University Park

Students have the ability to indicate preferences for housing area, room type, roommate requests, and Living Learning Communities (LLCs) until the advertised deadline. For fall semester, the deadline is typically at the beginning of April for current students, and May 15 for incoming first-year students. 

Once the deadline has passed, students will not be able to submit changes or request that the Housing Assignment Office make a change. The Housing Assignment Office extracts student data from the eLiving system to create spreadsheets and reports to begin the process of assigning over 14,000 students.  To ensure that students' preferences are considered, room assignments are processed individually, so the University must stick to a hard deadline in order to have  room assignments completed by the posting date.

Room Exchange eBoard

Since preferences cannot be updated after the deadline, the Room Exchange eBoard was created to provide students an opportunity to manage their room assignment. Once room assignments are posted in eLiving, the eBoard is available for students to either conduct a direct room switch with another student, or they can post their room assignment and search for someone to "swap" spaces with. Learn more about the Room Exchange eBoard. 

Incoming First-Year Students

First-year students can request a roommate until May 15 at noon.  The request must be mutual and be entered as a preference on the Housing & Food Service Contract.

Current Students/Change of Campus Students

Room assignments for first-year students are processed in a random order. The date that the student accepts the offer of admission has no bearing on the room assignment process. A student is able to indicate preferences (housing area, roommate, Living Learning Community) on the HFS Contract by the preference modification deadline, and will be referenced when the University processes your room assignment. However, room assignments based on preferences are not guaranteed.

If you are looking for housing options off campus, the Off-Campus Student Support Office is a great resource. To access their website and contact information, go to https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/offcampus

You do not need to list a friend/roommate when you Request Housing. When you receive an invitation, you will select a housing option and can add an eligible friend request (the friend must have Requested Housing and not have already accepted a HFS Contract). If you enter an ineligible student, the system will alert you so that you can remove the student or add a different student. Housing options range in the number of roommates that can be added: most allow for one roommate; some housing options allow up to 3 roommates (Nittany Apartments and White Course Apartments), and others do not allow any roommates (Eastview Terrace, single room). You do NOT need to have a friend/roommate to live on campus. Students who do not have a roommate listed will be randomly assigned with another student.

Text message notifications can be managed in your eLiving Account Settings.

• Log in to www.eLiving.psu.edu with your Penn State Access ID and password
• Under the “My Info” icon, select “Account Settings”
• Select the functions for which you would like to receive a text message notification

Update your mobile number in Account Management.  The cell phone number listed in eLiving is pulled from this site.

Your friend will need to Request Housing to be considered for an invitation. Once your friend is invited, they should accept the same type of housing option that you did. If that space is not available, your friend has the option to select another option, accept the HFS Contract, and add their name to the Waitlist for the same housing option.

No.  The housing process randomly offers invitations to students who Requested Housing; priority is not given to current residents. Each student who Requests Housing has an equal chance of receiving an invitation.

No. Each student’s HFS Contract is independent from each other.

Students who are living on campus for Summer Session II will be eligible to submit a request to update their fall roommate request. This offer will be available for a limited time period, shortly after Summer Session II starts, with a deadline for submitting the request. An email will be sent to students with instructions on how to submit the request. Summer students may not be able to stay in their summer room assignment for fall semester.

Students who want to request to room together for fall semester must agree to the following conditions:

1. Both students must be attending Summer Session II and living on campus.
2. Any preferences originally indicated on the HFS Contract for fall semester, such as roommate, housing area, room type, will no longer be considered.
3. Your room assignment will be in any housing area, where a vacant space is available.
4. It may be possible that your request may not be honored, especially if there is no more space available to accommodate requests. Students may also utilize the Room Exchange eBoard in eLiving which will be available once fall room assignments are posted.
5. Both roommates must submit the request by the deadline, and the request MUST be mutual (both students must request each other). If the request is not mutual, each student will be assigned based on preferences listed on the fall HFS Contract, provided that space is available when the student's account is processed.

Incoming First-Year Students

The offer of admission to Penn State University Park includes the first-year residency requirement. First-year students are required to live on campus and are not able to cancel the Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract to live off campus, nor are they able to transfer the contract obligation to another student.

All other students

If you receive an invitation, log in to www.eLiving.psu.edu to view your invitation. The system will display housing options that have space available. Not all options may be available, based upon other students selecting the space. Select the housing option you desire and click ‘Continue’. If the housing option you selected has space for a roommate, you can add a roommate’s Penn State Access ID, then click ‘Continue’. The roommate must have Requested Housing to be eligible. Review your selection and click ‘Create Contract’ to generate the HFS Contract offer. If a roommate was listed and has submitted a request, this student will also receive an HFS Contract offer. The HFS Contract offer must be accepted before the invitation expiration date.

When accepting the HFS Contract, you will agree to the Terms, Conditions, and Regulations and need to electronically sign the HFS Contract to accept it. Be sure that the HFS Contract is in accepted status before the expiration date!

No. The housing process is a random invitation system. The date that you Request Housing will not impact when you are selected to receive an invitation. All students who Request Housing will receive an invitation to select housing.

Online Room Selection (or self-assigning) is an option for current students and select first-year groups to log on to eLiving and choose the specific room in which they'd like to live. This option may not be offered to all groups or at every campus; students who are not able to participate in Online Room Selection enter contract preferences and are assigned by staff.

