LiveOn with us for 2025-26

This Housing and Food Service Contract (“HFS Contract”), made effective on the date the student indicated their signature, is a legally binding agreement between The Pennsylvania State University (“University”), a state-related institution and instrumentality of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania subject to the Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation laws and the above-named individual (“Student”) for an assignment in University-owned residential spaces (“University housing”).

When a student accepts the HFS Contract, they complete a 3-step process to acknowledge their agreement to the Contract Signing Statements and the Terms, Conditions, and Regulations (TCRs). 

The HFS Contract is managed through the University's eLiving system, which requires Penn State authentication to access (delegate access accounts are not eligible to utilize eLiving). The student can view their HFS Contract in eLiving > Contracts > Summary, then click on the HFS Contract name. The HFS Contract is also exportable as a PDF file from this screen.

First-year students are required to live on campus at University Park as part of the offer of admission, based on the semester the student is offered admission:

There are a few valid reasons for a student to request an housing residency exemption to this policy.

Housing options and room types for incoming first-year students:

• Double Room, Traditional Residence Halls (you and 1 roommate)
  Location: Pollock, South, West 

• Double Room, Renovated Residence Halls (you and 1 roommate)
  Location: East, North (South is not available for first-year students)

• Triple Room, Renovated Residence Halls (you and 2 roommates)
  Triple room is one room for 3 students
  Location: East

• Triple Room, Traditional Residence Halls (you and 2 roommates) *limited availability
  Triple room is either one room or two connecting rooms for 3 students
  Location: South, West  

• Quad Room, Renovated Residence Halls (you and 3 roommates)
  Quad is one large room for 4 students
  Location: East

• Single Room, Traditional Residence Halls (no roommates) *limited availability
  Location: Pollock, South, West

• Suite (you and 1 roommate and 2 suitemates)
  2-bedroom/4-person suite with shared bathroom
  Location: North

• Supplemental Housing, Traditional Residence Halls (you and 3-5 roommates) 
  Supplemental housing rooms are a large room, may have additional closet rooms attached
  Location: Pollock, South, West 

• Supplemental Housing, Suite Residence Halls (you and 5 roommates) 
  Supplemental housing rooms are a large room with a bi-level living area and an attached multi-user bathroom
  Location: North

The University has three closedown periods (fall break, winter, break, and spring break) during the academic year. During these closedown periods, University Housing closes and all residents are required to leave campus for the entire period. Students do not need to move out during these times; personal belongings may be left in the room during the break periods. 

View Important Dates for when housing closes and reopens.

To accommodate students who are unable to travel home or who need to stay on campus during the break periods, Housing offers Break Access/Holiday Housing. For an additional fee, students with this service will be able to stay in their permanent room assignment during the closedown periods. Break Access/Holiday Housing cannot be cancelled; refunds are not offered if a student does not stay for all or any part of the closedown periods. 

Requesting Break Access/Holiday Housing

Break Access/Holiday Housing can be requested either by selecting the option as a LLC preference on the HFS Contract or by contacting the Housing Assignment Office.

Living Learning Communities (LLCs) provide students the opportunity to live and learn with classmates who share similar interests but bring many different personalities and traits to the environment. The student will live with other members of the LLC in a close-knit community (or "house") located in University Housing. LLC members will have the opportunity to participate in field trips, group dinners, and other social and educational activities. Students build strong relationships with fellow residents—and with the faculty and staff members affiliated with LLC. In Penn State's LLCs, learning isn't just encouraged—it's celebrated!

There are over 20 LLCs available for first-year students. Learn more about the LLCs at Living Learning Communities. Note - some LLCs require a secondary application.

Penn State strives to provide a safe, inclusive, comfortable, and supportive living environment for all students residing on campus.

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, the University will work directly with a student to identify the most appropriate room assignment to fit their needs. 

Upper-class students may also utilize the Open Housing option, where students of any gender may live together in any space. 

Learn more about Gender Inclusive Housing.

Penn State is committed to providing equal opportunity to all of its programs, activities, and services. Housing and Food Services provides reasonable accommodations for on-campus University housing to students with a documented medical/disability-related concerns, including documented mental health concerns.  

Living with a roommate is a great experience and helps you learn more about yourself and how to communicate and relate effectively to others. Knowing how to take responsibility for yourself and how to respect others are valuable skills in all relationships. Living in a community also brings a responsibility to residents - safety and security are very important, and you play an important part in keeping yourself and your community safe. If you see something, say something. University Police are available by calling 814-863-1111.

To support the mission of providing a safe, comfortable, secure, and nurturing living-learning environment that is conducive to students' academic pursuits and personal growth while fostering a sense of community, civic responsibility, and an appreciation of diversity, the University offers Residence Life staff in every residence hall and apartment area. Residence Life staff include student and professional staff members who live in the community and are available 24/7 to provide information and resources, offer help and support, plan social and educational activities, and address residents' concerns.

Resources for Living On Campus

• Communities On Campus
• Living With a Roommate (and Roommate Agreement form)
• Residence Life Policies and Rules
• Emergency Telephones
• Safe Walk Service

Room assignments for incoming first-year students are processed in a random order, and is NOT based on when the student accepts the offer of admission. Regardless of the date the student accepts the offer of admission, all first-year students will have an on-campus housing space.

Preferences indicated are NOT guaranteed. All first-year students are able indicate housing preferences on the HFS Contract; however the University cannot guarantee that these preferences will be honored. It should be expected that some housing options, such as a double room renovated residence hall, are more popular and may have a higher request rate, therefore filling faster than other options. Many students will not be assigned to a room that is based on their indicated housing preferences. 

The Housing Assignment Office will randomly select students to process a room assignment. The student's requested housing preferences will be reviewed, and if there is space available that matches the preferences, the student will be assigned. If there are no spaces available based on the student's preferences, the student will be assigned to the next available housing option. The Housing Assignment Office reserves the right to assign students to any space available as necessary for programmatic or other reasons.

Penn State is currently in the midst of a renovation project to update traditional residence halls in East and Pollock Halls. The first phase of the project to renovate East Halls buildings has been completed as of August 2024. The next phase of the project to renovated Pollock Halls buildings will begin fall 2025, with two residence halls being offline every academic year for refurbishment. Work will be completed by fall 2030. 

Once the preference deadline has passed, the Housing Assignment Office will not be able to make updates to a student's account as they begin to process room assignments. The University offers the Room Exchange eBoard feature, available once room assignments are posted, to provide students the ability to manage their room assignment.

Check back in February for the webinar registration link. 

Students can also utilize the Room Exchange eBoard available starting and ending at 12:00 p.m. (noon) to manage their room assignment. 

eLiving > My Info > Room Exchange eBoard