Housing Selection for Current Students
Selection and application processes
RISD Housing Portal
Our convenient online portal is a one-stop destination for you to complete several RISD housing and residence life processes, including:
- applying for on-campus housing
- requesting medical housing accommodations
- completing dining forms
- registering to live off campus (if eligible)
On-campus housing application
Incoming and returning students apply for housing and room selection each year via the housing portal. Returning students begin this two-part process in February; for incoming students, the housing selection window opens sometime in early May.
The first step is to sign the housing and dining license from within the housing portal ahead of the current-year deadline. After submitting your completed license, you will receive a time slot for room selection, which is the second step in the housing selection process. You can see the 2023–24 dining license or the 2024–25 license for details.
Please note that if you do not sign the housing and dining license by the current year deadline, you will not receive a room selection time slot. Instead, you will be assigned a room.
Medical housing accommodations
If you have special or medical needs that should be taken into account during the housing selection process, you should have a non-RISD affiliated medical professional complete a medical accommodation form. This can then be uploaded via the housing portal for review. Forms completed by a RISD Health Services provider, or a provider in Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), will not be accepted.
If you need to request an accommodation as part of the room selection process for the coming academic year, do so by that year’s deadline to ensure full consideration of your request.
For students currently in RISD housing, requests for new or updated accommodations are reviewed monthly. To ensure timely review, submit your request prior to the first of the month.
Documentation guidelines
To accurately and equitably evaluate accommodation requests, you need to submit documentation from a medical professional that outlines the condition requiring housing accommodations. Complete our official medical provider form and submit via the housing portal when making your accommodation request. We will not accept other documents in lieu of the official form.
Factors we consider
We carefully review requests and supporting documentation on a case-by-case basis using the criteria below. Be aware that, in certain instances, a member of Health Services or Counseling and Psychological Services might follow up with the treating professional.
- severity of condition
- ability for student to live in RISD housing with or without accommodations
- potentially permanent health impacts or threat to life
- importance of accommodation to overall treatment of the condition(s)
- impact on academic and/or social experience
Timing of Request
In evaluating medical accommodation requests, we take into account whether we receive the request:
- prior to the housing accommodation deadline.
- as soon as possible after identifying need for accommodation(s).
- before or after you receive your housing assignment or a change in diagnosis, etc.
Emotional support animal (ESA)/ service animal policy
You may be allowed to have an emotional support animal or service animal in RISD housing facilities if you meet the following criteria:
- You provide valid medical accommodation supporting your need for an emotional support or service animal.
- You comply with conditions outlined in RISD’s official service and emotional support animal policy.
Since not all campus housing is suitable for animals, we reserve the right to relocate you to properly accommodating housing.
If we approve your request, you will need to submit an animal registration form along with all vaccination records. We permit only one animal per student with approved accommodations, and only one animal per living environment. A relocation will be required if more than one student in a shared space is approved to keep an emotional support or service animal on campus.
Residency Waiver
Undergraduate students must live on campus during their first two years at RISD. However, you can request a residency waiver if you meet one of the qualifications below. Please note that items 1–4 require documentation as proof of your eligibility.
Student exemptions are at the sole discretion of Residence Life, which reserves the right to grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
- You live at home with a parent or legal guardian at their permanent address, within thirty (30) of the college. For documentation, please provide two (2) of the following:
- a copy of your lease, listing your parent or guardian as the primary tenant
- a mortgage statement including your parent or guardian’s name
- a utility bill, property tax statement, home insurance bill, etc., for the address of your residency, clearly addressed to your parent or guardian by name
- a copy of your parent or legal guardian’s driver’s license/state ID, which includes the address at which you will reside
- You are married. If so, please provide a marriage certificate.
- You have a child, or your due date to give birth is prior to or during the academic year. Please provide either of the following:
- a birth certificate
- a medical document indicating that you are due to give birth
- You are the legal guardian of a minor or dependent. Please provide either of the following:
- a birth certificate
- a legal document indicating your guardianship of the minor
- You are, or will be, older than 21 years of age by September 1, 2024. No additional documentation is required if you meet this eligibility requirement.
