Housing Reapplication

Rising sophomores who are invited to live in a fraternity or sorority and want an exemption must first apply for housing, then request an exemption.

• In the application, indicate that you intend to live in a fraternity or sorority on the Room Selection Intention page.
• After completing the application, you will be routed to the exemption process.  Complete that process. The deadline for this is April 1.
• Students who request an exemption to live in a SMU-owned fraternity house must later register as a fraternity resident. The deadline for this is May 1. 
• Students requesting exemption to live in a sorority or Sigma Chi must upload a copy of their lease. The deadline for this is May 1.
• Exemptions will only be approved to move into the chapter house where the student is a member of the chapter. Membership will be verified with SMU Fraternity & Sorority Life before exemption is granted. No exemptions are granted for Panhellenic or other houses.
• No Greek exemptions will be accepted after May 15.

Rising sophomores requesting an exemption due to personal circumstances must first apply for housing, then request an exemption.

• In the application, indicate that you intend to apply for an exemption.
• After completing the application, go to the SMU Housing Portal homepage and select the Exemption Request process.
• Exemption requests are reviewed by the housing appeal committee on a revolving basis.
• You should reserve a room during Room Selection even if you submit an Exemption. (If exemption is granted, the room reservation will be cancelled.)
• Be mindful that some personal circumstances (Roommate issues, community living and SMU housing facilities) are not sufficient grounds for an exemption to be granted, regardless of the information provided. SMU and RLSH offer several resources and interventions to help address these types of concerns and work with students to provide paths towards resolution of these issues when they are known and communicated prior to the exemption process. 
• Cancellation penalties apply for all approved exemptions completed after April 1.
• No exemption requests for personal hardship will be accepted after May 15.

Rising sophomores are guaranteed housing and must reapply by 5 PM on March 1 in order to participate in room selection. If you apply after the priority deadline, we will assign you where space is available.

Juniors & seniors living on campus this Spring who apply by March 1 will have housing for 2024-25, and will receive a time for room selection. Those who apply after March 1 will be placed on Stand-by for assignment in late May and over the summer as space permits.

• If you are a sophomore living in a residential commons, you’ll be able to select from all available rooms in your same commons and in Upper Division Housing (Moore, Smith-Perkins, 3050 SMU Blvd).
• If you are a junior or senior living in a residential commons, you’ll be able to select from all available rooms in your same Residential Commons and in Upper Division Housing (Martin, Moore, Smith-Perkins, Thomas, 3050 SMU Blvd).
• If you are a junior or senior living in upper division housing, you’ll be able to select from all available rooms in Upper Division Housing (Martin, Moore, Smith-Perkins, Thomas, 3050 SMU Blvd).

When you log in for General Room selection, you will see everything that is still available for which you are eligible. If you don't see a specific building or specific room at your selection time, it is not available.

Rising sophomores may select a room in their Residential Commons or in Upper Division Housing, pending space available. Communities include Moore (shared efficiency apartment), Smith-Perkins (doubles, some singles, community bath), 3050 SMU Blvd (doubles, community bath), or the SMU Service House (interview required).

Changes between Residential Commons are not permitted, but you have the ability to select from available space in Upper Division Housing. If no space is available in upper division when you log in, you will be able to select in your same Residential Commons and ask to be on the Upper Division Housing waiting list. 

If your assigned room was built and furnished for one person, the answer is likely yes. There are some ADA singles that are not available during selection.  Sophomores wanting to retain their single must log in and reserve the room before March 1 at 5 PM.  

Rising juniors and seniors may be able to reserve their current room (if it is still available) when they log in during General Room Selection.

 

Each student has one opportunity to pick a room during Reapplication Room Selection and there are not any do-overs after a student completes room selection.

It is possible to join a Waiting list for change to upper division housing or to request a single. More information about the Wait List process is available on our website. Wait lists are open March 22, close July 22 and expire August 1.

There is a limit of ONE mutual roommate request. Roommate requests must be made in the SMU Housing portal (request/accept) in order for it to be recorded by the system. Requests that aren’t completed in the SMU Housing portal by March 1 are not guaranteed.

Suitemates cannot be requested. Residents in suite buildings who are returning to their commons may coordinate with each other during selection time to try to pick rooms within a suite, but this is not guaranteed and cannot be requested

If you want to drop a roommate request that was completed in the SMU Housing portal during Reapplication, you should first email your roommate and copy us (housing@smu.edu) to let them know you won’t be roommates any longer. RLSH will then “break” the roommate request.

