Students at outdoor basketball courts next to Residence buildings

Housing Selection

Here you can learn more about the housing process for the upcoming semester/academic year.

Living At St. John's Guide To Residence Life

Housing Selection Calendars

Spring 2024 ProcessDeposit DeadlineAccommodation Requests Due To Student Disability ServicesApplication DeadlineSelf-Selection Time Frame
Deadlines For All StudentsNovember 3, 2023November 10, 2023November 10, 2023November 28 to December 1, 2023
 
Fall 2024 ProcessContinuing Undergraduate and Graduate StudentsLaw StudentsNew Freshmen, Transfer, and Graduate Students
Deposit DueFebruary 23, 2024April 1, 2024
Incoming (1L) Law students receive priority when they deposit before April 1, 2024.
May 1, 2024
Applications DueMarch 8, 2024April 10, 2024May 8, 2024
Accommodation Requests Due to Student Disability ServicesMarch 8, 2024April 10, 2024May 8, 2024
Deposit Refund (submit via Housing Portal)March 8, 2024
  • Continuing Law Students: April 10, 2024
  • New Law Students (1L): May 10, 2024
May 8, 2024
Appointment E-mails Sent Out to St. John’s E-mail accountMarch 25, 2024April 22, 2024May 15 2024
Online Self-Selection PeriodApril 8-12, 2024April 30, 2024May 27-31, 2024

Housing Selection Guide

The information contained in the sections below will help to guide you through the housing selection process. Follow these steps to submit your deposit, complete your application, search for roommates, receive an appointment, and self-select your housing for next year.

DEPOSIT BY CLASS YEAR

Student GroupHousing Deposit Amounts
New Students, New Transfers, New Graduate Students$400 (One-Time)
Continuing Undergraduate and Graduate Students$500
Law Students$500

Deadlines for submission are listed in the Housing Calendar. 

IN ORDER TO DEPOSIT

Your student account must be free and clear of holds and balances. Please review any outstanding financial or documentation requirements prior to the selection period. Students on a payment plan may not deposit online. 

Students can submit their deposit online via the UIS system where they will be redirected to the Touchnet site to submit a deposit. Touchnet will assess a non-refundable fee of 2.85% for your payment transaction (or a minimum $3 fee). Please see Credit Card Payments for Tuition and Fees Policy for additional details.

Follow this path to submit your deposit:

UIS>Student Menu>Student Accounts>Student Account Suite>Deposits/eDeposits>Select Term>Select Deposit Option

Effective November 7, 2022 credit card payments will no longer be accepted over the phone or in person by Student Financial Services. St. John's University still offers methods to make payments without service fees. Please review these additional payment options.

Due to a variety of factors including processing time and delivery delays, students are not encouraged to make their deposit with a check. If you choose to do, mailed checks must be made payable to "St. John's University." Please include the student's name and ID Number and the term for which you are making a housing deposit in the check's memo line. 

DO NOT MAIL CHECKS TO THE MASSACHUSETTS ADDRESS.

DO NOT SUBMIT CHECKS TO THE OFFICE OF RESIDENCE LIFE.

If you decide to submit your deposit via check, please mail it to:

Office of Student Financial Services

St. John's University

8000 Utopia Parkway

Queens, New York 11439

 

If you do not provide a deposit by the deadline (late or unable to make payment), you will not be eligible to participate in the housing selection process; however, you will be invited to participate in our housing intent process. 

 

Important Note: All prior financial obligations, financial documentation requirements, and previous balances must be satisfied in order for a housing deposit to be accepted. Any attempt to pay a deposit with an outstanding deposit or documentation issue will not be reflected as a housing deposit payment. Credits on student accounts from current or past semesters may not be used to satisfy a housing deposit for the housing selection process.

 

Please note that the submission of a housing deposit does not guarantee participation in the housing selection process. Students who wish to have their housing deposit returned must submit requests by the deadline noted on the Housing Selection Calendar. Housing deposit refund requests received after the deadline will be declined, and the student will forfeit a refund of the $500 deposit. 

