University Park

Students have the ability to update preferences for housing area, room type, roommate requests, and Living Learning Communities (LLCs), This must be completed before the advertised deadline:

• incoming first-year students: noon May 15
• upper-class students: typically beginning of April  

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 post their room assignment and search for someone to "swap" spaces with. Learn more about the Room Exchange eBoard. 

The Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract is available in eLiving, Contracts > Summary. 

Incoming First-Year Students

Incoming first-year students are able to update housing preferences on the HFS Contract until the housing preference modification deadline of 12:00 p.m. (noon) May 15. To request a roommate, enter the roommate's Penn State Access Account ID (e.g. xyz5000) on the "Roommate Preferences" screen. Roommate requests must be mutual. Students who are attending Summer Session will have two HFS Contracts and can list roommate preferences for both HFS Contracts (they can be different students).

Current Students/Change of Campus Students

The LiveOn Housing Process includes an invitation and HFS Contract offer, which both 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

If you add a friend to your housing option, your friend will have the SAME expiration date as your invitation, 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 friend(s) to accept the HFS Contract!

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.

First-year students are able to update preferences for housing area, roommate, Living Learning Communities (LLCs), and Campus Meal Plan level on the HFS Contract before the preference modification deadline of 12:00 p.m. (noon) May 15. This information will be referenced when the University processes your room assignment.

Room assignments based on preferences are not guaranteed - some students will not be assigned to preferences requested, due to supply-and-demand.

The Off-Campus Student Support Office is a great resource for students seeking off campus housing.

During the LiveOn Housing Process students will receive an invitation to view available a housing options.

Once the student selects a housing option, the student can add a friend(s), depending upon the space selected. Students who select single-occupancy housing option cannot add a friend; some housing options allow for more than one friend, such as suites or apartments. Different Housing Options allow for different numbers of roommates that can be added: most allow for one roommate; some housing options allow up to 3 roommates (Nittany Apartments, White Course Apartments, triple rooms, and supplemental housing), and others do not allow any roommates (Eastview Terrace, single rooms).

The friend(s) must be eligible - - they must have Requested Housing and not yet accepted a HFS Contract - - in order to be added to your invitation.

Once confirming the friend, the system will send all students a HFS Contract offer in eLiving for the housing option selected. 

All students must Accept the HFS Contract in eLiving before the offer expiration date.

Once the HFS Contract is accepted, students can update preferences to indicate the specific roommate(s). Upperclass students can add or change this preference before the early April deadline to indicate the specific roommate preference. 

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.

A friend added to an invitation does NOT have to be the roommate!

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

• Log in to eLiving 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

The cell phone number listed in eLiving is pulled from LionPATH for the purpose of text notification.. To update your mobile number, log in to LionPATH, under the Account Info tab select Account Management. 

If your friend has an HFS Contract you both need to log into eLiving and under the contract tab select Update Preferences. Roommate requests must be mutual and entered into eLiving before the April deadline. Be sure you have the same contract type as your friend (e.g. Double Room, Renovated, etc.)

If your fried does not have an HFS contract, your friend will need to Request Housing and accept the type of housing that matches your contract. (e.g. Double Room, Traditional Residence Hall) If that space is not available your friend would need to accept the contract offered. Once the contract has been accepted in eLiving, either you or your friend would need to add their name to the Waitlist for the same housing option (e.g. Double Room, Traditional;  Triple Room, Renovated, etc.) and mutually indicate each other as a roommate preference.

As indicated on the LiveOn Housing Process page, all HFS Contract offers must be accepted by the expiration date:

• Monday invitations expire Noon on Thursday
• Thursday invitations expire Noon on Monday

Even 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, the University is are not able to re-offer that HFS Contract.

If you had not yet received your own invitation, once you do receive an invitation through eLiving, you can select a housing option and accept the HFS Contract offer. There is no guaranteed that the housing option your friend offered to you will be available. If the housing option is not available, you can select another housing option.

After you accept your HFS Contract, you both can update preferences to mutually indicate each other as a roommate preference.

No. The LiveOn Housing Process is designed to randomly offer invitations to students who Requested Housing; priority is not given to current residents in a specific housing option or semester standing. Every student who Requests Housing has an equal chance of receiving an invitation. The availability of a specific housing option is not guaranteed. 

No. Each student’s HFS Contract is independent from each other, and you will still be assigned to the housing option that you selected.

First-year students who live on campus for Summer Session II will be eligible to request an updated roommate request for fall semester. 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.

Current Students

If a friend added you to their housing selection during the LiveOn Housing Process, you will receive an HFS Contract offer for that specific housing option. 

