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As incoming Bearcats, many of you have been wondering about the timing of this fall’s room assignment process and other matters related to University Housing in this unprecedented environment. The communication below was sent via email to first-year applicants on May 28, 2020.
Housing Timeline Update for First-Year Applicants
As incoming Bearcats, many of you have been wondering about the timing of this fall’s room assignment process and other matters related to University Housing in this unprecedented environment.
In case you have not seen it in full, here is UC President Neville Pinto’s message to campus on May 20. The President’s message provides a better sense of our shared horizon, where things stand right now, the importance placed on student safety, health and well-being, and the expected timeline for decision making by the end of June. You will always find the most recent updates regarding University Housing on our homepage. Until we can share updated information about the assignment process or a new timeline, here are a few steps you should take to ensure you are connected to UC and ready for the fall term.
Visit the University Housing website to review room and community options.
Log into the Housing Portal to ensure your application is complete, fee/deposit is submitted, roommate groups are verified, and preferences are updated.
Visit the admitted undergraduate students’ community on ZeeMee to meet others in the Bearcat Community.
Visit Bearcats Bound Orientation to register for a Town Hall session.
Visit Parking Services to learn about student parking permits; Food Services to learn about meal plans for first-year residential students and Campus Dining Passes for upper-class students and commuters; Course Materials for tips about affordability; and Bearcat Card to learn about how your UC ID gives you purchasing power.
The University Housing office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET to answer your questions. Please contact us at uchousing@uc.edu or call 513-556-6461.
As soon as additional information is available, we will be in touch via email with next steps. We remain excited to welcome all Bearcats back to campus, and we look forward to seeing you.
Stay well!
Carl Dieso
Executive Director, University Housing
FAQ for First-Time Housing Applicants
If you have left the application before you have gone through the payment process (via TouchNet), or it times out, you will need to request a reset of your shopping cart.
To avoid the cart being locked, ensure you have payment information, as well as a parent (if under 18) with you as you finalize the application.
- Complete the housing application by agreeing to the Housing Terms and Conditions
- Pay the $150 application fee and deposit
- Review accessibility accommodation process
- Review information regarding the University immunization policy
- Submit Living Learning Community (LLC) interest form (optional)
- Review the details of the unlimited meal plan
- Create a roommate profile, search for roommates & create roommate groups (optional)
You will not select your room until the time period specified inthe calendar above. Information on room selection is sent to your UC e-mail address in late spring.
The payment that is required during the housing application is both a non-refundable application fee ($50) and a security deposit ($100). Your application is not complete until this payment has been made.
The deposit is refundable if you cancel your application within 15 days, OR it is returned to you after you complete your housing contract. It is forfeited if you cancel more than 15 days after application or move out during the academic year without fulfilling the contract.
- Your log in credentials are your UC username (6+2) and password (same credentials as your email or Catalyst log in, for example).
- It can take up 72 hrs. after you confirm with the university before your information imports into the housing information system.
- “My session has timed out” is the error message received if trying to access the housing application before the student profile has loaded into the housing system.
- If you do not know your password, University Housing office is not able to reset it. The student will need to reset their password via the self-service option in Catalyst or UC Help Desk.
- Our phone system allows for a callback request if you do not want to wait.
- We appreciate your patience while we work diligently to respond to inquiries during this busy time. If you have left a callback request on our phone system, be assured you will remain in the queue until we have contacted you.
- If you have already submitted a contact request, review additional frequently asked questions and other topics on Applying FAQ or Resources.
For Gender Inclusive Housing, we strongly encourage potential and current residents to contact the Assistant Director of Resident Education & Development, Aleia White, early in the housing request process so that we may offer the widest range of possible housing options.
Annual Housing Timeline
The application for University Housing and other related deadlines follow a cycle each year. The table below is intended to help you plan, whether you are still deciding to come to UC, you've already confirmed admission, you're transferring or you're a current resident.
| Month, Week | Activity or Deadline |
|---|---|
| January, Week 2 | Bed lofting and room swap requests* reopen for spring semester |
| January, Week 4 | Current residents may begin renewing contracts for following academic year |
| February, Week 1 | Contract renewal period for current residents ends |
| February, Week 3 | Spring break housing request form opens |
| February, Week 4 | Waitlist opens for current residents |
| March, Week 1 | Freshman/new resident housing application opens for next academic year |
| March, Week 4 | Summer semester housing application opens for current academic year |
| May, Week 1 | Housing priority deadline for freshmen / new residents (applications received after this date are not guaranteed) |
| June, Week 1 through July week 4 | Freshman room selection |
| August, Week 1 | Fall room swap requests close* |
| August, Week 3 |
Move-in for fall semester |
| September, Week 2 | Bed lofting and room swap requests* open for fall |
| October, Week 1 | Spring semester housing application opens for current academic year, continues through spring semester |
| November, Week 1 |
Winter break housing request form opens |
*Bed lofting requests may continue as long as lofting hardware is available. Room swaps may continue until designated deadlines or until room availability is exhausted.