 

Your deposit serves as a prepayment toward your housing bill for a given semester. This should not be confused with the $250 damage deposit, which is a separate fee assessed alongside your room and board costs. This damage deposit will remain on file for the entirety of the academic year. Upon vacating your space, your room will be assessed for damages, repairs will be made out of this damage deposit. Remaining balances are refunded to your student account in late June.

Once students have satisfied the appropriate housing deposit for a given term, they will receive access to the St. John's Housing Portal to complete the online housing application and agreement. Only eligible students will move on in the process to self-selection. Please note that once submitted, a deposit may require 1-2 business days for processing.

During this first visit to the portal, students are expected to complete their online housing application, student profile, and most importantly, sign their housing agreement. You can review the latest Housing Agreement on the Office of Residence Life main page.

Students will receive an e-mail inviting them to complete the on-line application. Applications are sent to a continuing student's St. John's e-mail account. New students will have the application sent to their recruitment e-mail address.

Failure to complete this step can negatively impact roommate requests. Students who do not complete their application will have their incomplete application canceled. Those still interested in housing will be required to participate in the Housing Intent Process. Incomplete applicants have not agreed to the terms and conditions of the housing agreement and are eligible to continue on to the self-selection/placement process. You will receive an e-mail copy of your housing agreement once it is successfully completed. Please contact our office at 718-990-2417 with any questions you may have.

For more on this process, please review this brief video: How To Complete Your Housing Application

NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY

Students who have paid their deposit for housing selection and have completed their application by signing their agreement will receive notice via their St. John's e-mail account, informing them of their eligibility/housing appointment.

If you satisfied the housing deposit by the deadline and do not have access to the correct term within the online application or have not yet received an e-mail, please contact the Office of Residence Life at 718-990-2000 with proof of payment so that we may review your account.

The following conditions would make a student ineligible for the housing selection process:

  • The student has a cumulative grade point average (GPA) less than 1.95 at the completion of the fall term.
  • The student has conduct sanctions permanently restricting them from University manages living properties.

SELF-SELECTION APPOINTMENTS

Self-selection appointments will consist of a date and time at which the student will have access to the online housing portal in order to participate in the online self-selection process. Self-selection appointments will be sent to the student's St. John's e-mail address. See the Housing Selection Calendar for the official deadlines for this messaging.

HOW APPOINTMENT TIMES ARE DETERMINED

NEW UNDERGRADUATE, TRANSFER, and GRADUATE STUDENTS

In your first year at the University, the date of the student's housing deposit will be used to determine their priority for self-selection.

CONTINUING STUDENTS

New for Fall 2024:

Students participating in the housing selection process, with on time deposits and applications, will be randomly ordered for the selection process.

LAW STUDENTS

Law students are rank ordered for selection by the date of their deposit. Incoming law students (1L) will receive priority placement in the selection process prior to April 1st. After that date, all other deposits will be arranged for selection in the order they were received.

The information in the following sections will further describe facets of the Housing Selection Process.

NEW FOR FALL 2024: St. John's University will pilot a Suite-Selection process

The Office of Residence Life will set aside a portion of the suites in all buildings and reserve them for a new phase of our self-selection process dedicated to suite selection. The other spaces will be opened to the community for individual room selection.

How Suite Selection Will Work:

  • Students can indicate their interest in being considered for suite selection by updating the suite selection preference box in their portal under their roommate pairing page. Students who participate in this process will be able to pair with a maximum of seven students for a group total of eight people.
  • The Office of Residence Life will send out an email listing the bed counts for available suites in this selection process to assist students in their suitemate pairing. In order to secure a suite, you must be able to fill all of the beds in the space.
  • All students will be randomly ordered for selection. Those participating in suite selection will be assigned based on the earliest appointment time within their group and the ranked choices listed in their room preferences. We strongly recommend that all suitemates list the same preferences for their selection

Please note that if you are chosen for the suite selection process you will be placed with your cohort into the first choice indicated in your group leader's preference.  

  • Spaces are limited for this pilot program, and student groups will be notified if they were successful in having their suitemate group placed. 
  • Those who are not selected for placement will be notified and advised to break up their groups and repair as roommates for room selection. 


We're thrilled to share the exciting news that students can now opt into suite selection through their housing application. To provide you with more insights into the process, we've created a video that you can view HERE.

