Freshman FAQs

The online housing application is available beginning at 9 a.m. CDT on October 1. Complete the application on myhousing.ua.edu using the username and password assigned by Undergraduate Admissions and pay the $200 deposit ($35 non-refundable application fee and $165 housing prepayment) in order to register for on campus housing (freshmen must pay the Freshman Enrollment Deposit in order to apply for housing). Students who apply by February 1, 2021, will have access to online room selection in May. We will email you in late February/early March with details about the housing selection process. HRC will communicate with you using your Crimson email address. Please check it regularly for updates. Students who apply on February 2 or after will be assigned by HRC staff from late May through mid-July.

Once UA admits a student and receives the Freshman Enrollment Deposit, the housing application is available. Apply as soon as possible to increase your housing options, as access to online room selection and housing assignments by HRC staff are based in part on when a student completes their housing application. Other factors including gender, LLC participation, and roommate. We let students participating in Freshman Room Selection (FRS) pull in a mutually preferred roommate ineligible for FRS, if space allows. Apply by February 1 to select your own room online in May. HRC staff assign rooms beginning in late mid-May for students ineligible for FRS. We take into consideration roommate preference and building preference as space permits. Students who apply May 1 or later may not receive their housing assignments until mid-July or after.

A $200 deposit ($35 non-refundable application fee and $165 housing prepayment) is due with your housing application. If you do not attend UA and cancel your housing application by May 1, 2021, HRC will refund you $165. If you cancel by June 1, 2021, HRC will refund you $100. To cancel your housing application, submit a cancellation request through the HRC website.

Complete information about housing-related medical requests is available on our Medical Requests page.

Students who participate in Freshman Room Selection (FRS) select their room in May. HRC staff assign rooms beginning in late mid-May for students eligible for FRS who do not participate or students ineligible for FRS in order of when they completed their application. We take into consideration roommate preferences and building preference as space permits, but neither can be guaranteed. Students who apply May 1 or later may not receive their housing assignments until mid-July.

Apply for housing by February 1, 2021, to select your own room online, beginning in May. HRC assigns students specific dates and times to access room selection, based on their housing application completion date. We provide more information on our website in late January and in emails sent to students using their Crimson email.

Students have the opportunity to select a roommate eligible for the same community as themselves. For example, both students need eligibility in the Honors College in order to live in Honors Housing. To find potential roommates, create a profile on the housing application and make it available for other students to view and search the profiles of other students, beginning in November. A student eligible to select their room online can pull in their mutually preferred roommate to their room if they are eligible to live in the hall and space allows. HRC staff assign students that apply after February 1 and aim to assign them with their requested roommate, if space allows. Review our Roommates page for a guide to walk you through the process of searching/requesting a roommate.

Eligibility for certain residence halls is based upon your freshman status, gender, and any Living-Learning Community (LLC) participation. For example, Bryant Hall only houses male students in the College of Engineering while Honors Housing only houses students admitted to the Honors College. Other LLCs are connected to other residence halls. Rates differ for each residence hall, so please review the projected housing rates as you consider your choices. We provide updated fall rates in early summer.

Living-Learning Communities (LLC) connect a student’s academic interests with their living environment, providing a supportive environment in which residents have a shared college, major, or academic program. UA offers many different LLCs with varying requirements for admission and expectations for participants. Some LLCs require application and acceptance into the program before HRC staff assigns participants rooms.

UA offers Honors Housing (located in Ridgecrest South and West, and Blount) to students in the Honors College, but it is not required or guaranteed.  Faculty-in-Residence (FIR) live in Honors Housing and interact with residents. Staff develop programs for Honors Housing with students’ interests and needs in mind. Interested students can select space there, or receive assignment to Honors Housing, as space permits. Honors Housing residents cannot pull in non-Honors College students as roommates.

If you anticipate needing housing during UA breaks when campus is closed, consider living in Burke East or West, Parham Hall, Highlands, or Bryce Lawn. These residence halls typically remain open during break periods and all but Highlands and Bryce Lawn are available to incoming freshmen. All halls remain open during Fall and Thanksgiving Break, but other residence halls close during Winter and Spring Break. Availability during break is subject to change during 2020/2021 because of the pandemic.

While not guaranteed, we anticipate housing availability for interested returning students. To qualify for housing, pay attention to all HRC emails sent to your Crimson email and meet all application deadlines. The application for returning students for 2021/2022 will open on October 15, 2020.

If you decide not to attend UA, request a release from your contract with HRC by May 1, 2021 to receive a refund of your $165 prepayment. Students who request a contract release from their housing between May 2 and June 1 receive a refund of $100. To submit a contract release request, fill out the form through myBama. The refundable prepayment allows you to maximize your housing choices by applying earlier, even if unsure of your final school selection. To ensure you receive a refund, if eligible, request a contract release with HRC and not just Undergraduate Admissions. After the release deadline, we release you of your housing contract if you decide not to attend UA or receive an exemption. We will not approve requests for release in order to live in a sorority or fraternity housing or an off-campus apartment.

Ferguson Mail Center, operated by the Campus Mail Service, receives all deliveries. Students do not need to rent a mailbox to receive packages on campus. For more information, visit the Ferguson Mail Center webpage, or call Campus Mail Service at 205-348-MAIL.