2025-2026 Housing Process
Upperclass Students
Quad Questions
Students are assigned to quads before the start of their first year at Duke, as each East Campus residence hall is connected to a specific West Campus quad. First-year students live in their East Campus residence hall while being non-resident members of their assigned West Campus quad. During their sophomore year, students move “in quad” to live in their connected West Campus quad.
Juniors and seniors have the option to live in their connected quad or in alternative housing options, such as the 300 or 301 Swift, Blue Light, or Hollows. Regardless of where they choose to live, students retain their quad affiliation throughout their time at Duke and beyond, even after graduation. The connections between East Campus residence halls and West Campus quads remain consistent year after year.
One or two East Campus houses connect to each West Campus quad. Each East Campus house hosts between 100 and 250 students, which means a community of 200-500 first years will transition into each quad for their sophomore year. Beds will be reserved in each quad for upperclass students.
Duke students are required to live on campus for three years. First-year students will live in their assigned East Campus residence halls. Sophomores will live on campus in their connected quad. Juniors will also be required to live on campus in their connected quad or in 300 or 301 Swift, Blue Light, or Hollows. Seniors may elect to live in a preferred quad, 300 or 301 Swift, Blue Light, or Hollows, or off campus. Students retain their quad connection regardless of where they live.
As a sophomore, you are required to live in your connected quad with a roommate from your East Campus connection. However, rising sophomores have the option to submit a Roommate Appeal request. This process allows students to request a roommate from a different quad connection.
Both you and your preferred roommate must submit the appeal request. The application opens via the Housing Portal on January 29 and closes at 12:00 PM on February 5. Housing and Residence Life (HRL) will assign approved roommate pairs to one of their connecting quads based on available capacity. You can view your quad connections here.
Rising sophomores may choose to submit a Roommate Appeal Form to request housing with a preferred roommate from a different quad connection. Both students must submit the request, and a thorough explanation for the appeal is required. Housing and Residence Life (HRL) will assign approved roommate pairs to one of their connecting quads based on available capacity.
The application will be available on the Housing Portal from January 29 through February 5. All appeal requests must be submitted by 12:00 PM EST on February 5. Quad connections can be viewed here.
Terms of Appeal:
- Once your appeal is submitted, it will be reviewed by a committee of staff and faculty. The committee may contact you to discuss your request and may request additional documentation.
- Decisions on appeals will be communicated by February 12.
- If your appeal is not approved, you will proceed through the general housing assignment process based on your original quad connection. You will also need to find a roommate or block within your original quad connection.
- If your appeal is approved, you and your preferred roommate will be assigned to the same quad connection. You will then complete your housing application with the ability to form a block with other students assigned to that connection.
Regardless of your appeal outcome, you must submit your housing application during the application period, which runs from February 18 to 21.
General
Navigating the Duke Housing Website and Key Resources
Familiarize Yourself with the Duke Housing Website
The Housing Assignments page contains essential information about short-term and long-term housing processes throughout the academic year. Each process occurs during a specific time and requires a separate application. During application windows, students can view timelines, eligibility requirements, and costs (if applicable).
It’s important to regularly check the Housing Assignments page for updates, as eligibility criteria, processes, and deadlines are subject to change. If you have specific questions, email housing@duke.edu for assistance.
How to Access Housing Assignments:
- Visit the Duke Housing website.
- Scroll down and click on the Housing Assignments icon.
- Explore the Housing Assignments page for detailed information on processes.
For a yearly overview, consult the Annual Calendar, which outlines the general timeline for housing processes. However, note that policies, eligibility requirements, and deadlines may change, so staying informed is key.
Housing Assignments Page Details
- Scroll down to the “Housing Processes” section, divided into:
- Main Processes: Includes our three primary housing processes.
- Short-Term Processes: Additional housing options throughout the year.
- This page is currently being updated, so check back regularly for the latest information.
Using the Housing Portal
The Housing Portal is your central hub for housing and meal plan applications. As housing processes open, applications will be available on the portal. Access to applications depends on your class year.
- Use the Annual Calendar to plan ahead for process start dates and application deadlines.
- Note: All timelines are tentative and subject to change at the discretion of the Housing Assignments Office.
Checking Your Student Status
Monitor your housing information on the Housing Portal as the 25-26 housing process progresses. This will help you navigate the process efficiently. You will find the following details:
- Quad Connection
- Class Year
- Preferred Gender
- SDAO (Student Disability Access Office) Approved Accommodations (if applicable)
- Faith-Based Exception (if applicable)
- 25-26 Application Details
- Decline Housing Status (Approved Housing Release) (if applicable)
If you believe any information is incorrect, contact the respective office for clarification (e.g., reach out to the Student Disability Access Office for SDAO-related inquiries).
