Although there is ample student housing near the main East Orlando campus, there is a limited amount of space available to students wishing to live on campus with UCF Housing.
Priority for on-campus housing goes to incoming first-year students. First year students need the greatest amount of assistance when coming to a university and living on campus is one of the best ways to help them be successful. Additional spaces are made available to returning residents via a lottery process.
The lottery process is also prioritized to continue supporting the students who are most in need of campus connections and support. Students seeking to continue living on campus during their second year (rising sophomores) will receive priority in the returning resident lottery for 2019-20 housing.
The following groups of students will receive priority in the lottery as well:
Academic-year, Towers at Knights Plaza, and NorthView housing agreements for returning residents, off-campus students, transfer students, and graduate students will operate on a lottery system for the 2019-20 year. It is important to read the details below completely.
All lottery applications will open on Monday, January 7, 2019 at 9:00 AM (EST) and will close on Monday, January 21, 2019 at 11:59 PM (EST).
Apply and submit your prepayment during this window in order to be entered into the lottery for the type of housing you have selected. See details by housing area below for additional information. More information is also available in the FAQs section.
Log in to myUCF and navigate to Student Self Service > Housing > Housing Portal > Application. Follow the on screen instructions. You can find detailed instructions here.
This depends greatly on how many students apply and what type of application they select. In past years, we have received far more lottery applications for Academic-Year housing than for the Towers at Knights Plaza or NorthView. Last year we were able to offer lottery spaces to about 60% of the students who applied.
We will continue to draw applicants from the remaining active lottery applications for spaces that become available throughout the spring and summer, and through the opening weekend of fall. Drawings will take place approximately every two weeks, depending on whether space has become available. Applicants waiting may choose to cancel and receive their prepayment back at any time.
Students who receive a lottery confirmation but no longer need their space will have a very limited window during which they may cancel their housing at no penalty. This information will be included in the lottery notification email on January 28th. Spaces forfeited by lottery recipients will be randomly distributed to students who choose to wait for a lottery confirmation.
If you did not apply and make your prepayment during the lottery application window, you may put your name on the waitlist in the Housing Portal. It is important to note that this waitlist is not the same as an active housing application that is in waitlist status. It is not guaranteed that space will become available.
Off-campus housing is not more expensive than on-campus housing. There are many quality choices that range in price, including UCF affiliated housing at Knights Circle and The Pointe at Central. You can also find a wide selection of off-campus housing options online at ucf.offcampuspartners.com.
Most off-campus student apartment complexes are serviced by the UCF Shuttle. A listing of those complexes can be found at parking.ucf.edu/shuttles/off-campus-shuttles
Room sign-up will be done online via the Housing Portal in myUCF, and those participating will be able to choose their exact building, apartment, and bedroom. Residents who have confirmed applications will receive detailed instructions on how to complete room sign-up online, so it will be important to read the email communication regarding the process.
For residents participating in same room sign-up in Towers and NorthView, you will have the opportunity to pull in roommates into any open spaces in your apartment after the same room sign-up period is over.
For residents participating in General Room Sign-Up, you will be able to pick a room with a group of up to 4 confirmed residents with your same agreement type.
Make sure that your roommate request completes their housing agreement and makes their prepayment on time so that you are eligible to sign-up together. Only those confirmed will be eligible to be pulled in as roommates.
All students interested in UnionWest at Creative Village and the Rosen College Apartments are able to apply online at this time, independent of the lottery process. These housing agreements will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you are looking for a non-lottery option near the main campus, we recommend our affiliated housing at Knights Circle or Pointe at Central.
UCF is affiliated with two off-campus apartment complexes, Knights Circle and The Pointe at Central. Both communities are close to campus and offer apartment living with private bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as many great amenities. Knights Circle has UCF Residence Life staff, making it a great choice for transitioning to off-campus life.
Contact our affiliated complexes directly for leasing and pricing information.