Housing Application Reminder & Updates

November 6, 2020

Dear Students,

We are looking forward to welcoming many of you to on-campus housing for the Spring 2021 semester!  I’m writing to share several updates and to remind you that the Spring 2021 Housing Application is currently available within your MyHousing portal until 11:59 pm on Monday, November 16. You may make changes to your submitted preferences at any time before the submission deadline. 

As you may know, HRS worked collaboratively with student leaders who serve on the Dormitory Council (DormCon), as well as our partners across the Division of Student Life, to develop a housing assignment process for the spring semester. 

Following the launch of the Spring 2021 Housing Application, we’ve heard from many first-year students about their interest in having the same opportunity as returning students to submit group preferences to be guaranteed placement in the same building together.  After receiving this feedback, and in continued collaboration with DormCon, we are adjusting the Spring 2021 Housing Application to now allow all students invited to live on campus next semester to submit building assignment group preferences, commonly known as “staple groups”. Building assignment groups may be formed regardless of class year.

In most cases, first-years may wish to enter the lottery individually - in fact that is the norm! However, in these unprecedented times, we want to provide students who are interested in receiving a placement in the same house together the opportunity to do so.

After HRS collects students' building and living preferences, the Room Assignment Chairs will coordinate the in-house room assignment process. In each House, the House Team will support students in making connections through a separate and distinct program known as “pods”. Building assignment groups have no bearing on the pod formation process. Additional information about pod formation during the spring will be updated on the Residential Pod Program website once available.  

First-year students who had previously submitted their Spring 2021 Housing Application and would now like to select a group for building assignment purposes may reopen their application and enter the names of up to seven other group members (all group members should enter the names of the other group member(s) on their application).  All group members should select their residence hall options in the same order of preference to be guaranteed placement together.  If you are re-submitting the form, please remember to complete each page of the “Resubmit Spring 2021 - Housing Application” and click “finish” to ensure that your updated application is properly submitted.

For all students, after you are assigned to a residence, you will have the opportunity to participate in the Building Placement Switch Lottery which will take place between November 20 and December 10.  We will endeavor to accommodate as many switches as possible based on available space.

I understand that housing is top-of-mind for new and returning students and we look forward to supporting you and your classmates during your transition to campus.  If you have any questions, please visit the Spring 2021 Housing Dashboard for helpful information or reach out to the HRS team via email at ughousingspring2021@mit.edu or by telephone at (617) 253-2811.

Sincerely,

RICH HILTON
Associate Dean and Director for Residential Services and Operations
Housing & Residential Services

Additional Reminders

  • The Spring 2021 Housing Application is not first-come, first-served, and there is no priority given to those who submit the form early.  
  • Students who do not submit the form by 11:59 pm on November 16 cannot be guaranteed on-campus housing for the spring semester. 
  • Students who complete the Spring 2021 Housing Application whose housing plans change may cancel by January 1, 2021 without penalty. 
  • As Chancellor Barnhart noted, first-years, sophomores and juniors who would like to access campus facilities during the spring semester must reside on campus.  

A New Normal 

Due to the pandemic, students should expect a very different on-campus residential experience than usual that includes updated student policies and community expectations to protect the health and safety of our on-campus students, faculty, and staff as well as our neighbors in Cambridge.

Learn More About MIT’s Newest Undergraduate Community

New Vassar will be opening in February 2021! The Founders’ Group, which is comprised of students and staff from the Division of Student Life, is excited to welcome prospective residents to an upcoming information session about MIT’s newest undergraduate community.  There are two upcoming virtual opportunities to engage with the Founders’ Group as you consider your housing options for the Spring 2021 semester!

  • Thursday, November 12 at 12:30 pm Eastern Time
  • Thursday, November 12 at 5:30 pm Eastern Time

To see what we’ve been up to and learn more about this exciting new community, please join us at one of our upcoming informational sessions. Click here to RSVP.