Stay Updated
To stay informed about housing updates, follow these steps:
- Social Media: Follow Duke University Student Affairs on Instagram (@dukestudentaffairs).
- Email: Ensure you’re receiving communications from the Housing Assignments Office (housing@duke.edu).
Questions?
If you have additional questions, contact the Housing Assignments Office at housing@duke.edu. Look out for further email updates, reminders on social media, information sessions, application process details, and quad building updates!
Read all email correspondence from Housing Assignments, review this webpage, and attend an information session.
Wednesday, February 5: LLC member/SDAO information session; Zoom link will be emailed out to students
Thursday, February 6: Faith-based exceptions information session; Zoom link will be emailed out to students
Tuesday, February 11: Rising sophomore information session; Zoom link will be emailed out to students.
Wednesday, February 12: Upperclass information session; Zoom link will be emailed out to students.
Monday, February 17: All class years information session; Zoom link will be emailed out to students.
The 25-26 Housing Information Sessions will be held via Zoom on five different days. Each session will cover the same content but will be tailored to the designated class year:
- Rising Sophomores: February 11 or February 17
- Rising Juniors and Seniors: February 12 or February 17
The sessions will provide detailed information about the housing application process, including topics such as block housing, quad preferences (when applicable), single room availability, and more.
Students are strongly encouraged to attend one session relevant to their class year to ensure they have the most up-to-date information.
The housing application for the 25-26 academic year will open on Tuesday, February 18. You can access and complete the application through your Housing Portal.
You may submit your application and make changes until Friday, February 21, at 12:00 PM (NOON) EST. After this deadline, no further submissions or changes will be accepted.
Below are the proposed rates for the 2025-2026 academic year. The rates shown below are per student.
Single Room
Semester: $7,206
Academic Year: $14,412
Double Room
Semester: $5,455
Academic Year: $10,910
Apartment Private Bedroom:
Semester: $8,958
Academic Year: $17,916
Apartment Shared Bedroom:
Semester: $7,206
Academic Year: $14,412
Please note there are single and double bedroom occupancy options in Blue Light and Hollows. These bedrooms will be highlighted on floor plans and during the room selection process.
The rate information provided is an estimate; actual housing rates will be finalized upon approval by the Board of Trustees in May.
Yes, even as a member of an LLC you must fill out the housing application.
Roommates
Rising sophomores can identify another rising sophomore roommate from within their connecting quad. This person can be of any gender identity.
Rising juniors and seniors can identify another rising junior or senior to be their roommate. The student must be a currently active, enrolled student but can be of any gender identity or of a differing class year (except a rising sophomore).
If a rising junior or senior identifies a roommate of a differing class year, it WILL impact the pair or block's lottery number. More to come on lottery numbers soon.
Yes. Rising sophomores will be able to select a rising sophomore roommate and request to block with friends from their same quad connection and same class year.
Rising juniors and seniors will be able to select their roommate and request to block with friends. Rising junior/senior roommates and block members may be from the same quad connections or other quad connections and can include rising juniors or seniors, but not rising sophomores.
Yes, if a male-identifying student and a female-identifying student wish to live together, they can select this option during the application process and choose a room together.
We strongly recommend that all students have a preferred roommate, even if you plan to select a single room. During your self-assignment time, you may choose from the available options in your quad. If a single room is available, you are welcome to select it.
Be sure to communicate your plans for a single room with your preferred roommate in advance.
Away from Duke
Students returning to Duke after a separation of any kind should work with the Time Away Office to manage their return process. You may contact Housing Assignments to discuss your residency status while your Time Away Return Form is under review.
- Students approved to return for the fall semester will likely need to apply for housing when the application reopens in the summer.
Students planning to study away in the fall semester must decline housing through the Housing Portal. The Global Education Office will verify all students studying away.
- Students who study away in fall 2025 should plan to live on campus when they return in spring 2026. Housing application information will be available on the HRL website in mid-September, with applications opening in October.
We recommend completing the housing application to ensure you are included in the process. If you later decide to transfer, you can submit the Decline Housing form via the Housing Portal.
- If you are part of a block, notify your blockmates of your plans.
- If you decline housing after assignments are finalized, your roommate may be assigned a random new roommate.
Yes, you are guaranteed housing when you return. However, you must apply for housing in October.
Yes, you may be assigned a random roommate for the fall semester. When your original roommate returns, you can identify them as your preferred roommate for the spring semester.
- Please note: You may need to move to a new assignment to be paired together, depending on where vacancies are available.
Yes, you may identify someone studying away as your preferred roommate for the spring semester.
- However, you may need to move to be assigned together, depending on available vacancies.
- Rooms, suites, or apartments cannot be reserved for students returning in the spring semester.
