USC Housing

Apply online using our portal. Complete instructions are available in the Application & Assignment menu or in our Living at USC brochure.

Newly admitted students will receive an e-mail with a link to follow to create a password. (Exchange students and non-USC students applying for summer housing will need to register on our application portal in order to create a password.) If you forget your password, access our portal, put in your user name and click the “Forgot Password” button.

If you are a new, incoming student your user name is the e-mail address you supplied when applying to USC.

If you are a returning or continuing non-resident student, your user name is your USC e-mail address.

If you are a new or non-resident student, please select the program you are interested in on the Living Learning Communities page of the application. Also (and this is important) be sure to list the building for the community you have chosen as your first housing preference. A few communities require the submission of a supplemental application; make sure you complete this as well when applying.

Returning residents should follow the instructions for Living Learning housing contained in the USC Housing Renewal brochure.

Housing for students with disabilities is available in several of our buildings, accommodating different levels of access. USC Housing works closely with Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS) to place students with special needs. Students must register with OSAS as well as complete a housing application to receive special housing consideration. Space is limited and students should apply early. See the Student Accessibility Services section in the Application & Assignment menu for more information.

Returning residents may apply for housing for the upcoming year through our USC Housing Renewal process (UHR). UHR takes place January through March. More information about next year’s UHR is available in December. The most recent information is available here.

Apply online using our portal. Housing assignments are made for continuing, non-resident students after returning residents participating in the USC Housing Renewal program and transferring undergrads have been offered housing. Assignments are made based on space availability.

Undergraduate upperclassmen and graduate students

(1) Returning university housing residents who participate in the USC Housing Renewal (UHR) program are assigned first. Participants who are not able to obtain an assignment during the UHR lottery process may go on the UHR Wait List and will be offered housing before any other undergraduate upperclassmen or graduate students.

(2) Transferring undergraduates and new graduate students will be assigned on a space available basis, after housing has been offered to all those on the UHR Wait List.

(3) Continuing, non-resident students (students currently at USC but not living in university housing or who did not participate in UHR) will then be offered housing on a space available basis.

Because housing for graduate students and families is in very high demand, only those who apply early are assigned housing

Freshmen (first-years)

New freshmen applying for the fall semester by the May 1 deadline are guaranteed a space in university housing. Housing is set aside and reserved for freshmen in order for USC Housing to provide this guarantee.

Assignments for new freshman and new graduate students begin in mid-May. Assignments for continuing non-residents and transferring undergraduates will begin in the late spring based on space availability.

Log on to our portal and go to “Confirmation Payment” to confirm your housing contract. After reading the contract summary, press the “I accept” button. Complete instructions are available on this web site or in the Living at USC brochure. Be sure to print out the confirmation page for your records.

You can find a copy of the Living Agreement here.

For new freshman (only) who are starting in the fall, roommates are matched based on their profiles and building preferences. However, all applicants, including new freshmen, can use our online tools to search for and contact potential roommates, and then request them.

Returning residents participating in USC Housing Renewal (UHR) can request and confirm roommates online and try to be assigned together by following the procedures for the UHR process.

Cancellation deadlines vary depending on your housing application category:

• Returning residents participating in the USC Housing Renewal Program (UHR) may cancel by March 7, 2025 deadline without penalty; they may cancel by May 1, 2025 with loss of the $800 confirmation payment.

• Students new to USC (freshmen, transfers and new graduate students) must cancel by June 6, 2025 without penalty and the $800 confirmation payment will be refunded.

After the cancellation deadline for your category, you will be held to the terms of the housing contract. Contact the Housing Services office for more information about cancellation policies.

You can request to reassign. Please see the Reassignment section of the FAQ for more information.

Summer housing is available each year from just after Commencement in May until just before Fall Check-In in August. A separate application is required. Please see the Summer Housing section in the Application & Assignment menu for more information.

If you identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) and want to live in a community specifically for LGBT and supportive Ally students, then consider applying to live on the Rainbow Floor. The Rainbow Floor is a Living Learning community within Century Apartments for all students, including first year and transfer students. You may also qualify for all gender (gender inclusive) housing. Please see the FAQ on that subject for more information.

If you would like special housing accommodations because you identify as transgender or are in the process of gender transition, then please contact the Director for the LGBT Resource Center at lgbt@usc.edu or visit their website.