First-Year Housing Process

Access to the first-year housing application typically opens in late April or early May. Incoming first-year students will receive an email from Housing & Residential Services (HRS) with details regarding the housing application process and the application submission deadline. Important housing dates will also be posted on the Housing Dates & Deadlines webpage.  

All applicants are given equal weight; it does not matter when you submit your housing application, as long as it’s received by the posted deadline. Building placements are made according to a lottery process, so don’t feel rushed to complete the online form – take your time when evaluating the housing options and be honest when sharing your living preferences. You can also amend your submitted preferences at any time before the deadline – just make sure your changes are saved within the housing portal. 

The application captures students' housing preferences, including which living community students prefer to join. Through the application, students may also choose to form a group of up to four total students who are interested in the same building placement. While HRS will make every effort to assign students to one of their top three residence hall preferences, there is a possibility that a student may receive an assignment in any of the available residences based on space availability. But don't worry! There are multiple opportunities to change your housing assignment at MIT (see below).   

Careful attention is paid to student room assignments to help ensure a positive living experience. A unique feature of MIT’s residential system is that student Room Assignment Chairs (RACs) coordinate individual room assignments in each building along with members of their House Team. While a key set of principles guides the room assignment process, each house approaches room assignments a bit differently, and information about each house’s room assignment process is linked below. 

After receiving living preference information from students, HRS shares these details with student RACs to facilitate individual room assignments for each residence hall in coordination with the House Team. Confirmed room assignments will be shared with incoming students according to the posted date.

Once you’re on campus, check into your assigned residence hall at the front desk using your Mobile MIT ID barcode in the MIT Atlas mobile application (Menu>Profile>MIT ID Barcode) to receive your keys. Staff are available at residence hall front desks starting at 8:00 am, and you're encouraged to check into your residence hall by 3 pm.

If you arrive outside of these hours, please contact Housing Operations (known as “Unit-12”) at (617) 253-1500 or dial 3-1500 from any MIT phone to receive provisional access to your room. Note: overnight staff may have to respond to numerous check-in requests across campus, so please be patient. You’ll be able to pick up your key(s) the next day when your residence’s front desk is staffed.

If you are voluntarily participating in residence or room change processes such as FYRE or house-led floor moves, please DO NOT unpack your belongings until you get your final room assignment. 

Once you’re on campus, check into your assigned residence hall at the front desk using your Mobile MIT ID barcode in the MIT Atlas mobile application (Menu>Profile>MIT ID Barcode) to receive your keys. Staff are available at residence hall front desks starting at 8:00 am and you're encouraged to check into your residence hall by 4 pm to give yourself enough time to check in for orientation by 5 pm.

If you arrive outside of these hours, please contact Housing Operations (known as “Unit-12”) at (617) 253-1500 or dial 3-1500 from any MIT phone to receive provisional access to your room. Note: overnight staff respond to check-in requests across campus as quickly as possible, so please be patient. You’ll be able to pick up your key(s) the next day when staff are available at your residence’s front desk.

If you are voluntarily participating in residence or room change processes such as FYRE or house-led floor moves, please DO NOT unpack your belongings until you get your final room assignment. 

You can participate in Residence Exploration (REX), which allows you to explore each house and participate in special programming organized by existing residents. After seeing each living community during REX, students who would like to change their housing assignment are welcome to participate in the First Year Residence Exchange (FYRE) process. 

While participating in REX, you may discover a new community that would like to live in. FYRE allows you to change your building assignment (depending on availability).  

How does it work?

• The FYRE application opens at 12:00 pm on move-in day.
• If you wish to participate, you can visit their Housing Portal, navigate to Forms, select First Year Residence Exchange (FYRE), and complete the application with your new housing preferences.
• The application closes at 2:00 am on the Wednesday of Orientation/REX. You will receive your results in the afternoon so you can participate in the internal room selection process in your permanent residence hall that evening.

How do you move?

If you receive a switch through FYRE, you will move to your final assignment during move day on the Thursday of Orientation. Don't worry! Moving assistance is provided.

Didn't get a switch during FYRE?

If you didn't receive a switch in FYRE and you would still like to move, we encourage you to participate in the building switch processes held each semester.

*FYRE is a binding process if a student receives a switch.

The in-house process to finalize room assignments for first-year residents occurs after FYRE results are released. While the exact process differs between each residence, the process will occur within the residence on Wednesday evening. 

In some houses, final assignments are made by polling room or roommate preferences to determine optimal roommate and room matches. Others assign rooms based on subcommunity preferences following the in-house exploration of subcommunities (i.e., floors, halls, wings, or entries). Some residences make assignments based on a combination of both subcommunity & room preferences. 

In some residences, you are automatically included in the in-house process unless you opt-out.  If you opt-out, you will retain your initial room assignment. In other residences, you have to opt-in to switch your room assignment meaning you will retain your initial room assignment unless you opt-in to switch.

The chart below compares how each residence manages its final in-house room assignment process for first-year students. Summaries of the in-house process are also available on each residence page, and full action plans are available in the links below. Still not sure? Ask your RAC chairs, house team, or an upperclassman! Questions create connections.

If you receive a new building or room assignment from FYRE or other in-house process, you will need to move your belongings out of your old space, store them temporarily, and then move them into your new space. 

Please be out of your old space by 8:00 am on Thursday to ensure house staff have enough time to prepare your room for the next occupant. You may temporarily store your belongings in your residence's designated storage location.

Your new space will be available by 12:00 pm on Thursday for you to move into. Now you can fully unpack!