Requests are not approved until you receive written confirmation from Residence Life. Students are not guaranteed release from the residency requirement.
2024–25 housing selection timeline
Feb 14, 2024
Housing application and miscellaneous forms open
Go to our housing portal to complete your application.
March 4, 2024
Miscellaneous forms due
- Medical Housing Accommodation requests
- Residency Waiver requests (rising Sophomores only)
- Same Room Renewal (students currently residing in Colonial, Dwight, and 15 West floors 6-11)
March 18, 2024
Housing application due in order to select housing
Go to our housing portal to complete your application.
March 20, 2024
Housing selection timeslots sent to students with completed applications
All timeslots will be sent to your RISD emails which will include instructions to select a room.
March 26, 2024
Rising sophomore housing selection
A rising sophomore is a student who will be a second-year (or sophomore) in the Fall 2024 semester. They will complete their first year (or freshman year) at the end of the Spring 2024 semester.
March 28, 2024
Rising junior, senior and returning graduate housing selection
Late April
Waitlist opens for students requesting a room change
Residence Life will attempt to accommodate desired housing choices, but students on the housing waitlist are not guaranteed their housing preference.
Housing selection FAQs — current students
Rising sophomores
Can I live off campus?
Students must fulfill RISD’s two-year live-on-campus residency requirement unless you meet our qualifications to receive a residency waiver.
If my residency waiver is approved, can another rising sophomore live off campus with me?
No, unless they meet the same residency waiver requirements as you and submit a complete waiver form by the stated deadline. See the information here for more about residency waivers.
Can I live with a junior or senior?
You may live in upperclass housing if you join a group organized by an upperclass student. You will not be able to select housing until the upperclass student’s time slot.
Can I live in an upperclass apartment if I do not have an upperclass group to join?
No. In this case you are only able to select housing in the sophomore area.
What are the housing options for sophomores?
You will be able to choose a room from those in the sophomore residences.
Can I renew my current room for next year?
Room renewals are not available for sophomore residences. Upperclass students in a room/apartment with more than one bed in the apartment must fill all bed spaces before being allowed to renew your bed. Single-bed spaces cannot be renewed, with the exception of studio apartments.
If I’m in a group with upperclassmen what do I do if we do not find housing for our group during our housing selection time?
If you do not find housing to fit your group, you need to split up and select housing individually. You should still be able to find housing options in the sophomore area.
Upperclass students
Do seniors get priority housing selection time slots?
Yes. Seniors receive selection priority for upperclass housing.
Can juniors, seniors and fifth-year students live in sophomore housing?
Yes. Although sophomore housing selection priority goes to rising sophomores, upperclass students can select a room in sophomore housing if it is available during your time slot. Rising juniors and seniors may also form a group with a sophomore, who can use their priority to place the group.
Can I renew my current room for next year?
Room renewals are not available for sophomore residences. Upperclass students in a room/apartment with more than one bed in the apartment must fill all bed spaces before being allowed to renew your bed. Single-bed spaces cannot be renewed, with the exception of studio apartments.
Group room selection
If you wish to live with a specific set of friends, you can create a group and select your living space together.
How do I create a group?
The steps to create a group are:
- After each group member receives a time slot, designate a group leader, ideally the person with the earliest time slot. Your group leader creates the group in the housing portal and assigns group members to other beds and/or rooms to fill the unit.
- To confirm that each group member has filled out a time slot request, they can go into the housing portal and search for students in the “roommate group” page. If someone in your group does not appear there, ask them if they requested a time slot. If they haven’t, they need to do so asap.
- During the group leader’s time slot, they need to select their bed in the room they’ve chosen on behalf of the group. Following that they will be asked to assign beds to the other group members. They must fill every bed in order to select that housing unit.
- Select “reserve bed,” which will officially place each member of the group in the room selected by the group leader.
