Returning Residents

Lottery Options
Lottery Instructions
Lottery FAQs
Non-Lottery Options
UnionWest
Rosen College Apartments
Affiliated Housing

Lottery Options

Updated 12/1/2020

Lottery Priority

While 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 2021-22 housing.

The following groups of students will receive priority in the lottery as well:

  • Students who have Florida Prepaid Dormitory Plans with at least 1 remaining credit
  • National Merit Scholars
  • Students who have submitted documentation of a disability or medical condition for whom living off-campus would be a barrier (such as limited mobility or visual impairment.)

Lottery Instructions

Academic-year (Nike and Hercules apartments), 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 2021-22 year. It is important to read the details below completely.

Apply and submit your prepayment during the lottery 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.

 

  1. Apply & Pay Prepayment: Choose one of the three lottery agreement types (Academic-Year, Towers, NorthView). Apply and complete your application by submitting your prepayment during the lottery application window: December 1, 2020 – January 29, 2021. 
    • NorthView Lottery agreements will open for “Early access notifications” on December 1. Students who register for early access notifications will be contacted to complete their lottery applications when available.
  2. Lottery Confirmation: Lottery results will be announced via email and through the Housing Portal on February 5, 2021.
    • Students who receive a lottery confirmation will be eligible to participate in online Room Selection.
    • Students who apply for the lottery but do not receive a confirmation will have the opportunity to keep their application active and wait to receive confirmation for spaces that may become available at a later date. Students not confirmed will also have the opportunity to cancel and receive a full refund of their prepayment.
  3. Room Selection: Students who received a confirmation date in the lottery will be eligible to participate in Room Selection. Details and instructions will be sent via Knights email.
    • Same Room Selection: Current residents in Northview and Towers who have confirmed applications will have the opportunity to claim their same rooms for the 2021-2022 year.
      • Same Room Roommate Pull-In: Current NorthView and Towers residents who have completed Same Room Selection will have the opportunity to pull roommates with corresponding confirmed agreements into any open bedrooms in their apartment.
    • General Room Selection: All current residents with confirmed agreements, who did not participate in Same Room Selection or Pull-in, will be able to select a room through General Room Selection. Note that current residents in Towers and NorthView who do not select the same room for the 2021-2022 year will need to move out during the Summer-to-Fall break.
      • Roommates: Roommate groups of up to four will be able to designate one person to complete sign-up for the group. Roommates are only eligible to be pulled into the group if they were confirmed for the same agreement. 

Lottery Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply?

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.

What are my chances of receiving a space in the lottery?

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. In previous years, we were able to offer lottery spaces to approximately 60% of the students who applied.

How long will additional lottery confirmations be offered?

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.

What if I get a lottery space, but my preferred roommates do not?

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 29, 2021. Spaces forfeited by lottery recipients will be randomly distributed to students who choose to wait for a lottery confirmation.

What happens if I do not apply on time?

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.

What if I cannot afford to live off-campus?

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.

What if I do not have a car?

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

How will room selection work?

Room Selection 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 selection online, so it will be important to read the email communication regarding the process.

How do I request a roommate?

After initial lottery confirmations, all confirmed applicants may enter roommate matching to find roommates or request specific people with the same agreement type. Encourage your preferred roommate(s) to apply during the lottery window. Only those confirmed will be eligible to be pulled in as roommates.

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 Selection, you will be able to pick a room with a group of up to 4 confirmed residents with your same agreement type. 

Non-Lottery Options

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.

UnionWest at Creative Village

  1. Apply & Pay Prepayment: Apply and submit your prepayment. There is no lottery for UnionWest agreements. The applications will be confirmed on a first-come-first-serve basis.
    • UnionWest agreements will open for “Early access notifications” on December 1. Students who register for early access notifications will be contacted to complete their UnionWest agreement when available.
  2. Room Selection: All residents who apply for UnionWest and are confirmed prior to the start of Room Selection will be able to select their rooms.
  3. Same Room Signup: Current UnionWest residents who have confirmed applications prior to March 5, 2021 will have the opportunity to claim their same rooms for the 2021-2022 year.
  4. General Room Signup: All current residents with confirmed agreements, who did not participate in Same Room Sign Up, will be able to select a room through General Room Sign Up. Note that current residents who do not select the same room for the 2021-2022 year will need to move out during the Summer-to-Fall break.
  5. Roommates: Roommate groups of up to six will be able to designate one person to complete sign-up for the group. Roommates are only eligible to be pulled into the group if they were confirmed for the same agreement. 

Rosen College Apartments

  1. Apply & Pay Prepayment: Apply and submit your prepayment. If you are staying for Summer A, B, or C housing, you may apply for it at the same time. There is no lottery for Rosen agreements. The applications will be confirmed on a first-come-first-serve basis.
  2. Room Selection: Current residents who apply for Rosen and are confirmed prior to the start of Room Selection will be able to select their rooms.
    • Summer:  For current 904 (all floors), 905-3rd floor, and 905-4th floor residents – Depending on what summer session you apply for and whether or not you apply for fall housing, you will have the following options for same room signup if you were confirmed for Rosen housing:
      1. Summer A: You will have the opportunity to select your same room for Spring to Summer so that you can continue to live in the same space. You will not be able to keep your same room for Fall, as you will be required to move out of your summer room at the end of the Summer A session.
      2. Summer B: You will not be eligible for same room sign up to stay in your Spring room, as you will be required to move out of your room at the end of the spring semester. However, if you’ve also been confirmed for Fall Rosen housing, you will be able to keep your same Summer B room for Fall as well.
    • Summer C: You will have the opportunity to select your same room for Spring to Summer AND to Fall as long as you’ve been confirmed for both.
    • 905 (1st and 2nd floor) Spring residents – The 1st and 2nd floors of 905 will not be available for current residents in Summer or Fall. If you wish to live in 905 in the summer or fall, you will have the opportunity to pick a 3rd or 4th floor 905 room during General Room Selection.
  3. General Fall Room Selection: Current residents confirmed for a Rosen agreement, who did not participate in a summer to fall same room selection process, will be able to select a Rosen room through General Fall Room Selection.
    • Roommates: Roommate groups of up to four will be able to designate one person to complete sign-up for the group. Roommates are only eligible to be pulled into the group if they were confirmed for the same agreement. 

UCF Affiliated Housing – Knights Circle and The 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.