The Catholic University of America

Room Selection Frequently Asked Questions

General information regarding the Room Selection Process, including eligibility and the 6 steps of the process, is available here. Below are answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions regarding the details of the Room Selection Process. If you have a specific question that is not addressed, please feel free to contact us.


  1. What is MyHousing?
  2. How do I participate in Room Selection?
  3. What is the $500 deposit? Is it refundable?
  4. Am I required to live on-campus?
  5. As a junior or senior am I guaranteed a room on-campus?
  6. I missed the deadline to submit my Room Selection Intent and $500 housing deposit. Do I have any options?
  7. I am applying to be a Resident Assistant or Student Minister next year; should I submit my Room Selection materials?
  8. How are lottery numbers assigned?
  9. How will I receive my lottery number?
  10. What do I need to select a room during the lottery?
  11. Can I choose who my roommate will be?
  12. What are the chances that I will get the exact room that I want?
  13. Do I need to be on-campus to make my selection?
  14. I am away on Study Abroad. How can I participate in Room Selection?
  15. I am graduating in December or studying abroad in Spring 2012; am I still eligible for housing?
  16. I am a junior or senior. What happens if I am not able to select a space during my lottery but still want to live on campus?
 
1. What is MyHousing?
MyHousing is an on-line program that enables students to apply for housing, participate in Room Selection, and access individual housing-related information. The MyHousing program can be accessed through Cardinal Station. On MyHousing you will be able to:
  • See your current room assignment,
  • See your current dining plan,
  • Accept your Residence Hall and Dining Services Agreement,
  • Complete the Room Selection Intent,
  • Select roommates for next year,
  • Select your dining plan,
  • See your lottery number and selection time, and
  • Select your room for next year.
2. How do I participate in Room Selection?

In order to participate in Room Selection, individuals must be current undergraduate, degree-seeking students who anticipate full-time undergraduate enrollment with the university for the 2011-2012 academic year. To participate you should submit a Room Selection Intent and $500 housing deposit. The deadline for submission of materials is February 11, 2011 at 5 p.m.

 
3. What is the $500 housing deposit? Is it refundable?
The $500 housing deposit is required to participate in Room Selection. The housing deposit is generally not refundable unless you are not required to live in housing and are unable to select a space during the Jr/Sr lottery. The housing deposit indicates your commitment to reside in on-campus housing for the entire Academic Year and will be applied toward your Fall semester housing charges. Students experiencing financial hardship should contact Housing Services to explore the process of requesting a deferral of the housing deposit. Requests to cancel housing will be approved as described in the Residence Hall and Dining Services Agreement. Approved requests will incur the $500 Housing Cancellation Fee. In these cases your housing deposit will be applied to the Housing Cancellation Fee. For more information on the housing deposit, please visit the Housing Deposit and Room Selection Intent page.
 
4. Am I required to live on-campus?
CUA strongly believes in the benefits that on-campus living has to offer to our first and second year students in terms of academic success, personal development, and involvement within the CUA campus community. As such, CUA requires all freshmen and sophomore undergraduate students to live in on-campus housing. Please refer to the Housing Requirement for Freshman and Sophomore Students for more information on this policy. 
 
5. As a junior or senior am I guaranteed a room on-campus?
As is the case on most residential campuses, on-campus housing for junior and senior students is not automatically guaranteed. During the Spring semester, a lottery is conducted where interested junior and senior students may select housing from available rooms for the next academic year. Housing Services also offers guidance to upperclass and graduate students seeking off-campus residence. Please refer to the Housing for Junior and Senior Students for more information on this policy. 
 
6. I missed the deadline to submit my Room Selection Intent and $500 housing deposit. Do I have any options?
The deadline for the Room Selection Intent and $500 housing deposit is February 11th at 5 p.m. (EST). Your options after this deadline depend on whether you will be required to live on campus next Fall.
  • If you will have less than 55 credits at the conclusion of the Spring semester, you will be required to live on campus next year. You should submit a paper copy of the Room Selection Intent to Housing Services. The $500 housing deposit should still be paid via CardinalPAY. Late submissions will receive a lottery number, but it will be generates after the lottery numbers for all sophomores who submitted their intent and deposit before the deadline.
  • If you will have 55 credits or more at the conclusion of the Spring semester you are not required to live on campus. Late Room Selection Intents will generally not be accepted unless you have significant, uncontrollable, and unforeseen circumstances that warrant an exception. If you have missed the deadline, please contact Housing Services to determine your options.
7. I am applying to be a Resident Assistant or Student Minister next year; should I submit my Room Selection materials?
If you will want on campus housing if you are not offered a student staff position, you should submit your Room Selection Intent by the advertised deadline. The housing deposit will be deferred for participants in the RA or Student Minister selection processes. You do not need to meet with a member of the Housing Services staff to request this deferral. Once the deferral has been added to your housing record you will be notified via your CUA email account to log-in to MyHousing and complete the Room Selection Intent.
 
