Upperclass Priority Housing Registration
2026-2027 Priority Housing
As rising third-, fourth-, and fifth-year students, we know that securing a good space to live that works for you is incredible important. This is why we are happy to introduce the Upperclass Priority Housing Registration Period. In an effort to both minimize our housing waitlist and to help our staff better prepare to serve our on-campus student community next year, we have decided to begin this registration process earlier this year. This registration process allows you to secure and guarantee an upperclass housing unit by applying for 2026-2027 academic year housing, by placing a $200 deposit that will go towards your final housing cost.
Registering for Priority Housing will guarantee you an upperclass residence hall and room type for next academic year! The following options are available to rank and preference through Priority Housing:
- South Hall Quads and Fives
- Shenkman Quads
- Amsterdam Quads
- 1959 Quads and Fives
- District House Quads and Doubles
- Dakota Doubles, Triples and Quads
- West Hall Quads
- Mitchell Hall Common Bath Singles
Perks of requesting Priority Housing include a guaranteed housing assignment, a guaranteed roommate group promise, and a stress-free start to your academic year, knowing that your housing for next year is already secured.
If participating in the Upperclass Priority Housing process, each student must register for housing while Priority Housing is open. If an upperclass student fails to individually register for Priority Housing housing during the published opened dates they, we cannot guarantee them a spot in on-campus housing later on, during General Housing Registration.
Requesting Priority Housing is binding and once you register through this process, you will not be able to cancel your housing for any reason. If you are considering studying abroad, taking a leave of absence, transferring, or withdrawing from the university, this option is not a good fit for you. Additionally, if you are considering applying for any specialized housing options such as our Affinities or Fraternity and Sorority Life, do not apply for Priority Housing. Registration for those housing options will be available during General Housing Registration in the spring.
Room Renewal: Priority Housing Option
We know that some of our students love their current rooms, and if given the opportunity would choose to live there again for another year. All upperclass students who live in buildings eligible for “Room Renewal” and want to keep their room for the 2026-2027 academic year can renew their room for the next academic year. Room Renewal is an option within the Upperclass Priority Housing Registration Period that allows you to renew your same residence hall and room type option.
If opting in to the room renewal process, each student must register for housing while Room Renewal is open. If a student fails to individually register for Room Renewal housing during the published opened dates they forfeit their right to hold their current room for the 2026-2027 academic year. CLRE cannot guarantee a student will be placed in the current room for the 2026-2027 academic year if the room renewal registration is not completed within the published timeline.
Note about Room Renewal: If you do not fill up your entire space, you will be consolidated with another room renewal to fill all vacancies. This means that you may not be assigned to the exact room number that you currently live in. Room Renewal still guarantees that you will be assigned to the same building and room type that you currently reside in.
Priority Housing Timeline
| Students may begin to complete roommate matching questions, form roommate groups, and search for potential roommates in GW Home portal | TBD at 12:00 PM EST |
| Upperclass Priority Housing Registration Opens | TBD at 12:00 PM EST |
| Upperclass Priority Housing Registration Closes | TBD at 5:00 PM EST |
2026-2027 Housing Rates
Review 2025-2026 housing costs. 2026-2027 housing rates are coming soon, but rest assured that they are capped at a 3% increase. Meal plans and associated rates are published on the GW Dining website, and will be published in February 2026.
However, check out these anticipated rates that we have projected for some of our most popular room types. While these rates are not finalized and subject to change, they should help to give you a better idea of pricing when considering options for next academic year:
| Residence Hall and Room Type | Cost per Semester |
|---|---|
| South Hall Quads and Fives (Single Bedrooms) | $8,400 |
| South Hall Quads and Fives (Double Bedrooms) | $8,300 |
| Shenkman Hall Quads (Double Bedrooms) | $8,300 |
| Amsterdam Hall Quads (Double Bedrooms) | $8,300 |
| 1959 E Street Quads and Fives (Single Bedrooms) | $8,400 |
| 1959 E Street Quads and Fives (Double Bedrooms) | $8,300 |
| District House Quads and Doubles (Apartment Style Double Bedrooms) | $8,300 |
| District House Quads and Doubles (Studio Style Doubles) | $7,500 |
| Dakota Hall Doubles, Triples, and Quads (Double Bedroom) | $8,300 |
| Dakota Hall Doubles, Triples, and Quads (Single Bedroom) | $8,400 |
| Dakota Hall Doubles, Triples, and Quads (One-Bedroom Two-Person Unit) | $8,400 |
| West Hall Quads | $6,600 |
| Mitchell Hall Common Bath (Single Bedroom) | $6,600 |
Steps to Take to Participate in Priority Housing
While Room renewal opens on TBD, students can begin some initial steps today.
- Step #1: Create Roommate Groups
Available Beginning TBD.
Students planning to participate in priority housing and pull-in friends into anticipated open spaces should create a roommate group with those friends. Anyone participating in Priority Housing Registration can make a roommate group with other rising upperclass students.
- If a student is using Room Renewal to renew their same space, they should create the group and be the Group Leader. Friends being pulled-into the room should be members of the group
- If everyone in a current room wants to renew their space to live together for the 2026-2027 academic year, creating a roommate group isn't necessary. Each person should renew their room individually.
Students may begin complete roommate matching questions, form roommate groups, and search for potential roommates in their GW Home portal starting TBD.