Timelines for Online Room Selection vary but usually occur in mid-spring for the fall semester. A second selection period may be offered in early summer if additional housing options become available.

Students who are able to participate in Online Room Selection will receive an email reminder with more detailed instructions before their selection period begins. Selection periods are also found in the Contract Summary in eLiving and posted online.

View Online Room Selection dates for your campus.

Both the invitation and HFS Contract offer have the same expiration date, so you must complete the process of selecting a housing option AND accepting the HFS Contract before the expiration date:

• Monday invitations expire Noon, Thursday
• Thursday invitations expire Noon, Monday

Your roommate request will have the SAME expiration date so don't delay in selecting a housing option and creating the HFS Contract.  HFS Contracts cannot be reoffered so please ensure that you allow enough time for both you AND your roommate(s) to accept the offer!

All HFS Contract offers must be accepted by the expiration date (Monday invites expire Noon, Thursday; and Thursday invites expire Noon, Monday). If your friend did not generate the HFS Contract offer in a timely manner and did not provide you time to accept the offer before the expiration date, we are not able to re-offer that HFS Contract. However, you may still receive an invitation at a later time.

If you receive a HFS Contract offer and wish to live on-campus, you will need to accept the offer before the expiration date. To accept the offer, log in to www.eLiving.psu.edu and select the Shopping Cart icon. Your HFS Contract offer will be displayed, and you must go through the steps to accept the offer. You will agree to the Terms, Conditions, and Regulations and need to electronically sign the HFS Contract to accept it. Verify that your HFS Contract is in accepted status.

Yes! Every student who Requests Housing during the housing process timeline will receive an invitation to view available housing options.  However, we are not able to guarantee when the invitation will be made or that your preferred housing option will be available when you receive your invitation. 

Need more information?

• Current students
• Change of Campus students

No. LLC HFS Contracts will be offered before the first round of housing Invitations in November. The HFS Contract offer will expire at noon the day the first round of invitations are accepted. Once you accept the LLC HFS Contract, you are no longer eligible to receive an invitation, as you have agreed to live in the LLC housing option.

If you do NOT accept the LLC HFS Contract, that offer will expire. Once the offer is expired, the LLC housing option will not be reoffered to you. If the offer has expired, then you will be eligible to receive an invitation to view other housing options later in the process.

Invitations cannot be transferred to another students. All students who Requested Housing will receive an invitation. Students who did Request Housing or are not eligible to participate in the Housing Process can add their name to the On-Campus Housing Waitlist in eLiving to be considered for housing.

Students who Request Housing will receive an invitation to view available housing options

• Invitations are sent by email and text message notification (you must opt in to text message notification; through eLiving "My Info" > "Account Settings").
• You can also view your Invitation in eLiving by selecting "My Contracts" > "View Invitation"  
• Your invitation allows you to view all housing options. Not all options may be available to select, based on when you are invited into the process. As housing options are selected by other students, space remaining will decrease.
• Select the housing option you desire and click ‘Continue’. 
• Add a friend’s Penn State Access ID who you want to receive a Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract offer and click ‘Continue’. It's not required to add a friend, and not all housing options allow for a roommate. 
• Review your selection and click ‘Create Contract’ to be offered the HFS Contract for your selected housing option.
  • If a friend is listed, this student will also be offered the HFS Contract. 
• To accept the HFS Contract offer, select the Shopping Cart icon and view the offer. 
• Click the ‘Begin Acceptance Process’ button to view and read the HFS Contract and Terms, Conditions, and Regulations (TCRs).  Check mark the box to indicate that you have read and agree to abide by the TCRs.  Type your name to electronically sign the HFS Contract. Click the ‘Accept Contract’ button.  All done!

You are not obligated to live on campus until you accept the HFS Contract; once accepted, the HFS Contract cannot be cancelled (unless you are no longer enrolled at Penn State).

For the Housing Process, there are three methods of communication:

1. Log in to www.eLiving.psu.edu during the housing process timeline to see if an invitation has been made. Invitations will appear either in your Shopping Cart, or under "Contracts" > "View Invitation"
2. An email is sent to your Penn State email account immediately after the invitation is offered.
3. You may also opt in to receive a text message notification. Update your eLiving Account Settings to receive text message notifications.

Log in to www.eLiving.psu.edu and select the Shopping Cart icon. Your invitation will be displayed, and you will be able to view all housing options that have space available. Not all options may be available, based on other students selecting the space. Select the housing option you desire and click ‘Continue’. If the housing option you selected has space for a roommate, you can add an eligible friend's Penn State Access ID, then click ‘Continue’. The friend must have Requested Housing to be eligible. Review your selection and click ‘Create Contract’ to generate the HFS Contract offer. If a friend was listed, this student will also receive an HFS Contract offer. The HFS Contract offer must be accepted before the invitation process expiration date.

Yes.  Since the invitation is not an actual HFS Contract offer, you can just let the invitation expire. Once you accept the HFS Contract, it's a legally-binding contract and you are bound to live on campus.

You will start the housing option selection process from the beginning, and if that housing option is still available, you can select it.  However, other students with invitations have the ability to select the housing option and could take any remaining available space. If the housing option is no longer available, you can select another available housing option.

No.  Expired invitations cannot be re-offered.

If your invitation expired in November, you will be eligible to Request Housing between December 1 - January 31, and will receive another invitation in February. If your invitation expires in February, you will be eligible to add your name to the Housing Waitlist.

