Changing Rooms

Sometimes change is good.

If your current living situation isn't working out for you, don't worry. We will work with you to find a new space on campus for you to call home.

If you want to change rooms

Oregon State University students have three options for changing their on-campus housing assignment. Room changes and room swaps will be available each term from weeks two through nine in fall and winter term, and from weeks two through six in spring term, provided there are available spaces for students to move into. Room buyouts are sometimes available by request, based on availability and demand.

 

Room Changes

Room changes will not start until students in short-term housing have been assigned to permanent spaces; this might delay the typical room change timeline.

Room changes are done based on availability.

Room changes are done on immediate need, then on a first come, first served basis.

Room change requests do not carry over from term to term; if you are not able to change rooms during the current term, you can reapply for a room change during the next term.

If you wish to cancel your room change request, you must cancel in writing by emailing UHDS from your Oregon State email account.

Spring term room changes are only available through week six.

  

How to change rooms

1. Submit a request via your Housing Portal.

  • Your request will want to know: the reason for the request, the type of room (single, double, triple, any), building preference and if there is a roommate request.   
  • Once you submit your request, the UHDS Assignments staff will review it for an offer, as space is available. 
  • If you wish to change your preferences regarding the room change, you may return to your request to update it. 

2. Receive a room change offer.

  • If we have a space available based on the preferences you have indicated, you will receive an offer via your OSU email on Monday or Tuesday. Please note that the offer date might change or be canceled if there is a campus closure or if it is a holiday week (for example: Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Jr. and Memorial Day).

3. Accept or decline the offer.

  • Deadline to decide is the Wednesday after you receive the offer, at 12 p.m. For off-cycle room changes, this acceptance timeline can vary.
  • If you decline the room change offer, you can clarify if you would like to remain on the list. If you fail to respond, your room change request will be removed and you will have to reapply. 
  • If you accept the room change offer, you will have a 52-hour time period to move to your new room; your offer letter will contain more details but moves typically occur the weekend (Friday-Sunday) of the week you were offered the room change. 

4. Complete the room changes.

Pick up new keys

  • In your offer letter, you will have instructions on when and where to pick up your new keys. Keys are always picked up at the Service Center that serves the building offered in the room change. 

Move your belongings

  • Once you have picked up your new room key, you have until 8 p.m. on Sunday to complete your room change. Room changes are not complete until keys for your previous room have been returned to the appropriate Service Center. 

Clean your space

Turn in your old keys

  • Room changes not complete by Sunday at 8 p.m. are subject to an Improper Move Out Fee of $50 and a potential for a rekey charge. Should you continue to occupy two rooms beyond that time, you may also be subject to additional fees up to $250 and/or be charged for both rooms.

Typical timeline for room changes

  • Week 1: Submit room change request via Housing Portal
  • Week 2: First set of offers sent out (based on availability)
  • Week 9: Last set of offers sent out
  • Week 10: All remaining requests will be removed from the system

 

Room Swaps

The room swap option is ideal for students who would like to swap spaces with another student in their same hall. There will be a difference in cost for students who swap into different room types. Room swaps are similar to room changes, except for these things:

  1. The process begins with students talking with the Resident Director of their building and following a unique process that can only be initiated after talking with their RD.
  2. Only the students involved in the room swap need to agree to the swap. The other residents can be included, and should be notified by either the current roommate or staff regarding the change.
  3. There is no need to go to the Service Center to pick up keys but students might be asked to go to the Service Center to confirm keys are recorded correctly after swap has occurred.
  4. All students who are swapping must meet with the Resident Director to show that keys have been swapped and the RD will ask for the assignment change in the housing management system.
  5. The RD must email the Service Center.
  6. The Assignments team prefers room swaps to be within the same building or area the RD oversees.

 

Room Buyouts

Room buyouts are available by request, and only for Economy Triples.
If there is a vacant space in a room due to a roommate who transferred, withdrew, or otherwise left their on-campus living space, the remaining roommate(s) may request the option to buy out the additional room space, based upon availability and occupancy needs. In the event that a room buyout is approved, no additional roommate would be assigned to the vacant space, and the extra space and furniture in the room is available for use by the remaining roommate(s). No furniture is removed in the event of a buyout.

For example, roommates assigned to a triple-occupancy room could request to buy out the vacant space to spend the rest of the year living in a double, as long as both residents mutually agree to the buyout.

An increased room rate will apply to students who buy out vacant space. Review our Room & Dining Rates for information on how your rate will change.

Students with a vacant space in their room who would like to request the option of buying out the remaining space should contact University Housing & Dining Services for information about the process and rates. Room buyouts are only available when a vacancy has occurred and are subject to current availability and occupancy needs. 

  

If you have a vacant space in your room

If you have a vacant space in your room, you could receive a new roommate during the year, and you need to keep that space ready to receive a potential roommate. See section 15 of your University Housing & Dining Services contract for more details.