New Student Housing Process

To secure on-campus housing at Rider University, you must first submit your non-refundable tuition and housing deposits. You will gain access to begin the housing application three business days after your deposit is paid. 

Deposit deadline: May 1

First-come, first-served assignment: The earlier you submit your deposit, the better the chances of selecting a preferred room type or location. Deposits will still be accepted after the deadline, but housing options may become limited. 

How to submit your deposit:

1. Log in to your myRider account.
2. Select the term of entry:
   1. For students entering in the fall, select "Fall - Tuition & Housing ($400)" to pay both tuition and housing deposits.
   2. If you have already paid the tuition deposit and wish to live on campus, select "Fall - Housing Only ($200)" to make the housing deposit.
   3. If you paid the tuition deposit and plan to commute, you do not need to make a housing deposit. However, you must notify Rider of your planned living arrangements by making a selection in the Housing Portal.  

For detailed instructions, please visit rider.edu/deposit. 

Students with financial aid covering direct expenses may apply for partial deferral of the deposit expenses through the Office of Financial Aid. Deposit refunds are not available. 

All residential and commuter students should continue on to Stage 2 of this process to complete the Two-Year Residency Requirement form.

Your deposit will be processed within three business days, after which you can access the Housing Portal. There, you can complete your housing application, form groups for apartment or suite housing, find or pair with roommates for standard housing, and select your meal plan.

Per the Two-Year Residency Requirement, all incoming first-year freshmen students — whether living on campus or commuting from home — must complete steps one through five of the housing application to notify Rider of their planned living arrangements. (Transfer, continuing education, exchange and graduate students are exempt from this policy.)

Required application steps for incoming students:

1. Log into the myRider portal.
2. Navigate to the “Housing and Dining Info” card and click the Housing Portal link.
3. In the left menu bar, click on the Application link. Then, select the academic year and click Apply.
4. On the welcome screen, click Begin Application.
5. Review the Two-Year Residency Requirement policy and select one of the following options:
   • Living on Campus - Continue with the full housing application. Refer to the additional steps below. 
   • Commuting from Home (with a Parent/Legal Guardian) - This completes the commuter confirmation process and will apply for two years. 
   • Approved Residency Requirement exemption - Provide a brief explanation for your exemption request. 

Additional steps for students living on campus: 

If you selected “Living on Campus”, complete the following: 

6. Review and confirm your emergency contact information. 
7. Create a roommate matching profile (you can form groups and engage in roommate matching later).
8. Review the Alcohol Policy and agree to the “Cali Pledge”. 
9. Review and agree to the Housing License and Agreement. 
10. Consider opting into Grad Guard Renters Insurance.
11. Select your meal plan. All residential students must participate in a meal plan. You can review meal plan options on the Rider Dining website. 

Applying for Specialty Housing:

• Students may also complete the specialty housing application in the Housing Portal to opt into Gender Inclusive Housing (GIH) or request a Living Learning Community (LLC). 

Housing and Dining Accommodations:

Students can request housing accommodations once they have been approved by the Office of Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS). Medical documentation must be submitted to SASS. Do not share your medical information with the Office of Residence Life. We strongly encourage you to apply for accommodations ahead of the May 1 deadline to allow sufficient time for processing. If you have concerns, please contact Residence Life and SASS for guidance. We are happy to assist you in navigating the process. 

Additional Information:

• Full-time student status is required to be eligible for housing.
• First come, first served: Housing applications are processed in the order of deposit submission. We recommend that students deposit as early as possible.
• You will receive updates through your Rider email account. Please check it regularly.

Finding a compatible roommate and selecting your room are key steps in your housing journey. 

Roommate Matching 

• Use the Roommate Matching Questionnaire in the Housing Portal to find compatible roommates. You may search for and request a roommate based on preferences. 

Room Selection

• Mid-May - Gender-Inclusive Housing (GIH) and Living Learning Community (LLC) room selection will take place for students who opted into specialty housing. 
• Early June - Room selection timeslots will be emailed to eligible students (a timeslot is a specific date and time when you can begin selecting a room).

Tips for finding your space: 

• Explore the features of specific residence halls and rooms on the Residence Life website and in the room selection portal. 
• The student with the earliest timeslot in a roommate group will select the room and assign bed spaces for all group members.  The members of the roommate group will need to confirm the space selection. 
• Your roommate group should match the number of beds in the unit. If your first-choice room type is unavailable, you may need to adjust your group based on availability.  

Yes. Starting fall 2025, all first-year students must either commute from their primary residence OR live on campus for their first two years of study (freshman and sophomore years). Living at other off-campus addresses is not permitted. Student success at Rider is 3% higher for students who choose to live on campus and national studies indicate that these factors contribute positively to student persistence and timely graduation. 

Whether you plan to live on campus or commute from home, you must notify Rider of your planned living arrangements by completing the Residency Requirement form in the housing application. 

Transfer, continuing education, exchange and graduate students are exempt from this policy. 