Can my group select housing with more spaces than group members?
No. Your group must be able to fill all beds in a housing unit.
Can I leave my group and select housing on my own?
Yes. Please communicate this to the rest of your group so they can plan accordingly.
Meals
Are meals included with my housing placement?
Yes. A dining allotment is included with all on-campus housing placements.
If you live in an apartment unit and wish not to cook often, you can add meals or unlimited Met access.
Does my room cost include my meal allotment?
Yes. RISD does not assess additional charges for meals.
Can I lower or remove my meal allotment?
No. It is a fixed, “use it or lose it” allotment built into your housing package. You should plan to use it if you live on campus.
Housing selection FAQs — application and general processes
Where do I complete my housing application and select housing?
To fill out and sign your housing application, select housing and roommates, and complete other necessary forms, go to our housing portal.
I need to stay within a specific price range. What is the best way to secure a room within my budget.
We will work with you if you have a financial need for a specific room price. Here is what you can do to select a room that meets your needs:
- Sign your housing license and, if one is available, select a room within your range.
- If a room within your range is not available, put your name on the waitlist (available following the end of room selection).
If you need to join the waitlist, we will do everything we can to move you into a room in your range.
How do I update my profile questions or gender identity so I can find a more accurate roommate match?
To update your personal information, log into the housing portal do the following and then proceed to make updates:
- Click on the hamburger icon at the top-left corner
- Click on your name
What if I can’t find a room that I want during selection?
If you are a first-year student or rising sophomore, we encourage you to select a room. If you do not, you will be placed in one. (Remember that you are required to live on campus during your first two years at RISD.)
Upperclass and grad students must select a room in order to live on campus.
If you are not able to secure a room you prefer, you may submit a room change request via the housing portal. You will be able to start this process two weeks after the first day of school. If a room that meets your preferences comes available and you reach the top of the room change list, we will contact you to proceed.
Is there a housing waitlist?
Yes, for any student who does not participate in room selection but wishes to live on campus. Following housing selection, we will post the waitlist on the housing portal.
Can I make a room change over the summer?
During the summer we only process room changes for emergency or gender-related purposes. Otherwise we won’t process room changes until after move-in.
Do any of the residence halls allow pets?
We do not permit pets in the halls, with the exception of fish that live in aquariums 10 gallons or fewer. (Note that we do not permit lizards, turtles or other tank animals other than fish.) Guests cannot bring pets into a residence hall.
If you need an emotional support animal (ESA) or service animal, you must complete a medical accommodation form before doing so. See the medical accommodations overview below for more about our pet policies.
Can family members and/or friends spend the night on move-in day?
We do not allow overnight guests until you complete a roommate agreement via the housing portal. If you live in a single room or studio apartment, then you need to follow our guest policy.
Do I need to have renter’s insurance to live in the residence halls?
No, we do not require on-campus residents to acquire renter’s insurance, but we highly recommend it. Follow this link to learn more about renter’s/property insurance.
What are my on-campus parking options?
RISD does not provide student parking. Off-campus parking in Providence is generally expensive, but if you need to park a car in the city, you can do so via Metropark, the Arcade Garage or DownCity Parking.
It’s time to move out and I have too much stuff to move. What can I do?
Whether you’re moving out of the dorms or leaving an apartment, you can donate items to RISD Flips. At the end of each year, this program takes unwanted clothing and other items to help generate scholarship money via an annual summer yard sale, support international students and community organizations, and lessen RISD’s environmental impact.
Please consider donating any of the following items to RISD Flips:
- lightly used clothes, shoes and accessories
- art supplies
- clean kitchen items
- lamps, fans, hangers, storage bins and shower caddies
- and anything else that helps raise funds and support new students
If you have questions or want to donate, email RISD Flips.
Am I required to have renters insurance if I live in the Residence Halls?
RISD does not require renters insurance for on campus residents, but we highly encourage attaining this insurance. Please see more information about Renters Insurance (Property Insurance) HERE.