In continuation of our commitment to enhancing the student living experience, the Office of Residence Life introduced the Suite Selection Pilot Program, and we are pleased to provide you with details on the available room configurations for suite selection:

ResidenceSuite SizeBedroom Configuration
CAREY HALL6 person suites2 single bedrooms, 2 double bedrooms
FOUNDERS VILLAGE7 person suites1 Jr. Double bedroom, 1 Double bedroom, 1 Triple bedroom
GOETHALS APARTMENTS4 person suite2 single bedrooms, 1 double bedroom
HENLEY ROAD RESIDENCE7 person suite1 single bedroom, 3 double bedrooms
HENLEY ROAD RESIDENCE8 person suite4 double bedrooms
JANETSCHEK HALL6 person suites3 double bedrooms
JANETSCHEK HALL8 person suites2 single bedrooms, 2 triple bedrooms
O'CONNOR HALL7 person suite1 single bedroom, 3 double bedrooms
O'CONNOR HALL8 person suite2 single bedrooms, 2 triple bedrooms
SETON COMPLEX4 person suite1 single bedroom, 1 triple bedroom
SETON COMPLEX3 person suite1 single bedroom, 1 double bedroom

Please note in order to secure a suite as a part of this pilot program, you and your fellow suitemates must:

  1. Mark the suite selection button in your housing application.
  2. All be members of the same class year with on-time deposits, and applications.
  3. Pair as suitemates through the housing portal.
  4. Ensure that your group leader lists the top two building locations as preferences for your group.
  5. Ensure that all other group members list the building and room type they would like to be placed in.

All of these steps need to be completed no later than March 15, 2024.

For those selected in the pilot program, notifications regarding your status will be sent between March 15 and March 25. If unsuccessful, you will be advised to reconfigure your groups for the general room selection process.

Visit the Housing Selection Website for more details, and keep an eye out for announcements about upcoming information sessions and online resources in the coming days.



How Suite Selection Will Work

  1. Students can indicate their interest in being considered for suite selection by updating the suite selection preference box in their application. Students who participate in this process will be able to pair with friends and fill all of the beds in a designated suite or apartment.

     

  2. The Office of Residence Life will send out an email listing the available suites and apartments with their configurations to assist students in their suitemate pairing. In order to secure a suite or apartment in this process, you must be able to fill all of the beds in the space.

     

  3. All groups will be randomly ordered for selection. Those participating in suite selection will be assigned based on the earliest appointment time and the ranked choices listed in their location and room preferences. We strongly recommend that all suitemates list the same building location as their first choice in their preferences. Students should indicate the room type they most desire within that suite. 
  4. Please note that if you are chosen for the suite selection process you will be placed with your cohort into the first or second choice indicated in your group leader's preference based on availability.  

     

  5. Spaces are limited for this pilot program, and student groups will be notified if they were successful in having their suitemate group placed. Those who are not selected for placement will be notified and advised to break up their groups and pair as roommates for room selection.
     

The room selection process at St. John's University allows students to choose a single room or to connect with a roommate and fill a bedroom space.  Students participating in room selection can only fill their immediate bedroom, they cannot fill all rooms in a suite or apartment.

For example: students can pair together as roommates in the housing portal. This allows the student with the earliest appointment time to log into the portal, select a bedroom with the appropriate number of vacant beds, and then pull their approved roommates (with a later appointment time) into the bedroom space.

Students can only fill one bedroom at a time. Students are not able to place students into other rooms within a suite or apartment.  You can also view these video tutorials: 

How To Add A Roommate Guide

Selecting A Room and Meal Plan (With A Paired Roommate) Guide

Roommate requests cannot be honored after the self-selection process has closed.

If a student has no roommate preference or fails to use their appointment, the Office of Residence Life will assign roommates. Sometimes a student may have enough credits to move them into the next class year. Please note that students can only select roommates from the same class year. Please contact the Office of Residence Life if your surplus credits have advanced you into the next class year and we will adjust your account.

Gender Affirming Housing

The Office of Residence Life offers students the opportunity to live in gender-affirming housing on campus.

