Future Students FAQs
All new students have the chance in early July to select their room assignment for the upcoming academic year. The first step is to complete a housing application through the Online Housing Portal using Roanoke credentials. Students that do not complete an application will have an application created for them so they can be sent a room selection timeslot. Your timeslot will let you know when you can log into the Online Housing Portal during July to select a space. More information will be sent to your Roanoke College email account, so make sure to check it when housing selection gets closer!
Please reach out to Residence Life & Housing at reslife@roanoke.edu or by calling 540-375-2308 with any further questions.
AVAILABLE SPACES
What kinds of rooms are available?
There are a variety of different rooms available for housing selection. The majority of rooms available for new first-year students are doubles, with some 4-person suites, triples, and quads across campus. Transfer students will be able to select from available upperclass spaces in the residence halls. While most spaces are in double rooms, there are limited singles and spaces in apartments available for transfer students.
General information about our residence halls, including floor plans and average room sizes, can be found here. Please note that we cannot provide room dimensions for individual rooms.
Different halls have varying costs. Information regarding the current room and board rates can be found on the Business Office's website here.
Can suites be selected by incoming students?
Marion 4 person suites are not available for selection during the upcoming housing selection process. There will be available double rooms in Marion for new students.
If you have a group of 4 students that want to live together, there may be quadruple rooms available in Smith Hall. Additionally, there are some 4-person suites in Maxey Hall.
Can I change my room after I have completed housing selection?
No, so make sure you are certain before you complete your selection process!
ROOMMATES
Can I be roommates with someone I know?
New students are able to choose their own roommates. On the housing portal you will need to send a roommate request prior to choosing your housing. As long as your friend accepts your roommate request before you choose a room, you will be able to add them to the room you select.
Do I have to have a roommate?
All incoming freshmen are required to live in a double, triple, or quadruple room and will have a roommate(s). However, you do not need to have a roommate to complete housing selection. Transfer students should also anticipate having a roommate as single rooms are very limited.
How can I look for a roommate?
You can find roommates for the upcoming year through the housing portal. There are several ways you can search for people:
• You can search for specific people by selecting Roommate Search by Details from the Roommate Groups page. You can search for people using their name, so make sure you know the correct spelling.
• You can search for people based on what they have written in their Lifestyle Preferences profile by selecting Roommate Search by Details from the Roommate Groups page. Enter a word that you’d like to be in other profiles, and the housing portal will return all students with that word. You can then read entire profiles and see how similar others’ answers are to yours on the Lifestyle Preferences.
• You can search for people who have similar answers to the Lifestyle Preferences by selecting Roommate Search by Profiles from the Roommate Groups page. This will bring up roommates who answered similarly to you. The housing portal can suggest roommates for you based on how you answered the Lifestyle Preferences.
The housing portal will only display people when they are eligible to be your roommate. Roommates must be current students of the same sex assigned at birth.
When you are searching for roommates, you will see a percentage displayed for each potential roommate. The higher the percentage, the more similar your answers on the Lifestyle Preferences. Students have reported having successful roommate matches with percentages beginning around 50%. If someone chose to fill out a roommate description, that information will also be shown when you view their profile.
If you find someone you think could be a good fit for you as a roommate, you can send them a message through the housing portal that will be sent to their Roanoke email. If you have created a roommate group and think you’d be good as roommates, you can request that they join your roommate group.
How do roommate groups work?
One student will create a roommate group within the housing portal. This will make them the group leader. When someone creates a roommate group, they come up with a group name and password. There are two ways to have new members join a group: a) sharing the name and password with them so they can add themselves within the portal or b) request them as a roommate and they accept the request. People cannot be assigned to the same room if they are not in the same roommate group.
What can the leader of a roommate group do?
The leader is the person responsible for creating the group name and password, as well as sharing it with desired roommate(s). The leader of the roommate group can also:
• Message a potential roommate. All messages are sent to a student’s Roanoke email.
• Delete the whole group, which means that the former members will not be able to select a unit together, and the group will no longer exist.
• Select a room on behalf of the whole group--the group leader should do this only if they have the earliest time slot of all the group members.
• The group leader also is sent an email when someone new joins their group.
What can a member of roommate group do?
A member is anyone who has joined a roommate group by entering the group name and password. A group member can:
• Message any other group members. All messages are sent to a student’s Roanoke email.
• Delete themselves from the group.
• Select a unit on behalf of the whole group--the group member with the earliest selection of all the members should do the room selection.
Can only the roommate group leader pick a room?
No. Any member of the roommate group can assign a space to everyone in the group. It is suggested, however, that the group member with the earliest timeslot be in charge of completing housing selection for all group members.
You cannot be in more than one roommate group, and you cannot create a new roommate group if you are already in one. You will have to leave your original roommate group in order to join or create a new roommate group.
What if I don't have a roommate?
That's OK! You should still pick a space during your timeslot. When it is time for you to select a room, you can see how other students answered their lifestyle questions.
TIMESLOTS
How are timeslots determined?
Timeslots are based on your date of deposit.
I am planning on living in Honors housing. Will I receive a timeslot?
If you completed the Honors survey and said you wanted to live in Honors housing, you will not receive a timeslot. You will receive your placement in mid-July to your Roanoke email.
MOVE-IN
When can I move into my room?
Fall 2025 move-in day for new students is Saturday, August 23rd. More information about move-in will be sent to you as we get closer to the start of the fall semester.
What if I need to move in early for a pre-orientation program or athletic team?
Incoming students who are coming to campus early for a pre-orientation program or for an athletic team may move-in on days approved by their program supervisor or their coach. Residence Life & Housing will work with you to make sure you have access to your building.
MAIL SERVICES
How can I receive mail at Roanoke College?
All students will be assigned a campus mail box through the Mail Services Department. All mail goes to a central location - there is no mail service directly to residence halls. For more information, visit the Mail Services website here.