All students who Request Housing will receive an invitation in November or February and will be able to view available housing options.

Students interested in living on campus for the next academic year will need to enter the housing request process during the advertised dates. All students who enter the housing process will receive an invitation to live on campus. Invitations are issued in random order, not based on when a student places their request for an invitation. The invitation will give the student the ability to view the available housing options and accept a contract.

An invitation allows current first-year or upperclass students to view available on-campus housing spaces during the identified timeframe of the housing process. A student must have Requested Housing to receive an invitation.

Receiving an invitation does not obligate the student to on-campus housing.

Log on to eLiving to see if you've received an invitation. Your login screen will display the message "Congratulations! You have been invited to #LiveOn! Click here to view the invitations." Follow the link to begin the invitation process

• Select a housing option from those available and click "Continue". If a housing option doesn't appear or is grayed out, it's not currently available.
• Add a friend who you'd like to receive the same housing option, whether or not you plan to be roommates. Not all housing options offer this opportunity. Click "Continue".
• Review your selections and click "Create Contract" to be offered an HFS Contract for your selected housing option. If you listed a friend, they will also be offered the HFS Contract.

Once you create your contract, you'll automatically begin the contract acceptance process. If you exit without accepting and return later before your contract expiration date, click on your Shopping Cart to return to the contract acceptance process.

Both the invitation and HFS Contract offer have the same expiration date, so you must complete the process of selecting a housing option and accepting the HFS Contract before the expiration date:

• Monday invitations expire at noon on Thursday
• Thursday invitations expire at noon on Monday

Invitations are made randomly to students Mondays and Thursdays in November and February. Invitations will be sent between Noon - 5:00pm.

Log in to www.eLiving.psu.edu with your Penn State Access ID and password. Your eLiving account will default to the Invitation if it is available.

The Request Housing process in eLiving is specific to current first-year and upperclass Penn State students. Incoming first-year and transfer students can choose on-campus housing, if available, when they accept their offer of admission through MyPennState or can add their name to the On-Campus Housing Waitlist afterward.

Learn more about housing for incoming first-year process.

Yes. All students must Request Housing to be eligible to receive an invitation and HFS Contract offer.

Eligible students interested in the LiveOn experience for the next academic year will be able to Request Housing during the advertised Housing Request process.

• Log in to www.eLiving.psu.edu with your Penn State Access Account User ID (e.g., abc1234) and password 
• Under the “Contracts” icon, select ‘Request Housing’ 
• Your submitted housing request will appear
• Select the red ‘Cancel Request’ button
• You will need to confirm that you want to cancel your request

The page will refresh with a confirmation stating: ‘Success!  Your housing request for Penn State University Park has been cancelled.’

Students who live off campus at University Park are not eligible to participate in the housing process.  However, they can add their name to a Housing Waitlist, which will open at Noon December 1. This Waitlist is for Overflow Housing. Overflow housing is not a specific housing option; based on preferences that a student indicates on the HFS Contract and any Housing Option Waitlist that a student adds their name to, the student will be assigned to a space that is available. All students who accept Overflow Housing will be assigned to a room on campus.

Students interested in living on campus next year should Request Housing during the established timeline. However, if you missed the deadline to enter the housing process, you can still be considerer for on-campus housing. Simply add your name to the "On-Campus Housing Waitlist" that is available in eLiving (Contracts -> Waitlist) starting December 1. Starting sometime in late-March, the Housing Assignment Office will release HFS Contract offers on Monday afternoons as vacancies are identified. Students must be scheduled for fall classes to receive a HFS Contract offer. The HFS Contract offer will be for either supplemental housing or a double room, traditional residence hall. After the student accepts the HFS Contract, the student will then be eligible to add their name to the internal Housing Options Waitlist to be considered for reassignment to another space.

Current eligible students who interested in living on campus for the next academic year will be able to Request Housing in eLiving during these timeframes:

• Noon October 1 - Noon October 31
• Noon December 1 - Noon January 31

Note, incoming first-year students will not participate in this process. Students will accept housing when they accept the offer of admission.

Eligibility to Request Housing is based on a student's residency and campus status:

Students who are eligible to participate in the housing process:

• Those living on campus right now are eligible to Request Housing. 
• Students attending a Commonwealth Campus
• Students who are new to Penn State or deferred admission to Spring will be eligible to Request Housing during the second Request Housing timeframe, once they have scheduled spring courses.

Students who are not eligible to participate in the housing process:

• Incoming first-year students (they accept the HFS Contract through the admissions process)
• Students who currently live off campus at University Park
• Students who did not Request Housing in accordance with the housing process timeline
• Students who were released from the HFS Contract
• Students transferring from another university

No, students can only add their name to one Housing Option Waitlist to be considered for reassignment.

Yes.  Log in to www.eLiving.psu.edu and under the “HFS Contracts” icon, select ‘Summary’. Select the “Waitlist” button next to the HFS Contract. Click on the checkmark to un-select and remove your name from the Waitlist. You are now able to select a different Waitlist.

Housing Options Waitlists  open Noon December 1. Log in to www.eLiving.psu.edu and select the “Waitlist” button to view the available options, and checkmark one Waitlist for the housing option in which you are interested.

Only students who have an accepted HFS Contract are eligible to add their name to a Housing Option Waitlist.

