Determine Your Eligibility to Participate in Retention
You are eligible to retain your current housing assignment if you paid the $325 deposit, met the housing application deadline, and have both a housing guarantee and a valid Housing Selection Lottery Number.
Residence Hall Retention
As long as you are eligible to participate in room retention and you currently reside in the room you wish to retain, then you will have the opportunity to retain your current room assignment. Please note: At least 50% or more of the guaranteed occupants of your room assignment must participate to retain your room. The deadline to submit your room retention form is Jan. 20, 2026.
Note: first-year residence halls cannot able to be retained. The University reserves the right to designate currently occupied rooms as unavailable. View a list of rooms that are excluded, as well as a list of rooms that are included, in the retention process.
Residence Hall Retention Instructions
- Log on to the housing portal.
- Select Apply Here next to the 2026-2027 Housing Application.
- Pay your $325 Housing Deposit.
- Complete your Housing Application by January 20, 2026.
- Once your housing application is submitted, complete the Retention Form located on the housing portal by Jan. 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
- Once your Retention Form is submitted and approved, instructions will be emailed for Retention Day.
- Group leaders or individuals retaining must retain their space through the housing portal on Jan. 27, 2026.
Suite & Apartment-Style Retention
To retain your apartment or suite, at least 50 percent of the current residents must return next fall, and they must all have a housing guarantee. Returning suite-mates and apartment-mates will be responsible for recruiting additional persons necessary for 100 percent occupancy. All persons must have a valid housing guarantee at the time of application.
If these criteria are met, then you can retain your suite or apartment by following the Suite and Apartment-style Retention process. The University reserves the right to designate currently occupied suites/apartments as unavailable for Retention.
Suite & Apartment-Style Retention Process
Your group must complete the Room/Suite and Apartment-style Retention Form by Jan. 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Each group must assign a group leader on the retention form. Housing will then notify the group leader of the retention status of the group, e.g., confirm whether or not they are eligible to retain their desired room, suite, or apartment. Individual cancellations after Retention/Selection could invalidate assignments for the remaining occupants. Any suite or apartment occupant canceling after April 1, 2026, will forfeit the $325 housing deposit. Panther Central retains the right to fill suite or apartment vacancies.
Suite & Apartment-Style Retention Instructions
- At least 50% of the total suite capacity must be returning next year and must maintain a valid housing guarantee. For the odd-number suites, round up for the retaining members of the suite.
- The returning suitemates will be responsible for recruiting the additional persons necessary for 100% occupancy. These additional persons must be added to the retention form at the time of submission, or the form will not be accepted. All persons must have a valid 2026-2027 housing guarantee.
- All persons must have processed their Housing/Dining Services Contract and paid the $325.00 Housing Deposit by the January 20 due date and maintain a guaranteed status.
- Your group must complete the Suite and Apartment-Style Retention Form for next year, no later than Jan. 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
- Those individuals included on the Suite and Apartment-Style Retention Form who terminate after the retention form has been submitted, will have their vacant bed space filled by Panther Central.
- Housing will approve Suite and Apartment-Style Retention Forms by January 22, 2026. If approved, the group leader who is currently assigned to the suite/apartment will complete the Room Retention Online Process on January 27, 2026.
- Buildings available for Suite and Apartment-Style Retention are Bouquet Gardens, Centre Plaza Apartments, Franklin Apartments, McCormick Hall, Oakwood Apartments, Pennsylvania Apartments, Ruskin Hall, The Bridge on Forbes, and The Strand.
Note: Housing will review all assignments completed through Suite/Apartment-Style Retention. All assignments must replicate the information listed on the approved Suite/Apartment-Style Retention Form. Panther Central has the right to remove any students from their assigned rooms if they do not comply with this retention form.
When & Where Suite & Apartment-Style Retention Takes Place
Retention takes place online on January 27, 2026. Only the group leader is permitted access to the online retention site. Group leaders must be prepared to make both the suite selection and the individual Room Selections for all suite-mates.
For more information, please check out our past and upcoming Housing Information Sessions here.