- Vacancies for the spring are determined by spaces left vacant in the fall due to graduation or other circumstances.
- Blocks are not honored for the spring semester.
No, studying away will not affect your lottery number or quad preference. Once you are officially enrolled in a study-away program, you will be contacted to decline housing. This will remove you from the housing process for that semester but will not impact future lottery or quad selection.
Duke students are required to live on campus for three years:
- First-Year Students: Live in their assigned East Campus residence halls.
- Sophomores: Must live in their connected quad.
- Juniors: Must live on campus in their connected quad, 300/301 Swift, Blue Light, or Hollows.
- Seniors: May choose to live on campus (in their preferred quad, 300/301 Swift, Blue Light, or Hollows) or off campus.
Students retain their quad connection regardless of where they live.
Any decisions regarding an off-campus lottery for spring 2026 will be made during the fall 2025 semester.
When applying for spring semester housing, you may identify a preferred roommate, but blocks will not be allowed due to restrictions on where vacancies are available.
- Note: We cannot guarantee specific vacancies for the spring semester.
Yes. By completing the housing application, you agree to the 2025-2026 License and Terms, committing to live on campus.
- This is particularly important for seniors, who are not required to live on campus but are still bound to the agreement if they apply for housing.
Students can decline housing for the following reasons:
- Meeting the residency requirement (Class of 2026 or lower).
- Approved housing accommodations to live off campus.
- Enrollment in a sponsored program (e.g., study away, Marine Lab).
- Voluntary leave from Duke (medical, personal, or voluntary withdrawal).
- Involuntary leave from Duke (academic dismissal, financial or administrative withdrawal, or disciplinary suspension/dismissal).
All other students returning from study away are expected to live on campus.
We are committed to ensuring that students who require housing accommodations receive the support they need. Housing accommodations are evaluated in collaboration with the Student Disability Access Office (SDAO) to ensure consistency and fairness. Students with approved accommodations are given priority for placement in spaces that meet their specific needs.
If you already have an approved accommodation on file, please complete the housing application, ensuring your preferences are reflected. If your accommodation requires priority placement, the Housing Assignments team will contact you to discuss your options. More details on requesting accommodations are available on the SDAO website.
Key Deadline:
Students must have an approved SDAO accommodation by February 26th to participate in the 2025–2026 housing process.
Additional Note:
Students with accommodations are still able to and encouraged to be a part of a roommate block.
For students with an approved single-room accommodation, we will begin reaching out in early March to provide specific details about the process. If your accommodation requires pre-assignment (placement prior to general room selection), we will notify you of the date and time when you can select your room via the Housing Portal.
Key Deadline:
Students must have an approved SDAO accommodation by February 26th to be considered for the 2025–2026 housing process.
Additional Information:
- Not all accommodations require pre-assignment.
- If you are part of a roommate block, your block members will proceed through the general room selection process and can select rooms near your assignment, if they wish to do so.
We will make every effort to meet your accommodation within your LLC. This will depend on the availability of rooms, such as single rooms or doubles with private baths, which may also accommodate a roommate.
Key Deadline:
Students must have an approved SDAO accommodation by February 26th to be considered for the 2025–2026 housing process.
If you have specific questions or would like to discuss your options, please contact us at housing@duke.edu.
Single rooms are allocated during the self-selection process based on lottery number order after all Student Disability and Access Office (SDAO) accommodations have been met. Seniors and juniors typically have lower lottery numbers and, therefore, earlier access to singles. While sophomores may also have the opportunity to select a single, availability for them may be more limited.
No, creating a two-person block with a preferred roommate on your application will not affect your randomly assigned lottery number or your chances of selecting a single room.
We recommend applying with a roommate in mind, even if your preference is a single room. Here’s why:
- It’s important to keep your blockmate informed of your plans during the application process so they can make decisions accordingly.
- If no singles are available at your selection time, your blockmate may choose to select a double room and will receive a roommate through the self-assign process.
- During your selection time, you will see all available rooms. If a single is still available, you can choose it. If not, you’ll need to select a double with your blockmate.
Note:
You may also apply without a blockmate. However, if you end up in a double room, you will be assigned a random roommate.
There is no way to improve your chances of securing a single room within the housing process.
Exception:
If you have a specific need for a single room due to a disability or medical requirement, you may apply for an accommodation through the SDAO. More details are available on the SDAO website.
Key Deadline:
To use an approved SDAO accommodation for the 2025–2026 housing process, the request must be submitted and approved by Wednesday, February 26th.
For further questions, please contact us at housing@duke.edu.
Yes, there is flexibility during the self-assign process. While each student chooses their own room, room availability cannot be guaranteed at the time of selection, which may create the ability to change plans and roommates You are not obligated to share a room with anyone in your block