8. How are lottery numbers assigned?
Lottery Numbers are randomly assigned to participants based on class standing for the Fall semester. The number of anticipated credits you will have earned by the end of the Spring 2011 semester determines your class standing for the process. The following chart illustrates the ranges and their corresponding lottery groups:
 

Credits

Class Standing

54 or less

Sophomores

55 or more

Juniors and Seniors
Your credit information/enrollment status is maintained by Enrollment Services. When you submit your Room Selection Intent, Housing Services will confirm your class standing based upon in-progress credits for Spring and earned credits. If you have taken a class for non-credit, these credits are not included in your earned credits.
 
9. How will I receive my lottery number? 
Your lottery number will be available by March 2nd by logging into MyHousing. At this time you may begin selecting your roommates and setting room preferences prior to the selection sessions.  Look for more information on the Housing Services website and in your CUA email regarding MyHousing. 
 
10. What do I need to do to select a room during the lottery?
You will need to have logged into MyHousing and preselected your roommate(s). In order for your roommate group to be eligible to select, it is important that each member has accepted every other group member and withdrawn any extra outstanding roommate invitations if applicable. If any roommate invitations are still pending, the group will not be able to select. Once each member of the group has confirmed each roommate, the person from your group with the lowest lottery number is responsible for the room selection on behalf of the group. He or she will not be able to select until the lottery number becomes active. All selection times are based on the lottery clock seen in the left column on MyHousing.
 
11. Can I choose who my roommate will be?
You can select other students participating in your Room Selection Lottery to be your roommate(s). Those wishing to be roommates will need to preselect and accept each other as roommates. Once the group is confirmed, the group's lottery number will become the lowest lottery number of the group. The student with the lowest selection lottery number is the selector while the other student(s) in the roommate group are considered Pull-In(s).  
 
For selection in suites and apartments, groups will need to select an entire suite or apartment together by completely filling the unit. However, if a suite or apartment is not available to accommodate the whole group, the group will need to reconfigure and select a unit based on the new group size and the lowest Lottery Number in the new group.   
 
12. What are the chances that I will get the exact room that I want?  
There are various factors involved including how many students are participating in your lottery, community designations, and the desirability of the room. Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to select his/her first preference. Housing Services recommends that you or your group have a list of several housing options. 
 
13. Do I need to be on-campus to make my selection?
Because Room Selection will be held online, you do not need to be on-campus. You will be able to select from anywhere there is internet access and you are able to log into Cardinal Station.  
 
14. I am away on Study Abroad.  How can I participate in Room Selection?
You can submit the Room Selection Intent and $500 housing deposit online at any time prior to the February 11th at 5 p.m. (EST) deadline. You will be able to access MyHousing online through Cardinal Station and can also select your roommates, room and dining plans according to your assigned lottery number and time. Housing Services will communicate with you through your CUA email in the weeks leading up to your lottery to keep you informed.  Also, Housing Services can be contacted via Skype if you desire personal communication while you are abroad. 
 
15.  I am graduating in December or studying abroad in Spring 2012; am I still eligible for housing? 
Yes, you should submit your Room Selection Intent and $500 housing deposit by the advertised deadline to become eligible for a lottery number. If you receive a space on-campus you will need to cancel your Spring 2012 housing prior to November 15, 2011.   
 
16. I am a junior or senior.  What happens if I am not able to select a space during my lottery but still want to live on campus? 
If you are not able to make a selection during the Junior/Senior lottery you can submit a request to add your name to the Junior/Senior Waitlist. During the summer months, Housing Services will extend offers to those on the Junior/Senior Waitlist as spaces become available. Housing Services also offers guidance and support to assist students in finding off-campus housing.