• If you are interested in living on campus in that housing option, you will need to accept the HFS Contract offer before the expiration date. To accept the offer, log in to eLiving 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 electronically sign the HFS Contract to accept it. Verify that your HFS Contract is in accepted status.
• If you are not interested in living on campus, you can let the HFS Contract offer expire.
• If you are interested in living on campus, but not in that type of housing option, you can let the HFS Contract offer expire. You can then wait to receive your invitation to be able to select from available housing options, then create/accept a HFS Contract offer.
• Accepting a HFS Contract offer that was made from a friend does not mean that you must live with this person. All students will Update Preferences on the HFS Contract after it is accepted. Roommate requests must be mutual. 

No. The LiveOn 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.

Yes! Every student who Requests Housing during the LiveOn 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

Invitations cannot be transferred to another student. All students who Request Housing will receive an invitation to view available housing options.

Students who did not Request Housing or are not eligible to participate in the LiveOn 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 in eLiving to view available housing options.

• Invitations are sent by email and text message notification (you must opt in to text message notification; through eLiving under Account Settings).
• View Invitation in eLiving when it is received.
• The invitation allows you to view all housing options. Note: Not all options may have space available. As students select spaces, the system will automatically update the housing options available.
• Select the housing option desired and click ‘Continue’. 
• If the housing option selected has space for a roommate, a friend can be added to the room selection by indicating their Penn State Access Account ID (e.g.xyz5000)  and clicking ‘continue’. The roommate must Request Housing during the housing process to be eligible.
• 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. The HFS Contract offer must be accepted before the invitation expiration date.
• 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. It is a good idea to log back into eLiving and view your Contract Summary after signing it to be sure the HFS Contract is in accepted status before the expiration date.

Once the HFS Contract is accepted, it cannot be cancelled.

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

1. Log in to eLiving during the housing process timeline to see if an invitation has been made. Invitations will appear either in the Shopping Cart, or by selecting View Invitation under contracts. 
2. An email is sent to the student's Penn State email account immediately after the invitation is offered.
3. Students may also opt in to receive a text message notification. Update the Account Settings in eLiving to receive text message notifications.

Invitations allow students to view available housing options and are non-binding. Students receive an invitation but are no longer interested in living on campus can simply let the invitation expire.

Once a student accepts the Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract, the student has agreed to live on campus and the HFS Contract cannot be cancelled. 

Once an invitation is received, the student should log in to eLiving and select View Invitation. The system will display all housing options available and indicate how much space is available for each option. Note: Not all options may have space available. As students select spaces, the system will automatically update the housing options available.

The student will select the housing option desired and click ‘continue’. If the housing option selected has space for a roommate, a friend can be added to the room selection by indicating their Penn State Access ID and clicking ‘continue’. The roommate must Request Housing during the LiveOn Housing Process to be eligible.

Review the room selection and click ‘Create Contract’ to generate the HFS Contract offer. If a friend 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, the student will agree to the Terms, Conditions, and Regulations and electronically sign the HFS Contract to accept it. It is a good idea to log back into eLiving and view your contract after signing it to be sure the HFS Contract is in accepted status before the expiration date.

Once the HFS Contract is accepted, it cannot be cancelled.

No. You will need to log in to eLiving and start the process from the beginning. If that housing option you desire is still available, you can select it. Note: Not all options may have space available. As students select spaces, the system will automatically update the housing options available.

If the housing option is no longer available, you will need to select from the available housing option.

Yes! Every student interested in living on campus will be accommodated.

Students who allowed their invitation to expire in the November process should Request Housing in eLiving again between December 1 - January 31 and participate in the February invitation process.  

Students who allowed their invitation to expire in the February process should add their name to the On-Campus Housing Waitlist in eLiving. HFS Contract offers for the double room traditional residence hall housing option will be made on Monday afternoons starting in late-February. Once that space is full, students will be offered a contract for a space in Supplemental Housing. 

All students who participate in the LiveOn Housing Process and Request Housing will receive an invitation in November or February and will be able to view available housing options. This means that every student interested in living on campus next year will be able to select a housing option - however, some housing options may not able when they receive their invitation, but they can select another space and live on campus.

Students interested in living on campus for the next academic year will need to enter the Housing Process outlined in the Housing Process Timeline. All students who Request Housing during the Housing Process will receive an invitation to live on campus.

Invitations are issued in random order and not based on when a student places their request for an invitation. Students will log in to eLiving to View Invitation. The invitation will give the student the ability to choose from the available housing options, create, and accept a contract.

