Residence Room Assignment Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about residence assignments, waitlists and what happens behind the scenes as we prepare for your arrival.

Unassigned List

I am currently unassigned to a residence. What does this mean?

If you received a notice that you have not yet been assigned to a specific residence, this means that you applied to residence by the June 2, 2025, deadline and you will be receiving a room assignment as part of our first-year residence guarantee.

At this moment, we are not able to confirm where your residence will be. Please be assured that you are guaranteed a space in residence, and you will be receiving a residence room assignment as we process cancellations that come in throughout the summer. 

Last year, we received approximately 150 cancellations for residence. These cancellations come from a full range of students who have been assigned to either apartment-style or dormitory-style accommodations, as well as from single and double room assignments.

What happens to the students on the unassigned list if there are no cancellations?

We will honour our first-year residence guarantee for all students who applied to residence by the June 2 deadline. We track our cancellation rate each year and we typically receive more cancellations than the number of people who are currently unassigned, so we should be able to accommodate all students who haven’t been assigned a room within our residences. We have additional residences secured in the event we need extra beds.

When will I know my room assignments if I am on the unassigned list? 

We will contact you immediately, either by phone or by email, as soon as we know where you will be placed.

Waitlist

If I am on the waitlist. What does this mean?

If you are on a waitlist for residence, it means you did not meet the June 2 deadline to apply for residence. These cases fall outside of our first-year residence guarantee, but if there are beds available after those on the unassigned list have been assigned a bed, then you will be notified.

What happens to those on the waitlist if there are no residence spaces available? 

The students on the waitlist will only be offered a residence bed once all the people on the unassigned list have been assigned one. There is also quite a lot of rental space around campus for students to explore.

Room Assignments

I didn't get the style of dorm I wanted.

As much as possible, we try to give you the type of accommodations you had requested in your application. However, because all residence assignments are on a lottery basis, we are unable to guarantee that students will receive their preferred choice.

Can you connect me with my roommate or residence neighbours?

We understand that you are excited to learn more about the other students who will be with you in residence. As we work to make your first-year residence experience as positive as it can be, we are also focused on protecting your privacy and the safety. For that reason, we cannot share any personal information about the other students in your residence, and we discourage you from sharing your residence building and room number publicly or on third-party social media sites to protect your own safety.

There will be many opportunities through Residence Life events, community meetings led by Residence Life Dons and Laurier Orientation to get to know other students – it’s one of the things that makes the Laurier community so special!