For more information, visit rider.edu/residency-requirement.

Yes. All residential students must participate in one of the university’s full meal plans. For more information about meal plans, venues, and menus visit the Rider Dining website.

Review Rider's Campus Living Guide for information to help you prepare, settle in, and make the most of your living space. You can view details on room furnishings and measurements, residence hall linen and care packages, renters insurance, and lists of things we recommend bringing for move-in day.

Your housing deposit is applied to your semester balance upon payment. If you have already selected a room assignment, the deposit is non-refundable. However, if you have not yet chosen a standard room, you may request a refund. Refund requests will be processed only after the room selection period ends. For full details, please review the Contract Termination and Cancellation Policy.

The Housing Portal is an online system where you manage all stages of the housing application and selection process. It is available through your myRider dashboard.

To access the Housing Portal:

1. Allow three business days for your deposit to be processed.
2. Log in to your myRider account.
3. Under the “Housing & Dining Info” card, click the Housing Portal link. 

Deposits and housing applications are still accepted after the deadline, but room availability may be limited. 
 

Room selection appointment time slots, room assignments and other important updates are sent to your Rider email account multiple times throughout the summer. 

Please check your Rider email account on a regular basis. These notifications will include important information about roommates and check-in procedures.

No. Incoming students can only pair with other incoming students.

No. Students participating in standard room selection are not required to choose a roommate. However, they must complete a roommate-matching questionnaire as part of the housing process. This questionnaire helps students find potential roommates based on their online profiles.
If you prefer not to select a roommate before room selection, you can choose an available space, and another student searching for housing can later select the open bed in that room.
 

Room selection is fully online so you can participate from anywhere. Log into myRider, navigate to the Housing & Dining Info card and click the Housing Portal link.

Room selection appointment times are assigned based on the date your housing deposit is received.

Once you complete your housing application, your individual Room Selection Appointment Time will be emailed to your Rider email account. For specific dates, refer to the Room Selection Process Timeline.

Your individual time slot will be emailed to your Rider email account. You can also find your Room Selection Appointment Time on the Housing Portal. For key dates, refer to the Room Selection Process Timeline.

No. Appointment times are assigned individually to each student and cannot be transferred. It is expected that students conduct themselves with integrity and respect throughout the room selection process. Any attempt to manipulate the room selection process is not allowed, as it can lead to fewer housing options for all students and a more stressful experience overall.

Students can request housing accommodations once they have been approved by the Office of Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS). Medical documentation must be submitted to SASS.  Do not share medical information with the Office of Residence Life. 

• Students with severe medical conditions or disabilities must submit a Housing/Dining Accommodation Request on or before May 1 to ensure a timely review prior to the start of room selection.
• The Housing/Dining Accommodations form is available on the Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS) website and may also be accessed in the Housing Portal.

Please contact Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS) by phone at 609-895-5492 or email accessibility@rider.edu with questions on the accommodations process.

Students with a severe medical condition or disability may apply for a meal plan exemption through the Housing/Dining Accommodations process. Those who qualify based on a documented disability can receive an exemption. The Housing/Dining Accommodations form is available on the Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS) website.

Please contact Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS) by phone at 609-895-5492 or email accessibility@rider.edu with questions on the accommodations process.  

Winter Housing

• Available to current residential students who are registered for J-term courses.
• Students must have an active housing assignment for the spring semester to qualify.

Summer Housing

• Available to full-time matriculated Rider University students who meet at least one of the following criteria:
  • Registered for Summer Session classes
  • Employed on campus or locally
  • Experiencing housing insecurity

• During breaks, students may be granted housing if their names are submitted to Residence Life by a coach, faculty member, or administrative staff.
• Housing is not available for high school students or visiting students.

To ensure residence hall security when the university is closed, the following guidelines apply to students approved to remain on campus during break periods. Your cooperation is essential, as staying in campus housing while school is not in session is a privilege.

Alcohol Prohibited: The campus is dry when the university is closed, meaning alcohol consumption is strictly prohibited, regardless of legal age.

No Cooking: Cooking is not allowed in student rooms.

No Guests: Visitors are not permitted at any time.

No Mail Delivery: Mail services will not be available during the break period.

Responsibility for Damages: Students approved to stay will be held financially responsible for any damage to their residence hall, including cleaning fees if necessary.

Student Code of Conduct: All university policies, including those outlined in the Student Code of Social Conduct, remain in effect.

• Building Security: Always close and lock doors and windows when leaving. Do not prop doors open.
• Suspicious Activity: Report any unknown individuals or suspicious behavior to Public Safety immediately by calling x5029.
• Fire Safety: In the event of a fire alarm, evacuate immediately. Public Safety will respond and inform you when it is safe to re-enter.

Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the immediate revocation of housing privileges.

The university is not responsible for the loss of personal property due to theft, fire, water damage, or other causes. Students are strongly encouraged to obtain personal insurance, as the university does not provide this coverage.