Once a contract is accepted it cannot be cancelled to move off 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 at noon on Thursdays

• Thursday invitations expire at noon on Mondays

The LiveOn Housing Process Timeline specifies that housing invitations are made randomly to students who Requested Housing on Mondays and Thursdays in November and February. Invitations will be sent between 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Invitations can be viewed in eLiving.  Once you log in, select View Invitation under contracts. 

The Housing Process in eLiving is specific to current first-year, change of campus, and upperclass Penn State students.

Incoming first-year students at University Park are guaranteed on-campus housing and required to live on campus. The Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract is included in the offer of admission to Penn State, which can be accepted through MyPennState and paying the non-refundable admission fees and housing deposit. The HFS Contract will then be available in eLiving for students to modify their housing preferences.

Learn more about the First Year Housing Process.

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

To can your Request Housing submission,

• Log in to www.eLiving.psu.edu with your Penn State Access Account User ID (e.g., abc1234) and password 

• Contracts < 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.’

If you change your mind, you can re-Request Housing provided that the Request Housing phase is still open, as indicated on the LiveOn Housing Process timeline. 

Although students who live off campus at University Park are not eligible to participate in the housing process, they can still live on campus. Starting at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET December 1, the On-Campus Housing Waitlist will be available in eLiving.

On Monday afternoons beginning in late-February, students on the On-Campus Housing Waitlist will receive a Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract offer for a double-occupancy room, traditional residence hall housing option. Once all available space in that housing option have been offered, students may receive a HFS Contract offer for supplemental housing. 

After a student accepts the HFS Contract, the student is then eligible to add their name to another Housing Option Waitlist in eLiving. 

It is not too late for you to LiveOn next year! Starting at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on December 1, the On-Campus Housing Waitlist will be available in eLiving. Log into eLiving and submit a Waitlist request.

On Monday afternoons beginning in late-February, students on the On-Campus Housing Waitlist will receive a Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract offer for a double-occupancy room, traditional residence hall housing option. Once all available space in that housing option have been offered, students may receive a HFS Contract offer for supplemental housing. 

Students must go into eLiving and  Accept Contract before the expiration date. Students are eligible to add their name to another Housing Option Waitlist in eLiving before the April deadline. 

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:

• 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET October 1 - 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET 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 for the LiveOn Housing Process is based on a student's current residency and campus status:

Students who are eligible to participate in the LiveOn Housing Process and Request Housing:

• University Park: students currently living on campus during fall semester

• University Park: students who are new to Penn State for spring (including deferrals) will be eligible to participate during the spring semester

• Commonwealth Campuses: all students attending a campus

Students who are not eligible to participate in the LiveOn 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 were eligible but did not Request Housing in accordance with the LiveOn Housing Process Timeline

• Students who were released from the HFS Contract

• Students transferring from another university

Students who are not eligible to participate in the LiveOn Housing Process can still be considered for housing - the On-Campus Housing Waitlist is available in eLiving starting at 12:00 p.m.(noon) ET December 1. Housing will be offered on Mondays starting in late-March

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

Yes.  Log in to eLiving 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.

The Housing Options Waitlists is for students who have accepted a Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract for one type of housing option but have interested in reassignment to another housing option. 

The Housing Options Waitlists open at 12:00 p.m. (noon) December 1 in eLiving. A student can add their name to ONE Waitlist in eLiving under Contracts and then Waitlist in the drop down menu. Students can select their preferred housing option Waitlist by clicking the Add button under the housing option name. 

Only students who have accepted an HFS Contract are eligible to add their name to a Housing Option Waitlist. As space becomes available, students from the waitlist will be considered for reassignment.

Students who add their name to a Housing Option Waitlist are not guaranteed to be reassigned. 

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 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET 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-campus 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 affiliated with the University. 

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

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 proteins such as tofu, beans, and quinoa. For more information, please visit the Allergies & Special Diets 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] 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.

All residential students can receive U.S. Postal mail and package deliveries from major delivery agents (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL) while living in University Housing. When a package is delivered a staff will enter the package or letter into eLiving and the student will receive an email notification to pick up the package at their area Commons Desk. More information can be found on the Mail Services page.

Yes. 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 for a student to update preferences. 

You will be able to indicate the following preferences: 

• housing area location (East, North, South, West, or Pollock)
• room type preference (e.g. Double Room, Traditional Residence Hall, Double Room, Renovated Residence Hall)
• roommate preference (Enter PSU Access ID [e.g. XYZ5000]. Requests must be mutual)
• Living Learning Community (LLCs)
• Campus Meal Plan level (defaults to level 2)

Update preferences by 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET 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 have individual control settings in the unit/room that allows 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 with 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. All personal items most be removed 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.