To add a roommate request after March 1, both roommates must join the Roommate Request Wait List, and include the roommate’s name and SMU ID in the comments. Note:  reassignment is dependent on available space and could mean being reassigned to another building. Each roommate must join the Wait List or else the request is not mutual, and therefore not considered for reassignment.

Yes, if 1) your sorority or fraternity chapter has invited you to live in the house, and 2) you request exemption by April 1. You must still reapply for housing on the SMU Housing portal, then complete the exemption request. You will also need to complete any paperwork your chapter requires such as a sublease or other housing agreement and upload a copy of that document on the SMU Housing portal. Deadline to complete the request for Greek exemption is April 1, and cancellation penalties apply after April 1. Deadline to upload the signed sublease with your chapter is May 1. Greek exemptions will not be accepted after May 15.

Please note that exemptions to live in a house other than the chapter to which you belong will not be approved. Membership is verified with SMU Fraternity & Sorority Life. No exemptions are granted for Panhellenic or other houses.

If you lived on-campus your first year, you are required to live on-campus again. You may request an Exemption from the requirement due to personal hardship. However, the first step is to reapply for housing, and then request an exemption. Deadline to request an exemption without financial penalty is April 1 and no personal hardship exemption requests will be accepted after May 15.

Please note that some personal circumstances (including roommate issues, community living and complaints about SMU housing facilities or dining) are not sufficient grounds for an exemption. SMU and RLSH have several resources and processes to address these concerns instead of exemption.

Yes, you should select a room if you are waiting to hear about exemption due to personal hardship. If an exemption is granted, your application and room assignment will both be cancelled.

For Greek House exemptions, you may reserve a room if you are not sure that you have a space in the house for Fall. Any assignment would be cancelled after submitting a copy of your Greek contract on the portal (by May 1.)

Double occupancy rooms will have two residents next year, and if you select alone, the other space will be available during room selection for other students. If you are interested in a single, you should look for a single when you select a room during General Room Selection.

Sophomores who are in a double now and want a single--do not reserve Same Room as that will prevent you from selecting a single during General Room Selection. 

You should select from the double rooms available to you and then join the waiting list for a single (starting March 27).

Reassignment to a single from the waiting list is dependent on cancellations, and therefore is NOT guaranteed. If you are reassigned to a single, you’ll be notified by email. Otherwise, you’ll remain assigned to a double and a roommate will be assigned. 

Generally speaking, if you are required to live on-campus, you must have a "The Works" plan during those two years. For dining purposes, "sophomore" is determined by the number of years a student has lived on-campus, not by credit hours.

• Residents living in a Residential Commons, Smith-Perkins and 3050 SMU Blvd. must have a dining plan. Second year (sophomore) residents must have "The Works" dining plan. Junior and senior students may select from additional dining plans.
• Residents in Moore, Martin, Thomas, and Service Houses may sign up for a dining plan, but it is not required. (There is no restriction on which plan.)

Rising sophomores who are exempted and living off campus as first year students may apply for housing after March 27. Assignment is not guaranteed and students do not participate in room selection. Contact our office for access if this applies to you.

At this time, we are not accepting applications from off-campus juniors and seniors. Applications for Stand-by List may be available after May 1.

RLSH works with the Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies (DASS) office regarding disability accommodation in housing. To establish eligibility for accommodation, students must contact DASS and submit required documentation. DASS works with students with learning disabilities, physical disability, psychiatric disorders and others. To request accommodation related to a housing assignment, students must indicate the request when applying for housing in addition to establishing eligibility with DASS.

Students with a current accommodation will receive information regarding how this affects their reapplication and room selection.

Requests for a new disability accommodation must be completed by February 15, 2024 in order to be considered during the reapplication period. DASS will review and make recommendations according to the standard process. Requests received after February 15, 2024 are processed and considered as available during the summer.

Thomas House is reserved for rising juniors and seniors as determined by years at SMU, not by credit hours. Juniors and seniors will be able to choose from available spaces in Thomas House at their selection time.

If no space is available, you are will need to reserve in a different building and join the Waiting List for Thomas starting March 27. (Wait list for Thomas is not available for off-campus applicants.)