To submit a residence application

The application period starts December 10, 2024 at 9am EDT.

1. Once you have received an offer of admission, log into the Housing Portal in uoZone.
2. Select your preferences (pending availability): You must select a minimum of three preferences and a maximum of seven.
3. If you have a housing guarantee, pay the deposit by credit card issued by an institution with offices in Canada or the US or by an alternative payment method (processing your payment this way can take several days). 
4. Submit your application.

Students with a housing guarantee: Your application is considered complete when we receive both your application and the deposit.

Completed applications with the required deposit will be processed on a first come, first serve basis. Review the room assignment process for more information on how we assign rooms.

Students with an existing disability or medical condition: You must request support or adaptive measures before or during the residence application process.

International students: Housing is guaranteed for all first-year students, including international students, so you can secure a place to live on campus with peace of mind. If you’re considering off-campus housing, the Housing Office offers resources to help with your search, including guidance and access to the Student Housing Billboard for rental listings.

Family housing and other types of living arrangements: If you are looking to live with your family or find living arrangements other than our on-campus offering, visit the off-campus housing information page.

When you receive your residence offer

1. Check your uOttawa email address regularly.
2. Accept your offer through the Housing Portal by the deadline.
3. If you do not have a guaranteed offer, pay the deposit when you accept your offer by credit card issued by an institution with offices in Canada or the US or by an alternative payment method (processing your payment this way can take several days).

Your offer is finalized only when we receive your acceptance and deposit.

To change your preferences

Once you have submitted your application online, you can log into the Housing Portal to change your application preferences before we assign your room.

Do not withdraw your request.

1. Log into the Housing Portal in uoZone.
2. Click “Edit” and update your preferences.
3. Save your changes.

Note: Once we have assigned your room, you will no longer be able to change your preferences.  

To cancel your September residence application

Follow the procedure to cancel your housing application.

First-year students

Residence at uOttawa is guaranteed to first-year students who meet the following criteria and deadlines:

• Must be admitted to a full-time undergraduate program in the fall term.
• Must not have already completed more than five university courses.
• Must submit their residence application and pay the deposit by the deadline.

Students from CEGEP or college admitted directly into second year also qualify for the housing guarantee.

This guarantee does not apply if you:

• have already completed more than five university courses or the equivalent;
• have been admitted into a professional program;
• apply for a 4-month agreement.

When we assign rooms, we consider the residence and room type preferences you state in your housing application; however, we cannot guarantee that these preferences will be met.

The guaranteed offer of residence expires on June 2, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Application period starts December 10, 2024.

Returners

Residence at uOttawa is also guaranteed to upper-year students who have signed 12-month agreements, have stayed in residence for the full 12 months, and want to return the following year. These students must meet the following criteria:

• Have had a valid 12-month residence agreement until the end of the summer (i.e., have not terminated early).
• Submit a residence application and pay the deposit by the required deadlines. See dates and deadlines.
• Must apply for another 12-month agreement. 

The application process to guarantee your room for another year will begin on January 14, 2025 and close on February 13, 2025. No return to residence can be guaranteed if you do not submit your application and pay the required deposit by the February 13, 2025 deadline. 

We cannot guarantee that students will be able to stay in the same room or even in the same residence. They may be required to move. We do our best to minimize room changes.

If students want to continue living with their current roommates, we ask that they list the names of these roommates in their application.

NOTE: Students who stayed in residence during the 2024-2025 academic year for 8 months or who submitted an early termination request to leave before the end of their agreement do not qualify for a housing guarantee. Please review the information under “Non-guaranteed students”.

Non-guaranteed students

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria for a housing guarantee, or if you have applied after the guaranteed housing deadlines, you may still apply to live in residence. All full-time students are welcome to apply for housing in residence, but we cannot guarantee availability.

Application period starts December 10, 2024 for new students and January 14, 2025 for those currently living in residence for the 2024-2025 year. 

Should there be any availability after assigning all the students with a housing guarantee, we will issue housing offers to non-guaranteed students on a first come, first served basis. The earliest possible offer will be sent toward the end of June, and then continuously throughout the summer as vacancies occur.

We may not be able to accommodate all applications. If you have not received a housing offer by mid-July, we highly recommend that you consider other forms of housing. Visit our Off-Campus Housing website for helpful information.

If you’re applying to live in residence and need financial support, we encourage you to visit the Fees and financial support webpage. On it, you’ll find information on scholarships, bursaries and other funding options. While there is no housing-specific financial aid available, you may find general resources to help you manage your expenses.