Returning Student Housing Process

All returning undergraduate students, including commuters, who pay their $200 housing deposit by March 1st.

Students that have paid the $200 housing deposit by the March 1st deadline will have access to the housing portal. On the portal students will be able to complete their application, form groups for apartment and suite housing, search for roommates or create roommate pairings for standard housing and select their housing and meal plans.

Students are expected to conduct themselves with integrity and respect at all times during the room selection process. Any attempted manipulation of the room selection process results in fewer housing options for all students and a more stressful experience overall. 

• February 15 - Housing Application opens
• March 1 - Housing deposit deadline
• March 14 - Housing application Deadline
• March 21 - Individual lottery numbers emailed
• March 23-24 - Greek room selection
• March 25-30 - Group formation
• April 4 - Gender inclusive housing selection
• April 6-7 - Apartment & suite selection
• April 11 - Single room selection
• April 13-15 - Standard double room selection

All of the room selections will be completed via the online housing portal.  Students will be able to log on to their myRider accounts and click the Housing Portal link that appears under the Campus Contact.

Students participating in standard room selection are not required to designate a roommate. As part of the housing process, each student is required to complete a roommate matching questionnaire.  This questionnaire is designed to provide students with the opportunity to search for potential roommates based on their online profile.

If you wish not to pair yourself with someone prior to room selection, you may select the space of your choice and the next person looking for a space will have the option to select the open bed in the space that you have chosen. Students participating in Apartment and suite Room Selection will be required to have a complete group that is able to fill the unit type, i.e. 4 person suite, which they are requesting on the first day of selection. If there are any spaces remaining on the second day of Apartment and Suite room selection groups will be allowed to select from whatever spaces remain, regardless of group size.

If you wish not to pair yourself with someone prior to room selection, you may select the space of your choice and the next person looking for a space will have the option to select the open bed in the space that you have chosen.

This applies only to standard room selections.  Students participating in Apartment and suite Room Selection will be required to have a complete group that is able to fill the unit type, i.e. 4 person suite, that they are requesting.

No. Every student must go through the process and choose from the rooms that are available at their time slot.

You must notify the Office of Financial Aid whenever your housing status changes. Students who reside off campus, but not at home, are also required to provide a signed copy of their lease for review by a financial aid counselor.

To apply for housing as a returning student, you must follow the steps and requirements below. 

Steps to Apply for Housing

All returning undergraduate students, including commuters, who pay their housing deposit by March 1 and submit their housing agreement by April 15th will be able to reside on campus.

1. The $200 non-refundable housing deposit must be RECEIVED by the Cashier’s Office by March 1st.
2. Complete appropriate steps through online housing portal.
3. Participate in Greek Room Selection, Apartment and Suites Room Selection, or Standard Room Selection via the online housing portal.

Housing Requirements

To qualify for housing, you must:

• Have paid your $200 housing deposit by the deadline.
• Completed the appropriate steps through the online housing portal.
• All applicants applying for premium housing must be in good judicial and financial standing.
• Must have course selection for the 2022-23 academic year

If you are a readmitted student, you are returning to Rider after having taken a leave of absence. To apply for housing as a readmitted student you must follow the steps and requirements below.

Steps to Apply for Housing

1. All returning undergraduate students, including commuters, who pay their $200 housing deposit, will be able to reside on campus, if space is still available.
2. Students readmitted to the University will be sent a letter containing the online housing portal information.
3. Pay the $200 housing by the deadline stated in the letter.
4. Students will be notified once they are able to go on and select a space or an assignment has been made.

Housing Requirements

To qualify for housing, you must:

• Have paid all your deposits by the deadline.
• Be a full time student.
• Be registered for classes.

• Online: MyRider/Student Information/Ipay
  • Select the Deposits tab
  • Select Fall 2022
  • Select Fall 2022 – Housing Only $200
• Mail
  • Rider University
    Attn: Cashier's Office
    2083 Lawrenceville Road
    Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-3099
• In-Person
  • At the Cashier's Office, top floor of the BLC
• Phone
  • Call Cashier's office at 609-896-5390

Deposits and housing applications will continue to be accepted however you may have limited residence hall choices and will not be eligible to participate in Apartment and suite Room Selection.

Once you have selected a room assignment, the deposit is not refundable. Students may request a refund before they have selected a standard room assignment.

Housing contracts are issued for a full academic year. When you sign your agreement to live on campus, you are committing to the terms of that agreement, including length of agreement and room rate. When you move out early, you are breaking the terms of the agreement. If you are considering canceling your housing agreement, please review the cancellation policy before making a final decision.

Please view our full Cancellation Policy here

After students complete an application individual lottery numbers will be emailed to their Rider email account. Students that have formed a group for Apartment and suite selection will receive their group lottery number via email to the Group Leader.  Students may also find the information on the housing portal. For specific dates please refer to the timeline in General Room Selection information.

Numbers will be assigned according to class year.

• Freshmen: 0 – 23 credits completed
• Sophomore: 24 – 53 credits completed
• Junior: 54 – 89 credits completed
• Senior: 90+ credits completed

A random number will be given to each student after they pay their deposit. Students will be grouped by their class year. Higher numbers will be allowed to room select first.