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 will pay a non-refundable $100 housing deposit as part of the acceptance process. This housing deposit will then appear as a $100 credit on the student's LionPATH account when their fall or spring semester room and board charges are posted.

Current and Change of Campus Upperclass Students

There is no housing deposit for current and change of campus students who accept a HFS Contract through eLiving for an upcoming contract period.

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 for every academic 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 quad is one large room that accommodates four students in the room. Some quads may offer a bathroom in the quad, but not all quads have bathrooms. Quads are located in traditional residence halls in South, West, and Pollock, and are available for both first-year and upperclass students.

A suite is a two-bedroom/four-person space that also offers a small entry way and bathroom that is shared by the roommates in the suite. Suites are offered in North for both first-year and upperclass students, and in Nittany Hall for upperclass students only. North Halls also offers limited two-bedroom/two-person suites for upperclass students only.

There are different room rates for quads and suites. 

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. 

University Housing offers different size mattresses, depending upon housing area and building type. You will want to check your assigned building to determine what size mattress is provided. If a student requires a larger mattress due to height, please contact the Housing Assignment Office to discuss options. There are limited 90" x 36" beds available, but can only fit in a limited number of buildings. For some room configurations, only one extra-long twin bed can be added to the room upon request, depending upon availability of beds.

East Halls

• renovated residence halls: extra-long twin (80" x 36") - can accommodate a student up to 6'8' tall

Pollock Halls

• traditional residence halls: regular twin (76" x 36") - can accommodate a student up to 6'4" tall

South Halls

• regular twin (76" x 36") - can accommodate a student up to 6'4" tall

• extra-long twin (80" x 36") - can accommodate a student up to 6'8' tall

North Halls

• extra-long twin (80" x 36") - can accommodate a student up to 6'8' tall

West Halls

• extra-long twin (80" x 36") - can accommodate a student up to 6'8' tall

Nittany Apartments

• extra-long twin (80" x 36") all apartments, except those listed below

• extra-long full-size (80" x 54") for these apartments: 5101, 5102, 5103, 5104, 5105, 5106, 5107, 5108, 5109, 5201, 5202, 5203, 5204, 5301, 5302, 5303, 5304, 5401, 5402, 5403, 5404, 5501, 5502, and 5503

Nittany Hall

• extra-long twin (80" x 36") - can accommodate a student up to 6'8' tall

Eastview Terrace

• extra-long twin (80" x 36") - can accommodate a student up to 6'8' tall

White Course Apartments: single-student apartments

• extra-long twin (80" x 36")

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 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. 

The Campus Meal Plan can be used at all on-campus dining options. At University Park there are 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 five Residential Dining locations and offers the best value to meal plan members.

Campus Meal Plan members receive a discount on their qualifying purchases. 

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. For students required to purchase a Campus Meal Plan, it must be purchased for each semester and cannot be canceled.

The Commuter Meal Plan is available for on-campus apartment residents and commuting students; it is not required. Students interested in making changes to a Commuter Meal Plan should contact their campus Housing and Food Services Office or for University Park, the id+ Office.

Students who withdraw or end their relationship with the University after the semester has started may be eligible for a refund of remaining dining dollars and, for the Campus Meal Plan, 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.

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-campus 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 affiliated 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 for every academic 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 ALL Campus Dining locations any Penn State Campus* and any participating merchant throughout Pennsylvania.

*Penn State 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] to make a plan for navigating dining on campus.

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 LiveOn Housing Process for current students. 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 LiveOn Housing Process for current students.

   Students who are then invited to live on the sorority chapter floor will receive a HFS Contract offer in early February, which the student needs to accept before the offer expiration date, and then a room assignment will be processed.

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.

The sorority chapter is required to maintain floor occupancy for the entire academic year. Students with a sorority chapter HFS Contract are expected to live on campus the entire academic year. Chapter members who only plan to live on campus for one semester will be assigned to general housing.

Once a Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract offer has expired, it cannot be reoffered.

If you are interested in on-campus housing, you can participate in the LiveOn Housing Process:

• Request Housing in eLiving until the LiveOn Housing Process deadline. You will then be included in the invitation process to select a housing option and accept a HFS Contract. 
• After the Request Housing deadline has passed, you can add your name to the On-Campus Housing Waitlist. HFS Contract offers will be offered starting on Mondays in late March
• After accepting a HFS Contract, contact the Housing Assignment Office to see if space is available on the chapter floor.

The HFS Contract is a legally binding agreement and cannot be cancelled for you to move off campus. Please contact the Housing Assignment Office to discuss reassignment to another available housing option.

