Selection Process

Most students entering the University of Pittsburgh are guaranteed on-campus housing for their first three years, provided they meet housing application and deposit deadlines each year. On-campus housing consists of residence hall, apartment-style and fraternity accommodations.

Each spring eligible students living on campus have the opportunity to select their accommodations for the following academic year through an online lottery.

University-Owned Apartments

The University owns several hundred apartments that are available to undergraduate and graduate students. University-owned apartments are unfurnished and range from efficiencies to three-bedroom units. These units are not considered on-campus housing and are administered via a lease, security deposit, and monthly payments.

Applications for University-owned apartments are accepted by Off-Campus Living, located at 127 North Bellefield Avenue, beginning the second Monday in January on a first-come, first-served basis. You also may apply online. If you have any questions, you may contact our office at 412-624-6998.

Housing Guarantees

First-Year Students

The University guarantees housing for three years to all first-year, fall term freshmen admitted through the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid whose tuition deposit is received by May 1. Panther Central assigns all first-year students living on campus to rooms in the residence halls.

Students living in the residence halls must submit a Housing/Dining Services Contract for both the fall and spring terms and pay the housing deposit by the due date. Students must continue to meet housing application and deadline requirements in subsequent years to maintain their housing guarantee. First-year students who pay their deposits after the deadline will lose their three-year housing guarantee and will be assigned rooms as they become available.

Upperclass Students

Full-time students who have lived on campus during their first year with a housing guarantee are guaranteed housing for their second and third years if they continue to satisfy all housing application and deadline requirements in each successive year.

If a student misses any housing deadline or requirement in any year, the housing guarantee is automatically revoked. Once the guarantee is revoked, it cannot be reinstated for any reason.

Nonguaranteed Students

Nonguaranteed students who wish to live in University housing will be placed on a waiting list in the order in which their housing contract and deposit are received. Any senior requesting on-campus housing will be placed on the waiting list. Waiting list students are not guaranteed on-campus accommodations. Notification of possible on-campus housing does not usually occur before late June.

Room Selection Process

Each spring eligible juniors-to-be and sophomores-to-be select their residence hall rooms for the next academic year in a lottery determined by academic class and a randomly assigned housing selection index number.

Suite and Apartment-Style Selection Process

Multi-room, multi-person, and single-unit suites are available in several residence halls. Multi-room, multi-person, and single-unit apartments are available in apartment-style accommodations. Groups of suitemates and apartment-mates (eligible juniors-to-be and sophomores-to-be) bid on suites and apartment-style accommodations using a point system based upon academic class and years of residence in the desired building. Ties are broken by the lowest randomly assigned housing selection index number in each group.

Room, Suite, and Apartment-Style Retention

Eligible juniors-to-be and sophomores-to-be may retain their rooms, suites, or apartment-style accommodations for the following academic year. The University retains the right to designate currently occupied rooms, suites, and apartment-style accommodations as unavailable for the following year.

Housing Selection Brochure

The retention and selection procedures for rooms, suites, and apartment-style accommodations are described in detail in the Housing Selection Brochure (PDF). View the brochure, or obtain a copy at Panther Central in the Litchfield Towers lobby.

Housing Selection Calendar

Important dates to remember for the selection process are detailed on the Housing Selection Calendar (PDF) .