If you are interested in another housing option, you can add your name to one Housing Option Waitlist in eLiving once they are available. Adding your name to a Waitlist does not guarantee that you’ll be reassigned to that housing option. Waitlists may not be available for all housing options.

A Housing Option Waitlist is a way for you to indicate your interest in another housing option to be considered for reassignment. The Housing Option Waitlists are only available once a student has accepted an HFS Contract, and then you may only add your name to one Waitlist. The Housing Option Waitlists are available starting at Noon December 1. As staff process cancellations and vacancies occur, students on the Waitlist will be reassigned into that specific housing option.

For example: I have accepted an HFS Contract for a double room, traditional residence hall, but want to live in Eastview Terrace. I can add my name to the Eastview Terrace Waitlist, understanding that I will be reassigned if a vacancy becomes available.

There are two types of Waitlists:

• "On-Campus Housing Waitlist" is for students who did not participate in the Request Process and want to live on campus
• "Housing Option Waitlists" display after a student accepts a HFS Contract and is interested in another housing option (such as a Living Learning Community, single room, etc.)

When you log on to eLiving and choose Waitlist from the Contracts menu, you will see the appropriate Waitlists based on your campus and contract status.

Students who have an accepted HFS Contract are eligible to enter only one Housing Option Waitlist. As staff processes cancellations and vacancies occur, we will move students from the Waitlist into that specific housing option.

For example: I have an accepted double room, traditional residence hall HFS Contract. I’m interested in a suite, so I add my name to the "Nittany Hall Suites Waitlist". When a suite is available for me, staff will move me to a suite option. If online room selection is available to me, I'll be able to choose a suite instead of a traditional residence hall.

You can remove your name from a Waitlist at any time by unchecking the box of the Waitlist you'd previously selected.

For a listing of food choices, explore your dining options. 

You can also get up to date information via Dining on the Penn State Go app.

LionCash makes your Penn State id+ Card even more convenient! It’s an online, prepaid flexible account that makes on- and off-campus purchases safe and easy. LionCash is used to pay for laundry in the residence halls, and can be used in vending machines and copiers across campus. There are over 200 participating merchants both on and off campus who accept LionCash for payment. Students with a Campus Meal Plan who run low on funds can use LionCash to supplement their meal plan - and still receive the same meal plan discounts.

Deposits are simple to make online, and funds are available immediately! Funds carry over year-to-year, until a student is no longer afflilated with the University. 

To learn more and to make a deposit visit:  https://idcard.psu.edu/overview

• Although in-person dining will be available, it will be limited, with tables physically distanced and chairs removed to promote a safer eating environment for diners and workers in accordance with federal, state, and local health and safety guidelines. Campus Dining has put in place enhanced protocols including — but not limited to — the use of masks by all guests and staff; increased cleaning of high-touch surfaces and restrooms using an EPA-approved disinfectant; additional hand sanitizer stations; installation of Plexiglas in key areas; and self-swipe card payments.
• New for fall 2020, students can access a mobile ordering and pickup option at select locations.

Yes, Meatless and Vegan options are served daily in all five of the dining commons. Each all-you-care-to-eat area offers a vegan entree, soup, and varying side dishes for each meal.  Salad bars also offer vegan protiens such as tofu, beans, and quinoa. For more information, please visit the Vegetarianism page.

Penn State Campus Dining offers multiple resources to ensure students with food allergies and intolerances dine safely on campus.  We encourage students to contact the Registered Dietitians’ Office at [email protected] or (814) 863-3420 to make a plan for navigating dining on campus.

At the end of Summer Session, all students will need to remove personal belongings from their room assignment. Students will be provided the opportunity to drop-and-go items at the end of Summer Session, if their fall room assignment is available. If the fall room is not cleaned and ready, Housing will provide temporary storage. 

More details about drop-and-go storage will be made available to students towards the end of summer.

Students with a sorority chapter HFS Contract are expected to live on campus the entire academic year, as the sorority chapter is required to maintain floor occupancy.

All residential students can receive U.S. Postal mail and package deliveries while living in University Housing.  When a package is delivered a staff will enter the package into eLiving and the student will receive an email to pick up the package at their area Commons Desk.

After a first-year student accepts the offer of admission and Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract through MyPennState, the HFS Contract will be available in the eLiving system.

You will be able to indicate the following preferences: 

• housing area location
• room type preference
• roommate
• Living Learning Community (LLCs) (formally known as Special Living Options or SLOs)
• Campus Meal Plan level (defaults to level 2)

Preferences must be updated by Noon May 15; updates are not accepted after this deadline date.  

The majority of residence halls do not offer air conditioning. Some buildings offer a climate-controlled environment, where the system is centrally-controlled and provides either heat or air conditioning during appropriate seasons. In these buildings, students do not have the ability to control the setting. Students who live in North Suites, Nittany Hall, Nittany Apartments, White Course Apartments, and Eastview Terrace, there are individual control settings in the unit/room that does allow a student to control the temperature.  As outlined in the Terms, Conditions, and Regulations of the Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract, students are not permitted to install personal air conditioning units.

Students who have a medical condition may submit a Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Housing form to be considered for assignment to a room that offers air conditioning. AC units have been pre-installed in specific rooms in traditional residence halls. 

Regardless of the space, the University recommends bringing fans to assist with air circulation. 