- Step #2: Individually Complete Upperclass Priority Housing Registration
Students registering for Upperclass Priority Housing should complete the registration process between TBD at 12:00 PM EST and TBD at 5:00 PM EST. This can be completed in the GW Home portal.
You will be billed a $200 non-refundable deposit once you register.
2026-2027 Eligible Housing Options for Priority Housing and Room Renewal
The following upperclass options are available through the Upperclass Priority Housing Registration process. If you register through Upperclass Priority Housing, you will be guaranteed one of these options. If you would like to participate in Room Renewal, you must already be living in one of the eligible spaces for Room Renewal.
| Available Through Upperclass Priority Housing Registration | Available through Room Renewal |
|---|---|
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Frequently Asked Questions: Upperclass Priority Housing
- If I participate in the Upperclass Priority Housing process, can I still cancel my housing later if I change my mind about living on campus?
No. Students who participate in the priority housing process will not be allowed to cancel their housing. You will be billed for the 2026-2027 academic year at the 2026-2027 housing rates.
- If I plan on studying abroad Fall 2026, can I use Priority Housing to register for housing for Spring 2027?
No, Priority Housing is only for students staying on-campus the entire 2026-2027 academic year. We will ask that students studying abroad in the Fall semester cancel their upcoming academic year housing upon confirmation of your study abroad program participation.
- I am interested in Priority Housing but am currently uncertain about my plans for the 2026-2027 academic year. Should I still register?
No. Priority Housing is meant only for students who are certain that they will be enrolled at GW full-time for the entire academic year. If you are not yet sure what your plans will be, wait to register until the General Housing Registration period in the spring.
- I have a DSS housing accommodation. Do I need to apply through the Priority Housing Registration process in order to get a space that meets my accommodations?
No. Students with DSS housing accommodations will have another chance to preference room types that meet their needs during the spring General Housing Registration period. If any of the Priority Housing eligible room type options do already meet your needs, we encourage you to apply early and secure your spot.
- I want to apply for Priority Housing with friends but do not know my roommate group yet. Will I be able to edit my roommate group preferences after the Priority Housing Registration period ends?
Yes, if your desired roommates also completed the Priority Housing Registration process. Even after the Priority Housing Registration period ends on TBD, you can still add to or change your roommate group, so long as all group members have already completed their Priority Housing registration. If you would like to alter your roommate group preferences, please reach out to CLRE at living
gwu [dot] edu (living[at]gwu[dot]edu) to inquire about editing your roommate group. You can make edits to your roommate group until TBD.
Frequently Asked Questions: Room Renewal
- If I participate in the Room Renewal process, can I leave my belongings in my room over the summer?
No, any student who is not permitted to live on campus over the summer has to move all of their items out of their Spring assignment room by their designated spring move-out date. If a student is interested in staying on campus over the summer they should review summer housing registration.
- Does every roommate in the room have to agree to renew their room for us all to be eligible to live there in the academic year?
No, but you do need to fill the space. If all roommates make the decision to keep their space, then all roommates remain in the room for the following academic year. For example, if 2 out of the 4 roommates make the decision to keep their space, then the two roommates will have the opportunity to pull in people they know to those vacancies. If you do not fill up the space, you will be consolidated with another room renewal to fill all vacancies.
- My roommate is not choosing Room Renewal, but I have a friend who wants to live with me next year. Can they live with me?
Yes. If a student wants to pull in friends who don't currently live in their room, they will be able to do so during this time period as long as there is an anticipated vacancy in the space. To bring in a friend, the resident of the desired room will invite their friend or desired roommate into a roommate group that will then fill the vacant space(s).
- I want to live in my current room next year but I don't want to live with my current roommate. Is there a process for me to claim the room for me and another student before my current roommate?
No. Each student has an individual opportunity to choose to renew their space independently of their roommate(s) plans/desires. If a roommate wants to stay, they have the option to do so, even if that is not the desired outcome of the current roommate(s). We strongly encourage all current residents of a room to discuss their future plans before finalizing their Room Renewal decisions. Your Community Coordinator is a fantastic resource to help you navigate any concerns you have around the Room Renewal choices you and your roommates are discussing.
- Can I use Room Renewal to hold my room for the next academic year and register for housing through the standard process to see if I get a better option?
No, once you receive an assignment through the Room Renewal process, you have completed your housing registration. You will not be able to go through the General Housing Registration process once you receive an assignment through Room Renewal.
- If I participate in the Room Renewal process and plan to be approved for summer housing, can I stay within my current room?
If you plan to be register for summer housing and have opted into the Room Renewal process, it is possible for a student to keep their room as their summer assignment. These students should refer to summer housing registration for guidance.
- I have a DSS accommodation and want to choose room renewal as my current room meets all of my needs. Does my DSS accommodation affect my ability to take part in the room renewal process?
No. Any student who is currently in a room and building that is Room Renewal-eligible will be able to participate in the Priority Housing Room Renewal process. If your current room falls into this category and meets your needs, we strongly recommend that you consider using the Priority Housing Room Renewal process to ensure you continue to have a room that meets your accommodation.
If your accommodation cannot be met by any of the Priority Housing eligible options, students with DSS housing accommodations will have another chance to register for DSS-approved spaces in the spring.