You’re likely visiting this page based on information in My UW Housing indicating that you are currently unassigned and will receive an assignment at some point over the summer as we process cancellations. Below are some commonly asked questions we receive from students and their families about this process.
I thought I did everything I was supposed to do. Why did this happen?
- You definitely did everything you were supposed to do. We try to keep our assignment practice as fair as possible and waiting to assign students to a room is a part of our normal process that takes place throughout the summer months. This means any student has the potential to be “unassigned” at the start of the summer until we receive additional cancellations. Rest assured you have a binding contract with the University Residence Halls and we will be providing you with housing for the Academic Year.
- Typically we receive 200 cancellations over the summer, so we want to make sure our numbers are high enough to accommodate attrition. If we did not plan for this the way we do, it would mean fewer students having the opportunity to live on campus, unnecessary vacancies, and potentially higher costs for students and their families, which are all things we want to do our best to avoid.
- Please understand that students on our unassigned list are the highest priority for the Assignment Office and we want to work to get you your hall and roommate information as quickly as possible.
How long will I have to wait for an assignment?
- The wait can be as little as one week or it can be right before the halls open. We also check on a daily basis for students who may be attending UW-Madison based on data we see related to Admissions and SOAR. We follow up with these students right away to keep our assignment process moving as quickly as possible. We will assign you based on your preferences as best we can, and you will receive an email once you are assigned.
Does being unassigned mean I’m less likely to be assigned to any of my preferences?
- No, however, flexibility in your preferences will help you to get assigned more quickly. Every day throughout the summer, we look at the spaces that become available to come up with the best possible assignments for students who are unassigned.