New Student Process
Take your first step to life on campus and apply for on-campus housing! Here is information to help you along the way and examples of how different aspects of the housing application process work.
If you have any questions, contact our office at 605-688-5148 or via the SDSU Residential Life email.
When can I apply?
The housing application will open Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, at 10 a.m. and will close Friday, Aug. 27, 2027, at 5 p.m. after fall courses begin.
What will I need in order to complete the application?
- Your login for .
- Your housing preferences (including building preferences, roommate preferences).
- Credit card information to pay the $75 confirmation fee online.
What if I need to cancel my housing application because I decided not to attend SDSU?
- If your application is canceled on or before May 31, your $75 confirmation fee will be refunded to you.
- If your application is canceled between June 1 and July 31, your $75 confirmation fee will be forfeited.
- If you are formally withdrawing from South Dakota State University and your application is canceled on or after Aug. 1 (fall) on or after Dec. 1 (spring) through the date of 60% completion of the current semester, your $75 confirmation fee is forfeited and you will be billed for any days you had occupancy of your room.
- If you remain a student at South Dakota State University, but are permitted to cancel your housing contract through appeal or release on or after Aug. 1 (fall) or after Dec. 1 (spring) through the date of 60% completion of the current semester, your $75 confirmation fee is forfeited, you will be charged a $200 early termination fee, and you will be billed for any days you had occupancy of your room.
- If your application is canceled after the 60% completion date, you will be charged the entire semester housing charges.
How do I find a roommate?
Housing and Residential Life enables students to form a roommate group within the housing application. You will be able to make a roommate group, search for compatible roommates or join a roommate group.
Between Feb. 1, 2027, at 10 a.m. and April 30, 2027, at 5 p.m., the roommate group page will be open to you. During this time, you can change your roommate group as many times as you want to. You can leave or delete a roommate group at any time.
Within the housing application, students can create a roommate group name and password. Other students can search for that roommate group but can only join if they have the password or if they are approved to be a member by the group leader. (The creator of the group is the group leader by default.) Once you are in the roommate group, you can also search for and invite others to join your roommate group. Students can only be in one roommate group.
Here are few extra tips and tricks regarding roommate groups:
You can be in a roommate group of up to two students. Roommate groups must be complete and verified by April 30, 2027, at 5 p.m.
We work very hard to honor as many roommate requests as possible. Based on availability, we cannot guarantee that all confirmed roommates will be placed together.
- You can select a specific person as your roommate if you already have someone in mind – both of you will need to have completed the housing application to be able to find each other.
- When searching for a specific person, limit your search to first name, last name or screen name and gender. Sometimes too much criteria narrows the search too much.
- If you do not have a specific person in mind, you can search for a compatible roommate by profile.
- If you prefer not to seek out a preferred roommate, you will be randomly assigned one based on profile matching.
- Make sure you check your "ϳԹ Me" tab to ensure that you "Tick this box if you wish to be included in the roommate search process." If a friend is searching for you, they won't be able to find you unless this box is checked. If you are going random, no one will be able to see your profile unless this box is checked.
- You cannot accept every roommate group invitation as you can only be in one roommate group. We encourage you to take the time to connect with peers and find a good roommate match for yourself.
- You can leave or delete a roommate group at any time. In order to join a different group, you must leave or delete the group you are currently in.
What if I am assigned to a space and want to change where I live?
New students will be able to utilize the reassignment process in the housing application from June 1 2027, at 10 a.m. until July 13, 2027, at 5 p.m. Students will be able to log in, see any available space and reassign themselves to a new space.
Roommate Selection
You can search for possible roommates and invite them to room with you, or you can accept random selection based on your profile.
- Housing and Residential Life enables students to form a roommate group within the housing application. You will be able to make a roommate group, search for compatible roommates or join a roommate group.
- We work very hard to honor as many roommate requests as possible. Based on availability, we cannot guarantee that all confirmed roommates will be placed together.
- Here are few extra tips and tricks regarding roommate groups:
- You can be in a roommate group of up to two students.
- Roommate groups must be complete and verified by April 30, 2027.
- You can select a specific person as your roommate if you already have someone in mind — both of you will need to have completed the housing application to be able to find each other.
- When searching for a specific person, limit your search to first name, last name or screen name and gender. Sometimes, too much criteria narrows the search too much.
- If you do not have a specific person in mind, you can search for a compatible roommate by profile.
- If you prefer not to seek out a preferred roommate, you will be randomly assigned one based on profile matching.
- Make sure you check your "about me" tab to ensure that you "Tick this box if you wish to be included in the roommate search process." If a friend is searching for you, they won't be able to find you unless this box is checked. If you are going random, no one will be able to see your profile unless this box is checked.
- You cannot accept every roommate group invitation as you can only be in one roommate group. We encourage you to take the time to connect with peers and find a good roommate match for yourself.
- You can leave or delete a roommate group at any time. In order to join a different group, you must leave or delete the group you are currently in.
- If you are requesting to live with a current student at SDSU, please email SDSU Residential Life. Please know this is not a guarantee, but a request.
- You are not required to choose a preferred roommate. If you do not have a roommate request, please use the “continue” button at the bottom of the page to proceed within the application.
- Roommate group selection opens Feb.1, 2027. You will be able to log back into your housing application to complete this process.
Housing Preferences
As Housing and Residential Life works to find the best possible housing assignment for your preferences, we want to know what matters most to you.
- Housing application preferences for residence hall and roommate are given priority based on the date your housing application was submitted. Submitting your housing application early allows us to better align your housing assignment with your preferences, though preferences cannot be guaranteed in your placement.
- Assignments are based on the preferences students indicate during the housing application process. Although exact preferences might not have been available when an assignment was made, we have made every effort to place you with a requested roommate or a preferred residence hall. This process is complicated with over 4,500 students living on campus, many wanting similar assignments. Regardless of where you are assigned, we are confident you can connect with other students and form a tight-knit community with the help of our live-in staff.