Yes! All residential campuses welcome students to live on campus beyond their first-year. Many students find the greatest convenience is saving time – to and from classes, activities, events, clubs/organizations, recreation and study, meetings, common and green spaces, dining, bookstore, project collaboration, faculty offices, and so much more! We do have space for you to #LiveOn. There are also many Living Learning Communities (LLCs) created especially for you!

Students will need to Request Housing during the housing process timeline. 

The University is not able to offer storage for students’ belongings. Students need to remove all personal items from University Housing when a student checks-out.

To assist with students who are not able to take belongings home, the University has partnered with Storage Squad to provide a storage and shipping solution. Please visit the Storage Squad website for additional information:  https://www.storagesquad.com/penn-state-university-storage/

Upper-class students who accept a contract to live on campus, will be assigned to the housing type they accepted (Eastview Terrace, Renovated buildings, Nittany Apartments, Traditional buildings, etc.)  Within the housing type, students are assigned by semester standing order, beginning with the students with the most semesters completed.

Incoming first-year students are assigned to one of five housing areas on campus:

• East Halls 4200 students
• Pollock Halls 2000 students
• South Halls 1000 students
• West Halls 800 students
• North Halls 750 students

Students can indicate housing preferences for housing area and room type on their HFS Contract in eLiving. The preference modification deadline is noon May 15.

Incoming First-Year and Transfer Students

First-year and transfer students who accept the offer of admission through MyPennState are required to pay a non-refundable $100 housing deposit. If the student enrolls at the University, the housing deposit will be applied to the student's first semester room charge as a $100 credit.

Current and Change of Campus Students

Current and change of campus students who accept a HFS Contract through eLiving for an upcoming contract period are not required to pay a housing deposit.

Graduates and Students with Families

Graduates and students with families who accept a White Course Apartment lease will pay a $100 housing deposit and the first month's rent when completing the lease acceptance in eLiving. The housing deposit is retained until the lease ends.

Living with a roommate can be a new experience for students. Residence Life staff are available to help you work through any conflicts. Please speak with your Resident Assistant (RA) who can provide guidance or your Residence Life Coordinator to resolve larger issues. 

Incoming First-Year Students

First-year students typically reside in a double room in a traditional residence hall (East, Pollock, South and West), a renovated residence hall (East and North), a suite (North Halls) or a supplemental room (East, Pollock North, South and West).  There is also limited availability of triple and quads (East, Pollock, South and West) and single rooms (Pollock, South and West)

Graduates/Students with Families

Graduate students and students with families can live at the White Course Apartments in a single-student furnished four-bedroom apartment and a one, two or three-bedroom furnished or unfurnished apartment.

All other students

Undergraduate Students

Residence halls, suites, and Nittany and White Course Apartments* offer students a twin-size bed (depending upon building, some beds are regular twin and others are extra-long twin), desk and desk chair, drawers (either a dresser or stackable drawer units), and space to hang clothing (either a closet or wardrobe). The University provides one refrigerator/freezer/microwave unit for every two students in a room.

Additional information about what is provided in your room, what to pack, and what to leave behind, is available on the Housing Arrival website, which is designed to prepare students to move into University Housing. Students should also refer to the Terms, Conditions, and Regulations (TCRs) of the Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract. 

*Limited apartments in the 5000 block of Nittany Apartments offer a full-size bed.

Graduates/Students with Families

White Course Apartments offers both furnished and unfurnished units. Both types include a full kitchen with refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, washer and dryer set. Furnished apartments offer furniture for the living room, kitchen, and bedroom(s). A full list of amenities is listed under each building.

Room and board rates are approved by the Board of Trustees every year, normally in the early spring for the upcoming academic year. Room and board rates are per student, per semester, and are charged to the student's LionPATH account for payment. Students are charged the corresponding room rate based on their actual room assignment. The Campus Meal Plan (board rate) is comprised of a base fee and dining dollars. 

A traditional residence hall is typical, collegiate-style 'dorm' building. Students are housed mainly in double-occupancy rooms on either side of the corridor, and there are communal bathrooms located on each floor. The communal bathroom is a large room that offers individual toilet stalls, private shower stalls, and several sinks. Traditional residence halls do not offer air conditioning.

A renovated residence hall is a building that has been upgraded by the University. Students are housed mainly in double-occupancy rooms on either side of the corridor, and there are several individual-use bathrooms located on each floor. The bathroom is a single-user bathroom that offers a shower, toilet, and sink. Some bathrooms are only a toilet and sink. External sinks are also available for quick use. Renovated residence halls also offer a community space on the ground floor with a kitchen and living area space, and rooms are climate-controlled. 

So you are searching for information about Dorms? At Penn State, we do not refer to buildings as a dorm or dorms - University Housing is referred to as residence halls. Who knew! Penn State offers traditional residence halls and renovated residence halls. There are also suites, singles, and apartments on campus. Explore your housing options to learn more about the different residence halls on campus.

