New Undergraduate Students
First-Year Residential Choices and Application GuideTransfer Residential Choices and Application Guide
Congratulations on your choice to attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst! We are sure that you are excited about coming to campus and joining the UMass Amherst community.
First-Year Students
First Year Students who are enrolled as full-time undergraduate students are guaranteed a space and required to live on campus. First-Year students will be assigned to a space in the Residential First-Year Experience, which are reserved specifically for incoming first-year students. For more information about the Residential First Year Experience, please visit www.housing.umass.edu/living/rfye.
Roommate Search
New First-Year Students (Freshmen) can use a voluntary roommate search option to find roommates. The Roommate Search program collects your responses about your living preferences and those of a potential roommate. You can then contact anyone on the list of potential roommates and decide if you want to request each other. Students are encouraged to participate in conversations with each other about how to share their belongings, when to have visitors, and how to keep their room clean.
To access Roommate Search, log on to SPIRE, select Housing and then Roommate Search. Roommate Search will be available from Monday, May 13, 2013 through Thursday, July 15th, 2013.
First-Year Student Application Dates
The Housing Preference Application will be available on SPIRE on Tuesday, May 28th through 12:00 noon on Thursday, July 15th. All applicants will receive an Assignment Notification with their On-Campus assignment and roommate information on SPIRE on Friday, August 2nd, 2013. First year students will be assigned to spaces within the Residential First-Year Experience; more information about this program can be found here.
Submitting a First-Year Student Preference Application
New undergraduate students will request on-campus housing using the Housing Preference Application on SPIRE. Students will receive their NetID and password for SPIRE after their admissions deposit is processed. For step-by-step instructions on how to submit the Housing Preference application, please watch the Online Video Tutorials. Students can also seek assistance from Residential Life staff during New Student Orientation.
Availability of Space
New this year! McNamara Hall in the Sylvan Residential Area will be reserved for transfer students attending the university starting in fall 2013. Because of these additional spaces, Residential Life Student Services will guarantee an on-campus assignment to all on-time transfer students who submit a preference application.
Transfer Student Application Dates
The Housing Preference Application will be available on SPIRE Tuesday, May 28th through 12:00 noon on Thursday, July 18th, 2013. All on time applicants will receive an Assignment Notification with their On-Campus assignment and roommate information on SPIRE on Friday, August 2nd, 2013.
Submitting a Transfer Preference Application
New undergraduate transfer students will request on-campus housing using the Housing Preference Application on SPIRE. Students will receive their NetID and password for SPIRE after their admissions deposit is processed. For step-by-step instructions on how to submit the Housing Preference application, please watch the Online Video Tutorials. Students can also seek assistance from Residential Life staff during New Student Orientation.
For additional information about residential living options for transfer students, please visit the New Transfer Student page.
Late Applicants
Newly admitted freshman and transfer students who miss the housing application deadline will have the opportunity to participate in the August Change Process to secure an on campus assignment for fall 2013. The timeline for this process is currently being determined and will be updated by March 15th. Since all on time applications have been processed at this point, we expect that most available spaces for transfers will be double occupancy rooms in Sylvan. First-Year students will be assigned to available spaces in a first-year hall.
Cancelling Your Housing Contract
New students may cancel their preference application without charge by contacting the Residential Life Student Services by phone until 5pm, Thursday, August 1, 2013. Students who decide not to attend the University or not to live in on-campus housing and who receive an assignment on August 2, 2013 will be subject to the cancellation fee schedule below. To cancel your Housing Contract, call Residential Life Student Services at (413) 545-2100.
| Fall 2013 Process | Begins | Ends |
| $225 Cancellation Fee Period | 5:00pm August 1 , 2013 | 5:00pm August 29, 2013 |
| $500 Cancellation Fee Period | 5:00pm August 29, 2013 | 5th week of fall 2013 semester |
Please note: Contacting another department on campus including the Admissions Office and the Registrar's Office does not constitute a cancellation request. As stated in the Housing Contract, the student must contact Residential Life Student Services directly by calling 413-545-2100 and requesting a cancellation.
Students Needing Medical Accommodations
Students who require accommodations due to mobility or other disabilities should contact Disability Services at 413-545-0892 for assistance and additional information, as all such students must first register with Disability Services in order to qualify for services. Disability Services and Residential Life Student Services will work with otherwise qualified students to accommodate their needs. The University has a practice of relocating programs and activities when necessary to make the programs and activities accessible to persons with disabilities. For more information about Medical Accommodations, please visit this page.