See below for some of the most frequently asked questions. Also feel free to contact Residence Life at 701.231.7557 or ndsu.residence.life@ndsu.edu. 

1. IF I WANT TO LIVE IN THE NDSU APARTMENTS, SHOULD I PARTICIPATE IN ROOM RENEWAL FOR A RESIDENCE HALL ROOM?
Yes. Because NDSU Apartments are in high demand and often hold long wait lists, your preferred apartment may not be available by your requested move-in date. By having a residence hall option as a backup, you can live on campus until your apartment is ready. This also will allow for an easy transition with no cancellation fees or penalties.

2. IS THE RESIDENCE HALL LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR FALL SEMESTER ONLY?
The license agreement is made for the full academic year (August 23, 2025 - May 15, 2026) unless leaving campus for an internship, co-op, study abroad program or graduation.

3. WHAT IF l’M NOT SURE I WANT TO LIVE ON CAMPUS NEXT YEAR?
Participate in Room Renewal anyway. You still have until March 1 to cancel your license agreement without penalty.

4. CAN MY OFF-CAMPUS FRIEND GO THROUGH ROOM RENEWAL IF HE/SHE IS A CURRENT NDSU STUDENT?
Yes! Simply have them contact the Department of Residence Life at ndsu.residence.life@ndsu.edu
to receive specific information.

5. WHAT IF I WANT TO ROOM WITH SOMEONE WHO IS NOT YET AN NDSU STUDENT?
Residence Life will make every effort to connect you with the incoming student. Contact our central office at ndsu.residence.life@ndsu.edu for more information.

6. COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE NISKANEN BUILDINGS?
The Niskanen area consists of Niskanen Residence Hall (three buildings - north, south and middle) and Niskanen Expansion Apartments (three buildings). The residence hall buildings can be selected during Residence Hall Renewal or you can apply for the apartments at any time.

7. WHICH ROOMS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR CURRENT ROOM RE-SELECTION?
Rooms that are part of the Engineering Leadership Learning Community or the Health Professions Learning Community (these are reserved for incoming students).

Also note, if you are currently living in a double room—that you bought out as a single occupancy room—you can re-select that room, but you will have a roommate assigned to the other space. Single spaces will be available for selection. 

8. WHAT IF I WANT TO KEEP MY CURRENT ROOM, BUT SELECT A NEW ROOMMATE?
You cannot bring a new roommate into your room with you during Phase 2. If you want to room with another student, you have some choices to make. You can reselect your current room during Phase 2 and then the student you want to live with can try to select the other empty space in that room during Phase 4. However, by doing that, you risk that someone else with an earlier selection time will sign up for that empty spot before your preferred roommate can do so. Alternatively, you can choose not to reselect your current room during Phase 2, but instead participate in roommate pairing (which takes place January 2 to 25).  This will help ensure you can live with the student of your choice, but you might not have the option to return to your current location, depending on selection times and popularity of that particular room.

9. CAN I SELECT MORE THAN ONE ROOMMATE?
Yes, but if you are matched with more roommates than a room or suite can hold, you cannot select that location without dropping the extra roommates. Suite-style living spaces (like Niskanen Hall) can be selected as two double rooms or an entire four-person suite. An individual can select one bed in a four-person suite, two matched roommates can select one of the two double rooms in a four-person suite or four matched roommates can select the entire suite. If one space in the four-person suite is taken, then the suite will not be selectable by four-person roommate matches when choosing a new room. Roommate matches will need to be dropped to three or fewer people, depending on the number of available beds in the suite. The fewer roommate matches you have, the more available spaces you have to choose from.

10. HOW DO I MATCH UP WITH A ROOMMATE?
Whether you want to meet someone new, or match up with someone you know, My College Roomie is the official way to match up in our housing system. The process opens on January 2, 2025. Learn more here.

11. AFTER I AM MATCHED WITH A ROOMMATE, WHICH ONE OF US SHOULD SELECT THE ROOM?
When one matched roommate selects a room, the other matched roommate is automatically assigned. To have the best opportunity to select the desired location, the roommate with the earliest selection time should log in and select a room.

12. WHAT IF I MISS A DEADLINE, BUT STILL WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN HOUSING SIGN-UP
Contact the Department of Residence Life at ndsu.residence.life@ndsu.edu or (701)231-7557. We will help get you back on track.

13. MY SELECTION TIME HAS ARRIVED, WHY CAN’T I SEE (OR SELECT) ANY ROOMS FOR A PARTICULAR HALL?
It is for one of three reasons: 1. There are no rooms left to select, 2. You are not eligible to live in that space, or 3. There are no spaces available that will accommodate your roommate grouping (dropping one or more of your roommates will potentially offer more spaces). Also, you are not able to choose a room if your designated time has not yet arrived.

14. IF I DON’T WANT A FULL MEAL PLAN, WHERE CAN I LIVE?
If you live in any of the NDSU Apartments, Niskanen Hall, or the Mathew Living Learning Centers, you are not required to have a meal plan. Upperclassmen in any other hall have the option to select a five-day plan, a seven-day plan, or a 220- or 145-block plan.

15. CAN I CHANGE MY MEAL PLAN?
You can always increase your meal plan (or buy additional block meals), but to decrease your plan you must do so by the 8th business day of each semester via GET. 

16. QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO RA STATUS:
Current student who is applying to be an RA: Complete Room Sign Up, choosing the room you would prefer to have if you were not an RA. If you are selected, we’ll reassign you to an RA room. If you aren’t, you can keep the space you selected or cancel your residence hall agreement.

Current RA who is applying to return as an RA: Complete Room Sign Up, reselecting your current room during Phase Two.  If you remain an RA, we can reassign you to an RA space in the hall in which you will serve.  If you don’t remain an RA, we will put you at the top of the waitlist for the building in which you’d prefer to live.

RA who wants to return to the residence halls, but not as an RA: Complete Room Sign Up as any other student would do.  Select one or more roommate(s) and/or choose your room preference during Phase Four.