Incoming First-Year Students

Incoming first-year students have the following options available:

• Double Room, Traditional Residence Halls (1 roommate) The majority of students live in regular doubles, with limited quads and triples, in Pollock, West, and South Housing Areas; Campus Meal Plan required
• Double Room, Renovated Residence Halls (1 roommate) The majority of students live in regular doubles in East Halls and Robinson Hall in North Halls; Campus Meal Plan required
• Single Room, Traditional Residence Halls (no roommates) Single-occupancy rooms located in Pollock, West, and South Housing Areas; Campus Meal Plan required
• North Hall suites (1-3 roommates) 2-bedroom/4-person suite with shared bathroom, limited 2-bedroom/2-person suites are available; Campus Meal Plan required

Upperclass Students

Upperclass students have the following housing options available:

• Double Room, Traditional Residence Halls (1 roommate) The majority of students live in regular doubles, with limited quads and triples, in Pollock, West, and South Housing Areas; Campus Meal Plan required
• Double Room, Renovated Residence Halls (1 roommate) The majority of students live in regular doubles in Chace, Hibbs, and Stephens Halls, as well as other limited renovated spaces within South Housing Area; Campus Meal Plan required
• Single Room, Traditional Residence Halls (no roommates) Single-occupancy rooms located in Pollock, West, and South Housing Areas; Campus Meal Plan required
• North Hall suites (1-3 roommates) 2-bedroom/4-person suite with shared bathroom, limited 2-bedroom/2-person suites are available; Campus Meal Plan required
• Nittany Hall suites (1-3 roommates) 2-bedroom/4-person suite with shared bathroom; Campus Meal Plan required
• Eastview Terrace (no roommates) Single-occupancy room with private bathroom; Campus Meal Plan required
• Nittany Apartments (1-3 roommates) 2-bedroom/4-person apartments and 4-bedroom/4-person apartments; Campus Meal Plan optional
• White Course Apartments (1-3 roommates) 4-bedroom/4-person apartments; Campus Meal Plan optional
• Supplemental Housing, Traditional Residence Hall (1-5 roommates) a large room in Pollock, West, and South Housing Areas; Campus Meal Plan required
• Supplemental Housing, Renovated Residence Hall (1-5 roommates) a large room in South Housing Areas; Campus Meal Plan required
• Supplemental Housing, Suite Residence Hall (1-5 roommates) a large room with internal bathroom in North Housing Area; Campus Meal Plan required

Graduates/Students with Families

Graduate students and students with families are eligible to live on campus in the White Course Apartments.

For summer session II or fall semester, a central check-in area will be hosted to welcome students to campus. Instructions are posted on the University's Arrival website, and will indicate Arrival days, check-in times, and location. Arrival information will also be communicated in advance. 

For spring semester, Maymester, and summer session I, students can check-in at the Commons Desk located in the housing area of your room assignment. Instructions are posted on the University's Arrival website, and will indicate Arrival days, check-in times, and location. Arrival information will also be communicated in advance.

Once you have moved into University Housing and if your room assignment is changed, you can check-in at the Commons Desk located in the housing area of your room assignment. The Commons Desk is generally open 24 hours/day. 

Incoming First-Year Students

First year students reside in five areas of campus:  East, Pollock, North, South, and West.  These locations offer traditional buildings, renovated buildings, and suites. Most First-Year students are assigned to a double room in a traditional residence hall.

• Double Room, Traditional Residence Halls (1 roommate)
  The majority of students live in regular doubles, with limited quads and triples, in East, Pollock, West, and South Housing Areas
   
• Double Room, Renovated Residence Halls (1 roommate)
  Renovated spaces are limited and those that are assigned live in renovated double in East or North halls.
   
• Single Room, Traditional Residence Halls (no roommates)
  Single-occupancy rooms are limited and located in Pollock, West, and South Housing Areas.

Students who are interested in returning to on-campus housing will need to Request Housing during the housing process, then select a housing option and accept a HFS Contract. All students who Request Housing will receive an invitation to live on campus. Once a student has accepted a HFS Contract, the Housing Assignment Office will work with the student to ensure that a room assignment is processed that will make the student feel safe and secure living on campus.

Although first-year students cannot generally request gender inclusive housing, staff will work one-on-one with a student who is interested in a gender inclusive assignment. To facilitate this assignment, the student needs to contact staff earlier in the process to have a confidential consultation and discuss available housing options.  Housing space a student may be assigned to include: 

1. Single or double room with private bath
2. Single or double room with gender neutral bathroom in close proximity (individual, private bathrooms shared by residents on the floor - similar to a bathroom in a home)
3. Single or double room with attached semi-private bathroom shared with another single or double room

The HFS Contract is between Penn State and the student, and as an adult, the student holds the decision making rights. The University encourages parents and students to communicate about gender inclusive housing and the needs of the student.

A student must indicated interest in a gender inclusive housing assignment to be assigned. Upper-class students will need complete the "Gender Inclusive Housing Agreement" form before being assigned to gender inclusive housing.

Gender inclusive housing is not intended for students who are in a romantic relationship. Students who are married, have a partner, and/or dependents are be eligible to live in Graduate & Family Housing, located in White Course Apartments.

Although the University does not offer roommate matching service, students who are interested in gender inclusive housing can discuss options that may be available for a room assignment that includes a roommate. Learn more about gender inclusive housing. 

There is no additional fee to be assigned to a gender inclusive housing option, the student will be charged the applicable room rate for the space.

