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 and Transfer Students
Learn about the Residency Requirement and applying for a Housing Exemption
Please note: New Student Preference Application opening is delayed until June 3 at 10am.
Preference Application Dates
The Housing Preference Application will be available in the Housing Portal from 8:30 a.m. Monday, June 1, 2026 through 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. All applicants will receive an Assignment Notification with their On-Campus assignment and roommate information in the Housing Portal on Monday, August 3, 2026. First-year students will be assigned to spaces within the Residential First-Year Experience. Transfer students will be assigned to spaces in Multi-Year Residence Halls, including our Transfer Communities located in the Southwest and Sylvan residential areas.
Gender Inclusive Housing
Trans, non-binary students, and their allies may request gender inclusive housing. Gender Inclusive housing allows students to live with any other new student regardless of their gender. New students can list gender inclusive housing on their preference application. First Year Gender Inclusive Housing is located in Webster Hall in Orchard Hill. Multi-Year Gender Inclusive Housing is located in Central (Baker) and Sylvan (Cashin, McNamara).
How to Submit a Preference Application
New students will request on-campus housing using the Housing Preference Application in the Housing Portal. After students have paid their enrollment fee and submitted their ID photo, they can request a residence hall assignment by submitting a Housing Preference Application online between June 1 and June 30.
To apply for on-campus housing, students will complete the following steps:
1. Log into the Housing Portal
2. Sign your Occupancy License
3. Complete your Roommate Matching Profile
4. Submit your housing preferences
5. (Optional) Create a roommate group on the application if you have other incoming students you would like to live with.
Preference Application Resources
Residence Halls
View the floor plans and find out more information about all of our Residential Communities and halls.
Cancelling Your Preference Application
Required students who cancel their housing assignment will still see a base room fee on their fall bill until they complete a Housing Exemption or become withdrawn from the University.
Students who need to cancel after submitting a preference application deadline can email @email to cancel for free until Friday, July 31, 2026. Students who cancel their assignment after July 31 will be subject to the cancellation fee schedule below.
Please Note: Freshmen are required to submit and receive approval for a Housing Exemption (found in the Housing Portal) to cancel their preferences.
Fall 2026 Cancellation Fee
$200 Cancellation Fee Period
- Begins July 31, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
- Ends Upon Check-In
Students who cancel their assignment due to making the decision to withdraw will not see a cancellation fee, as it will come from the Enrollment deposit. New Students who cancel in order to live off campus will see the cancellation fee applied to their Fall 2026 bill.
$1,000 Cancellation Fee Period
- Begins Upon Check-In
- Ends September 12, 2026 (Students who cancel after this date will be subject to the Housing Fee Refund Schedule)
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 Occupancy License, the student must contact Residential Life Assignments directly by calling (413) 545-2100 or emailing @email to request a cancellation.
Late Applicants
All Late Applicants seeking on-campus housing will need to log in to the Housing Portal to sign the Residence Hall Occupancy License and submit the Housing Profile before proceeding with the following steps.
In addition, email Residential Life Assignments at @email for instructions for how to submit a late housing application.