• Senior: numbers between 2600 and 2999
• Junior: numbers between 1900 and 2499
• Sophomore: numbers between 1100 and 1799
• Returning Freshmen: numbers between 000 and 999

No. Each number is specific to each student.

Because of increased demand for housing for Fall 2022, we will utilize all of our bed spaces as designed. While singles will still be available, they will be offered in limited quantity and at the standard double single rate.

Applications will be accepted on the housing portal through the end of Spring semester.

Students will see all eligible spaces for selection during their allotted timeslot.​ For specific dates please refer to the timeline in General Room Selection information.

Students who are interested in living in an apartment or suite must complete an online group application. Students wishing to participate in the group process must be in good judicial standing and financial standing with the University. The lottery numbers of each applicant will be averaged to get the group lottery numbers. The Group Leader will receive the Group Lottery number as well as the timeslot.

Please view all of the Apartment and Suite spaces here.

Judicial Holds

• Level 1 Violations – Not eligible for Apartment and suite Housing
• Level 2 Violations – Not eligible for Apartment and suite Housing
• Tier 2 Alcohol Violations – Any Tier 2 violation - Restricted for 3 full semesters after incident occurred
• Tier 1 Alcohol Violations – Multiple (2 or more) Tier 1 violation - Restricted for 3 full semesters after incident occurred
• Level 3 Violations – Multiple (2 or more) violations – Restricted for 3 full semesters after incident occurred

Financial Holds

• Outstanding balance to the institution of $500 or more

No. There are gender-inclusive housing options to those students that wish to participate.

Once a space has been selected, all students are bound to the cancellation policy.  This means for anyone canceling their assignment after they have already selected or been placed there is a financial penalty.  A student leaving a group after an assignment has already been selected impacts the ability of the group to remain in that apartment and suite housing assignment.

The group could be removed from their apartment and suite housing assignment and placed in standard housing where available, the group could potentially fill the space with another student so long as that student has a comparable lottery number to the student that backed out or the group would be subject to have the space filled by the Residence Life office.

Please refer to the timeline in General Room Selection information for Greek Room Selection process dates.

Air conditioners are not permitted in student rooms unless approved by the Housing Accommodations committee. Students that have been approved in the past may have to reapply.  Please refer to your approval email for more information. All new requests must be submitted via the Rider Housing Accommodations form by March 1st. The Housing Accommodations form can be found on the Students with Disability Services website.

Students seeking to be exempt from the meal plan based on a severe medical condition or disability must file for a Housing/Dining Accommodations. Students who qualify for an accommodation based on a disability can be exempt from the meal plan. The Housing/Dining Accommodations form can be found on the Housing Accomodations webpage. All requests should be submitted on or before March 1st to ensure a timely review prior to the start of room selection.

Yes, the individual with the higher lottery number will determine the time slot to select.

We cannot guarantee that your request can be accommodated.  Housing is set aside for incoming first-year and transfer students. These beds are specifically designated and cannot be allotted for returning students. If the additional bed space in the room that you have selected is available at the time of new student selection, they may select it.

Yes, provided he or she has paid the $200 room deposit by March 1st and completed their online housing application by the appropriate deadline for selection.

Students studying abroad for the Fall 2022 semester should deposit for Spring 2023 in October 2022 and should NOT participate in Fall 2022 room selection.

In an effort to provide residence hall security during a time when the residence halls are closed, we have created guidelines for students who remain on campus through vacations. 

Please note the information below and be cautious as you come and go. We ask your cooperation in abiding by these regulations as you have been granted the privilege of staying in the halls when school is not in session.

• Only those students whose names are submitted to Residence Life by a coach, faculty or administrative staff member are permitted to reside on campus during vacations.
• Consumption of alcohol is not permitted, regardless of legal age. THE CAMPUS IS DRY WHEN THE UNIVERSITY IS CLOSED.
• No cooking in student rooms.
• No guests are permitted.
• There will be no mail delivery.
• All students approved to stay will be held financially accountable for any damage in their hall during the vacation. This will include cleaning fees, if necessary.
• All other Social Code regulations remain in effect during this time.
• Doors and windows are to be closed each time you exit the building. PLEASE DO NOT PROP DOORS.
• Call Public Safety (X5029) immediately if you notice strangers in or around the building.
• In the event of a fire alarm, evacuate immediately. Public Safety will respond and instruct you when you may re-enter the building.

Violation of any of these guidelines may result in the immediate revocation of housing privileges.

Students enrolled in JTerm may take advantage of the JTerm housing rate.  Housing is available for current residential students registered in JTerm.  Housing is not available for high school students or visiting students.

Students requesting J-term housing should complete the J-term application available on the Housing Portal via their myRider accounts.

Important phone numbers:

• Public Safety x5029
• Residence Life x5102
• Facilities x5080

The University is not liable for any loss of personal property by theft, fire, water or any other cause. Please procure personal insurance, since the University cannot purchase this protection for students.

Insurance vendor information is also included in the New Student Orientation Information.