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Apartment Assignment and Waiting List

The Division of University Housing will not discriminate in assignment on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or ancestry.

Once you apply for an apartment, your name is placed on our waiting list. The waiting list is managed according to the date you applied, the date you wish to move in, and what eligibility priority you have. You are welcome to apply for every kind of apartment your eligibility allows; it does not hurt your chances of getting in.

You will be offered an apartment at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the lease date. In most cases, you will be offered an apartment 60 days ahead. Outside of the summer months, apartments are sometimes available with little or no wait.

When to apply

You may apply for an apartment as soon as you know you are interested in coming to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. You will not be offered an apartment until you are accepted for admission, or are enrolled in your school or program. A student accepted for admission in the fall may take occupancy during the summer months without being enrolled for the Summer Sessions.

To increase the likelihood of receiving an assignment, we encourage you to apply for more than one size of apartment, provided you meet the following guidelines:

Eagle Heights and University Houses:

One-bedroom apartments are assigned to single graduate students without a roommate; couples/domestic partners without children or with only one child or legal dependent; to single parents with one or two children or legal dependents. Families with more than three persons are not eligible for assignment to a one bedroom apartment.

Two-bedroom apartments are assigned to single graduate students who live alone or with one roommate; couples/domestic partners without children or with one or more legal dependents; and single parents with one or more legal dependents. Families with more than five persons are not eligible for assignment to a two bedroom apartment.

Three-bedroom apartments may be assigned to families with two or more dependents, but no more than seven or eight persons depending on the size of the three-bedroom unit. Single applicants are not eligible for a three bedroom apartment.

If the number in your family increases beyond the occupancy limits of the apartment to which you are assigned, a transfer to a larger apartment will be required within a reasonable period of time. If the size of your family increases to more than seven or eight persons (depending on the size of your apartment), your lease can not be renewed at the end of your current lease period.

Harvey Street Apartments:

One bedroom apartments assigned to single UW-Madison graduate or professional students without a roommate.  Two bedroom apartments are assigned to single graduate or professional students who live alone or with one eligible roommate. Both roommates must have an eligible student affiliation.

If your status as a single student changes while you are living at Harvey Street, a transfer to an apartment at Eagle Heights or University Houses will be required within a reasonable period of time.

Current eligible affiliations and priorities

Eagle Heights and University Houses:

• Student Families (with or without children, graduate or undergraduate)
• All other Families (academic staff, post docts, faculty, with our without children)
• Single graduate students
• All other eligible singles (academic staff, post doctoral scholars, faculty)

Harvey Street Apartments:

• Single graduate / professional students
• Applications are prioritized by the date they are received in the University Apartments Office.

How the Waiting List Works

Waiting lists are compiled for each month and applications are prioritized by date of application within each category described under ELIGIBILITY. Applicants who are not offered an apartment for the date they requested will be carried over to the lists of each succeeding month until an offer can be made or until the applicant changes the occupancy date desired or cancels the application.

If you accept an apartment offer, your spouse/domestic partner and legal dependents listed on your application must take residence on the premises no later than 30 days after the beginning date of the lease. Failure to meet this requirement may result in the termination of your lease.

Applicants who reject a total of two apartment offers for their desired occupancy date will lose their original application date priority. If you fail to respond to two apartment offers, your application will be moved to the bottom of the waiting list.

The waiting list(s) are updated twice each year. A mailing asking you to update your information will be sent to you at the email address on your application. Failure to respond to the updated request will result in cancellation of your application.