Living Learning Community (LLCs) Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contracts will be offered before the first round of housing Invitations in November. The HFS Contract offer will expire at 12:00 p.m. (noon) the day the first round of invitations are sent. Once an LLC HFS Contract is accepted, a student is no longer eligible to receive an invitation because they have agreed to live in the LLC housing option and have an active HFS Contract.

If a student does NOT accept the LLC HFS Contract, that offer will expire. Once the offer expires, the LLC housing option will not be reoffered. If the offer has expired, then a student is eligible to participate in the Housing Process. Beginning 12:00 p.m. ET (noon) December 1 an eligible student can log on to eLiving and request housing to receive an invitation in the February invitation process..

Upperclass students can indicate a desire to join an LLC when they Update Preferences on their HFS Contract in eLiving. If space is available, upperclass would be considered for placement in the LLC.

The LLC HFS Contract does allow for the student to indicate a roommate request. Upper-class LLC members will be able to self-select a room assignment. If the roommate indicated is a member of the LLC, then the students can be assigned together during the self-select process. An LLC member can indicate a roommate preference who is not a part of the LLC community; the Housing Assignment Office will review requests to determine the feasibility of assigning students together. 

Once the LLC HFS Contract offer has expired, we can not extend the offer to return to the LLC.

If the student is interested in living on campus they should choose from the available Housing Options before their invitation expires. Once they have an accepted HFS Contract, the student can Update Preferences and request to return to the LLC. If space is available they will be considered for assignment. 

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.

There is no additional cost to participate in a Living Learning Community (LLC). However, pricing may vary depending on the location of the LLC. Be sure to check the Room & Board Rates for the specific location of the selected LLC.

To be considered for placement in the LLC, first-year students should indicate their interest in the preference section of their Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract by 12:00 p.m. ET (noon) on May 15. Some LLCs require a secondary application. The Living Learning Communities (LLCs) website had more information on specific housing areas and buildings for the communities and includes information if a secondary application is required.

The University is proud to offer students who identify as a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and ally students community. In addition to the Ally House Living Learning Community which is available to any student, the University offers several Gender Inclusive Housing options across campus to meet the individual needs of a student and where a staff member will work with a student one-on-one to identify the most appropriate room assignment. Upper-class students may also utilize the Open Housing option, where students of any gender may live together in a space. 

Ally House is located in West Housing Area in a traditional residence hall. Room types offered include single-, double-, and triple-occupancy 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 several communal bathrooms available, with no gender designation.

The University will work with students who are interested in either gender-inclusive housing, open housing, or assignment to the Ally House for every year that the student remains in on-campus housing.

Students interested in gender-inclusive housing:

• Incoming first-year students can indicate Gender Inclusive Housing as a Living Learning Community preference on their HFS Contract. A staff member from the Housing Assignment Office will reach out to the student to work with them directly to ensure that a room assignment is processed that will make the student feel safe and secure living on campus.
• Current students who are interested in returning to on-campus housing will need to Request Housing during the housing process. All students who Request Housing will receive an invitation to live on campus. The student can select a housing option and accept a HFS Contract. 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.

Students who are interested in the Ally House:

• incoming first-year students can indicate Ally House as a Living Learning Community preference on their HFS Contract
• current students assigned to Ally House have the option to return to the living environment; they must Request Housing and then will receive a direct HFS Contract offer for Ally House
• current students who are not a part of Ally House but interested in living in the environment can indicate their interest by adding their name to the Ally House Waitlist after they've accepted a HFS Contract

The University will work one-on-one with a student who is interested in a gender inclusive room 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.  

Gender Inclusive Housing options a student may be assigned to include:

1. single- or double-occupancy room with private in-room bath in a traditional residence hall (these room types are very limited in availability)
2. single- or double-occupancy room with a gender neutral bathroom in close proximity (individual, private-use bathrooms shared by residents on the floor - similar to a bathroom in a home) in a traditional or renovated residence hall
3. single- or double-occupancy room with attached semi-private bathroom shared with another single- or double-occupancy room (roommate and/or suitemates) in a suite-style building in North Halls

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.

The University is required to follow FERPA guidelines and is not able to disclose details about a student's account or room assignment, despite who may be paying the bill, providing confidentiality for the student.

Gender inclusive housing is available throughout campus in a variety of housing options. A student could be assigned to a space that meets their personal needs, but they may not have specifically requested gender inclusive housing or disclosed their personal situation to the University. Therefore, a student could be assigned with a roommate who may identify differently from themselves, if that student did not request gender inclusive housing or a specific roommate.

Upper-class students interested in Open Housing will submit the Open Housing Agreement form for consideration.

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.

Upperclass students will complete the "Open Housing 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 open 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.

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 Housing 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.