Housing Renewal & Selection 2026/2027
The process current residence hall and upperclassmen students follow to submit a housing contract for the following academic year and choose a space is known as “housing renewal & selection.” As a current resident, if you fill out your housing contract by the application deadline, you will have priority over new students to select a room for the next academic year.
Important Information to Know Before Renewing
- All students in good standing (academically, behaviorally, and financially) will have the opportunity to participate in the housing contract renewal & room selection process.
- You are required to submit a new $250 application fee and pre-payment.
- If you forget or fail to complete the online housing application form, we will presume that you will not be residing on campus and your space will be reallocated. Residents who fail to reserve a space during the prescribed dates will lose their opportunity to be assigned before new applicants.
- Information and instructions about this process can be found at Room Selection Step-by-Step Directions for Selecting a Space (pdf)
- Check out our FAQ Document for more answers to your questions! If you have any further questions, contact the Department of Residence Life.
Perks for 2026/2027
Love your current space? Secure it for another year! Students can renew their same room for the 2026-2027 academic year, but all bedroom spaces in the unit must be filled. This option is available on a first-come, first-served basis during in-person room selection.
To participate, all roommates must attend in-person room selection and confirm their agreement. Date and time details will be shared soon!
Timeline for Room Selection
| Event | Date/Time |
|---|---|
| Application/Contract Launch | Sunday, February 1 at 5pm |
| Information Sessions (Join in person!) | Wednesday, February 18th : 3-5pm : LRH Thursday, February 19th : 12-2pm : FRH Wednesday, February 25th : 3-5pm : FRH Thursday, February 26th : 3-5pm : LRH Wednesday, March 4th : 3-5pm : HCOM Thursday, March 5th : 11-1pm : Student Union |
| Application Deadline – Specialty Housing (LLCs, GIH, Family) | Friday, March 6 at 11:59pm |
| Application Deadline – Non-Specialty Housing | Monday, March 16 at 11:59pm |
| In-Person Room Selection | Tuesday, March 17th - Wednesday, March 18th |
| Online Room Selection Access Times Posted** | Monday, March 23 at 5pm |
| Online Room Selection Access Period | Wednesday, March 25th: Current Seniors, Juniors & Graduate Students Thursday, March 26th: Current Sophomores Friday, March 27th: Current Freshmen |
Information of Interest
- Honors Students – all 1st and 2nd year Capital Scholar Honors’ students are required to live in the Residence Halls (Founders Residence Hall) and may not be considered for other living accommodations, unless approval is provided by the Administration of the Capital Scholars Honors Program.
- Second Year Returning Students – Spaces have been reserved for soon to be sophomores in Lincoln Residence Hall and Founder’s Residence Hall.
- Upperclassmen – these students have various options to choose from in the coming academic year: East Campus Apartments and West Campus Townhouses
Cancellation Deadline for Housing Application/Contract
If you submit an online application/contract for the Fall semester and change your mind before April 30, 2026, you can email reslife@uis.edu to let us know that you wish to cancel your application/contract. Once you do this you are no longer bound to the contract – unless you are a residency required student (Second Year/Sophomore student).
If you submit an online application/contract for the Fall semester and change your mind after you have completed the room selection process, you must meet the criteria for cancellation according to the electronically signed terms and conditions of the Housing Contract. The cancellation criteria is listed on the Cancellation Request Form.
If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Residence Life: reslife@uis.edu or 217-206-6190.
Reassignment Request Forms
If you're interested in moving to a different space, please complete the Reassignment Request Form. This form is available from April 13th to April 17th for students with an active housing contract for the current Academic Year who have also signed a contract for the upcoming Academic Year.
Please note that submitting a reassignment request does not guarantee approval. We will do our best to accommodate requests based on available space. You must be logged into your UIS Google Account to access the form.
Once your reassignment request is fulfilled, it cannot be canceled, as your previous space will be reassigned to another student. This is your one opportunity to request reassignment, and additional requests will not be considered until three weeks into the new semester.
- Reassignment Request Form – For current students who wish to switch roommates, or request a space change.
If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Residence Life.
Non-Renewing Students
- You are not required to fill out the online application if you do not intend to return to campus housing.
- Current first year students are required to renew their contract based on the current residency requirement. Rising second year students who do not complete an application/contract will be automatically assigned if an exemption request is not received and approved.