First-year students interested in a gender inclusive housing assignment have two options available:

1. The Ally House Living Learning Community (LLC): Ally House LLC is a collaboration between Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Ally (LGBTQA) Student Resource Center and the Sexuality and Gender Studies minor offered by the College of Liberal Arts.  Ally House fosters a community dedicated to knowledge and understanding of sexuality and gender issues.  Student programs and academic opportunities support these goals. The Ally House can be indicated as a preference on a student's Housing and Food Service Contract. 
2. Although first-year students cannot generally request gender inclusive housing, staff will work one-on-one with a student who is interested in a gender inclusive assignment. To facilitate this assignment, the student needs to contact staff earlier in the process to have a confidential consultation and discuss available housing options. Staff will provide options to insure that the student is assigned to a room where he/she feels safe and secure.

Upperclass students will complete the "Gender Inclusive Agreement" form so that there is an understanding of what happens if a roommate drops out of the room assignment. The student(s) remaining in the space will have the opportunity to request another roommate who agrees to the gender inclusive housing conditions. If another roommate is not able to be identified, the room will be converted to a single gender room, and another roommate of the same gender will be assigned by the Housing Assignment Office.

Learn more about Gender Inclusive Housing.

Penn State strives to provide a safe, inclusive, comfortable, and supportive living environment for all students residing in University housing. Gender inclusive (also known as gender neutral) housing is an option for students who identify as a transgender and gender non-conforming to select a room assignment that meets individual needs or request a roommate of any gender.

An upper-class student who accepts a Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract will be eligible for gender inclusive housing. 

1. The Ally House Living Learning Community: Ally House LLC is a collaboration between Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Ally (LGBTQA) Student Resource Center and the Sexuality and Gender Studies minor offered by the College of Liberal Arts.  Ally House fosters a community dedicated to knowledge and understanding of sexuality and gender issues.  Student programs and academic opportunities support these goals. The Ally House can be indicated as a preference on a student's Housing and Food Service Contract. 
2. All upper-class housing options offer gender inclusive housing as an assignment option. To be assigned in a gender inclusive housing assignment, each student in the group can list the others as a roommate preference. All students will then need to complete a "Gender-Neutral Housing Agreement" form.

Ally House is located in West Housing Area, in Watts Hall.  Watts Hall is a traditional residence hall and available room types are single rooms and double rooms.  Ally House accommodates both first-year and upper class students.  First-year students are assigned with other first-year students, and upper class students are assigned with other upper class students. There are 2 communal bathrooms available, with no gender designation.

The Association of Residence Hall Students (ARHS) drafted a proposal to offer gender-neutral housing beginning in the 2016-2017 academic year.  ARHS believed that offering gender-neutral housing would provide an environment where all students could feel comfortable and safe. The University piloted the program, and based on the response, decided to continue to offer the option for upper-class students. 

UPDATE April 2018: a review of the gender-neutral housing process was conducted by the Assignment Office and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Ally (LGBTQA) Student Resource Center, and a decision was made to change the name to "gender inclusive housing". For upper-class students, housing will be referred to as "Open Housing", since the University is able to accommodate gender inclusive housing is almost every housing option offered to upper-class students.

Certain LLCs offer the ability to return to the living environment, while some are intended just for first-year students. 

If your LLC has a return-to-living-environment, you must earn eligibility to LiveOn for the next academic year. Eligibility is based on participating and other requirements, and will be discussed during LLC meetings. 

Students who are eligible to return to the LLC must Request Housing between noon October 1 - noon October 31. An HFS Contract offer for the LLC will be made in November, and must be accepted before the offer expiration date. Review the housing process timeline to view the specific date that LLC offers will be made.

Each sorority chapter has an identified floor in a renovated residence hall in South Halls, with each floor housing between 26-33 students. Students are assigned to double-occupancy rooms. Individual, private-use bathrooms are available on each floor, along with a dedicated sorority chapter suite that includes a living room and kitchenette for exclusive use by chapter members. A large meeting room is also available on the first floor. 

Sorority chapter housing on campus focuses on housing students during their first year of membership.

Students interested in sorority chapter housing should consider their housing plans to determine which course of action to take:

1. Students who want to live on campus for the next academic year, whether or not they are assigned to sorority chapter housing, should participate in the current students housing process. Students should Request Housing in October; in November invitations are sent out and students can review housing options, select a space, and create/accept a Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract offer. 

   If a student is invited to live on the sorority chapter floor after recruitment ends, the student's HFS Contract will be converted to the sorority chapter contract and a room assignment will be processed. No further action is required by the student.
    

2. Students who are only interested in living in sorority chapter housing (meaning, they do not want to live on campus in any housing option unless it is for sorority chapter housing) should not participate in the current students housing process.

   Students who are then invited to LiveOn the sorority chapter floor will receive a HFS Contract offer in eLiving in early February, which the student will need to accept before the offer expiration date. 

Space on the sorority chapter floor is reserved for members only, students are not able to have friends who are not members live with them in sorority chapter housing.

Once a HFS Contract offers has expired, it cannot be reoffered.

The HFS Contract is legally-binding and cannot be cancelled for you to move off campus. You can work with the Housing Assignment Office to discuss reassignment to another available housing option.

The Campus Meal Plan is required for students living on campus, with the exception of those living in on-campus apartments, where it is optional.

The Campus Meal Plan must be purchased for each semester, and cannot be canceled.

Students who withdraws or end their relationship with the University after the semester has started may be eligible for a refund of remaining dining dollars and a prorated refund of the base cost, within the timeframe outlined in the HFS Contract Terms, Conditions, and Regulations. Any refund will be credited to the student's LionPATH account or to the credit card used to purchase the meal plan.

The meal plan cannot be transferred or assigned to another individual.

