24-hour study area. Waterbury is a mixed building housing first-year and upper-division students. Waterbury Hall also offers limited paid single room options for upper-division students.

WATERBURY HALL

Upper-Division Residence Halls

WEST CAMPUS

Onondaga Hall

Overlooking Glimmerglass Lagoon and Lake Ontario, Onondaga Hall is the only suite-style residence hall on campus. Onondaga houses upper-division students.

ONONDAGA HALL

LAKESIDE

Riggs Hall

Riggs has a convenient tunnel connection to Lakeside Dining Hall. Home to upper-division students, residents often take advantage of it’s close proximity to the lake. Riggs Hall also offers paid single rooms with limited availability.

RIGGS HALL

LAKESIDE

Scales Hall

Scales is a building housing upper-division students. Home to 200 students, this hall provides a 24-hour study room, computer lab, and recreation room. Scales Hall also offers paid single rooms with limited availability.

Scales Hall

WEST CAMPUS

Seneca Hall

Seneca Hall offers housing to upper-division students. This residence hall houses 600 students between 10 floors, making it one of the largest on campus. Seneca Hall also offers paid single rooms with limited availability.

SENECA HALL

WEST CAMPUS

The Village Townhouses

Overlooking Glimmerglass Lagoon, The Village comprises 68 townhouse-style apartments for upper-division students.

VILLAGE TOWNHOUSES

Release from the Housing and Dining License

The Housing and Dining License is binding for the entire academic year (fall and spring semesters). Students who enroll with the university in January, however, may count that semester as equal to one full year on campus. The decision to approve or deny a request to release a student from their Housing and Dining License will be based upon the sufficiency of the written explanation and supporting documentation provided. Students may request a release when they can provide evidence that they meet one or more of the following criteria:

Are on active military duty
Will be graduating
Have an internship that is located more than 30 miles from campus
Are married
Will be student teaching
Will be studying abroad

If you wish to be released from the Housing and Dining License, you must submit a formal request through your MyHousing Portal.

MyHousing Portal

To Request a Release

Review the required documentation, as listed below.
Login to MyHousing.
Sign the Request for Release from the Residence Life and Housing License, answer all the questions, and submit the completed form and supporting documentation.

Completed requests, including all supporting documentation, will be reviewed by Residence Life and Housing and you may be scheduled to meet with them to discuss your request.

Note: Unless you receive approval of this request, your student status requires compliance with the Housing and Dining License. Alternative arrangements for housing, including a lease commitment, will not be considered sufficient reason for approval of this request.

Required Documentation

Reason for Requesting Release

Active Military Duty
- Documentation Needed: Military Documentation

Change in financial status
- Documentation Needed: Students must demonstrate a significant change in financial status which may be verified by the College’s Financial Aid Office that developed after you signed the Housing and Dining License. The need must be due to reasons beyond your control, not as a consequence of either your action or lack of action, and cannot be met by additional borrowing. Being unaware of your financial aid package at the time you reserved a room is not sufficient reason for release. Parental contributions calculated by the Financial Aid Office are not optional and must be included in the budget calculation. Students are expected to secure loans to cover expenses of living on campus, if available. The ability to save money by living off campus is not a justification for release.
Graduation
- Documentation Needed: Inclusion on the official graduation list.
Internship
- Documentation Needed: Verification by the EXCEL office that the internship location is greater than a 30 mile radius from campus.

Marriage
- Documentation Needed: Marriage certificate (license will not suffice)

Student Teaching
- Documentation Needed: Verification by the College of Education, Health, and Human Services
Study Abroad
- Documentation Needed: Verification by the Office of International Education

Transferring or Withdrawing*
- Documentation Needed: Completed and submitted College withdrawal form

*If you are readmitted for full-time study at Oswego and are not covered by one of the standard exemptions, you will be required to complete the College residential requirement. Your obligation will be determined by your category (freshman or transfer) at the time of your first enrollment at Oswego.

Please Note

Release from the Housing and Dining License may impact your scholarship(s).
If you are readmitted for full-time study at Oswego and are not covered by one of the standard releases, you will be required to complete the University residential requirement, determined by your category (first-year or transfer) at the time of your first enrollment at Oswego.
If you are readmitted for full-time study at Oswego you will be financially responsible for the rate at which you are readmitted.

Your materials will be reviewed by Residence Life and Housing and a decision will be rendered regarding your request.

Students may appeal a denied decision by emailing [email protected] with new or additional information to support the request. Appeals will be reviewed by the Assistant Vice President for Residence Life and Housing or their designee. Decisions made on appeal are final and will be communicated via email to the student.

Contact Us

303 Culkin Hall

315-312-2246

[email protected]