Students can check their meal plan balance online at idcard.psu.edu/manage-accounts. Available balances are also displayed at Campus Dining registers and on receipts, but understand that the registers display a combined meal plan and LionCash account balance.

The Campus Meal Plan level can be managed on eLiving, under "My Info" < My Meal Plan, through the last day of finals for the semester. The system will display whether the student's account is eligible to be increased or decreased.

If funds are running low, friends and family can add dining dollars or LionCash, too.

The Campus Meal Plan provides easy purchasing and savings for students who regularly eat meals on campus. 

The Campus Meal Plan can be accessed via your Penn State id+ Card. Dining dollars will be added to your account; the amount of dining dollars depends upon which level of the Campus Meal Plan account you have selected. When you visit a dining facility operated by Penn State Housing and Food Services, you will present your id+ card to the cashier, who will swipe the card through a reader. The reader will access your account, deduct the proper purchase amount, and display your new account balance. The amount of your purchase depends upon the location and what is purchased. 

At University Park, dining dollars can be spent at over 30 eateries on campus, including the Creamery, HUB Dining, Beaver Stadium, and other sports facilities. The “all-you-care-to-eat” dining option in offered in 5 Residential Dining locations and offers the best value.

Campus Meal Plan account holders have access to the greatest discounts in on-campus dining:

• 65 percent off cash price at Buffet-to-Go and All-You-Care-to-Eat locations
• 65 percent off cash price on prepared items* at food courts
• 10 percent off campus price on prepared items* at specialty fast casual operations, such as Soup & Garden, Grate Chee, and Blue Burrito in the HUB, Bruno's at Behrend, the Outpost at Harrisburg, and coffee shops at campus locations

The Commuter Meal Plan and LionCash offer a 10 percent discount off cash price on the items and  locations listed above. Additional LionCash discounts may be available at off-campus participating locations.

*prepared items are meals, snacks, and beverages that are made by Campus Dining staff. This excludes menu items at nationally branded restaurants and cafes.

Campus Meal Plan

Dining Dollars remaining at the end of  summer session are carried over to fall semester, and Dining Dollars remaining at the end of fall semester are carried over to spring semester, provided the student has an active Campus Meal Plan for the fall and spring semester, respectfully. Dining Dollars remaining at the end of the spring semester are forfeited. Students have the ability to manage their Campus Meal Plan through eLiving until the last day of the semester.

Students living on campus are required to purchase a Campus Meal Plan each semester. 

When a student accepts the HFS Contract, the Campus Meal Plan will default to level 2. The Campus Meal Plan level can be managed on eLiving, under "My Info" < My Meal Plan, through the last day of finals for the semester. The system will display whether the student's account is eligible to be increased or decreased.

If dining dollar funds are running low, you can also add funds to LionCash. Current Campus Meal Plan account holders have the benefit of utilizing LionCash funds to backfill your Campus Meal Plan and receive the same discounted rate as the meal plan. Students simply tell the cashier that they have a campus meal plan and the appropriate discount will be applied.

Commuter Meal Plan

Commuter Meal Plan funds carry over from fall to spring regardless of whether a spring commuter meal plan has been purchased.

LionCash

LionCash never expires and is available until you are no longer registered as a Penn State student.
 

LionCash makes your Penn State id+ Card even more convenient! It’s an online, prepaid flexible account that makes on- and off-campus purchases safe and easy. LionCash is used to pay for laundry in the residence halls, and can be used in vending machines and copiers across campus. There are over 200 participating merchants both on and off campus who accept LionCash for payment. Students with a Campus Meal Plan who run low on funds can use LionCash to supplement their meal plan - and still receive the same meal plan discounts.

Deposits are simple to make online, and funds are available immediately! Funds carry over year-to-year, until a student is no longer afflilated with the University. 

To learn more and to make a deposit visit:  https://idcard.psu.edu/overview

Room and board rates are approved by the Board of Trustees every year, normally in the early spring for the upcoming academic year. Room and board rates are per student, per semester, and are charged to the student's LionPATH account for payment. Students are charged the corresponding room rate based on their actual room assignment. The Campus Meal Plan (board rate) is comprised of a base fee and dining dollars. 

There are three different meal plan options:

• Campus Meal Plan: required for all students living in University Housing, except for Nittany and White Course Apartments
• Commuter Meal Plan: optional plan for students living in Nittany and White Course Apartments and students living in off-campus housing
• LionCash: available for all students to use (those with a meal plan should use that instead though)

Campus Meal Plan dining dollars can be used at all Campus Dining locations any Penn State Campus*, as well as at popular destinations at University Park such as Beaver Stadium, Bryce Jordan Center, Pegula Ice Arena, and Berkey Creamery.

Commuter Meal Plans can be used at all Campus Dining locations any Penn State Campus*.

LionCash can be used at hundreds of merchants, both on and off campus. Visit https://idcard.psu.edu/merchants for a full list.

*Campuses offering Campus Dining locations:  Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Berks, Behrend, Brandywine, Dubois, Fayette, Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Hazleton, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Schuylkill, Scranton, Shenango, University Park, Wilkes-Barre, and York

Penn State Campus Dining offers multiple resources to ensure students with food allergies and intolerances dine safely on campus.  We encourage students to contact the Registered Dietitians’ Office at [email protected] or (814) 863-3420 to make a plan for navigating dining on campus.