Housing assignments are made based on gender, which students can update within UIS at any time. Once that update has been made, students should contact the Office of Residence Life to inform them of the need for a different accommodation.

Students wishing to update their gender with the University, should:

Login to “UIS” via signon.stjohns.edu

  • Go to the “Personal Information” Menu
  • Click on “Update Biographical Data”

Students wishing to update their preferred name with the University, should visit the “Preferred Name Policy” on the University Registrar website

Residence Life also provides spaces with private bathrooms for students who indicate a preference for more privacy, including transgender and/or non-binary students. However, we acknowledge that there are a limited number of these spaces since the vast majority of our housing is suite-style, with shared bathrooms.  Rooms with private bathrooms are located in Donovan Hall.  Because these are very limited, students with those requests should contact Associate Director of Residence Life, Dr. Jason Bartlett.

Gender-Inclusive Housing

Gender-inclusive housing (GIH) is a living option in which two or more students share a bedroom, suite and/or apartment inclusive of their gender identity, sex or gender expression. By opting into this community, students may live together regardless of their gender marker in UIS. Gender-inclusive housing is intended to support an affirming living community and it is not recommended or intended for students in a relationship to live together.  This full-year commitment will be offered in various housing locations to accommodate students across our housing program. More information about GIH and the application process will be made available in the weeks leading up to housing selection for Fall 2022. 

Students interested in GIH will sign an addendum to the housing agreement, which outlines living expectations for the community.

For more information, please contact the Office of Residence Life. If you have specific concerns or want to talk through housing options that you may not see online or in the housing application, please contact Joseph Dratch, Associate Director of Residence Life.

If you require a specific type of housing accommodation, please contact the Office of Disability Services by the deadlines listed in the Housing Calendar. All students are still required to meet all deadlines for the selection process in order to be eligible for housing placement.

Students seeking accommodation must register with the Office of Disability Services by providing documentation pertaining to your condition from your treating physician.

Queens Campus
[email protected]

Documents for special accommodations should be sent to: 

Queens Campus

Jason Luchs, Associate Director

Office of Disability Services

St. John's University

8000 Utopia Parkway

Queens, New York 11439

Tel: 718-990-6869

Fax: [email protected]

Queens Campus

Veronica (Ronni) A. Maggi, Case Manager

Office of Disability Services

St. John's University

8000 Utopia Parkway

Queens, New York 11439

Tel: 718-990-6869

Fax: 718-990-2609

[email protected]

 

 

BuildingPreferred Class YearRoom TypesMeal Plan Requirement
Carey HallJuniors and SeniorsSingles and DoublesCarte Blanche, Meal Plan 10 or 14
DaSilva HallFreshmen and TransfersSingles, Doubles, Jr. Triples, and TriplesCarte Blanch Meal Plan (First Year Students)
DePaul TownhousesGraduate and Law StudentsPrivate Singles, Deluxe Singles, Singles, Private Doubles, Deluxe Doubles, DoublesNo Meal Plan Required
Donovan HallFreshmenDonovan Select Jr. Triples, TriplesCarte Blanche (First Year Students)
Founder's VillageMostly Juniors and Seniors. Some Sophomore Resident AssistantsSingles, Jr. Doubles, Doubles, TriplesCarte Blanche, Meal Plan 14, 10, or 7
Goethals ApartmentsJuniors/SeniorsSingles and DoublesNo Meal Plan Required
Janetschek HallSophomoresSingles, Doubles, Jr. Triples, and TriplesCarte Blanche, Meal Plan 10 or 14
Henley Road ResidenceSophomore, Juniors, Seniors, Transfer, Graduate, and Law StudentsSingles and DoublesNo Meal Plan Required
Hollis HallFreshmenSingles, Doubles, Jr. Triples, and TriplesCarte Blanche (First Year Students)
O'Connor HallSophomoresSingles, Doubles, and Jr. TriplesCarte Blanche, Meal Plan 10 or 14
Seton ComplexJuniors and SeniorsSingles, Doubles, Deluxe Doubles, Private Doubles, TriplesNo Meal Plan Required

To learn more visit the University's Room and Board webpage and the Dining Services webpage for more details about pricing and meal plans features. 

Please note, residential students are not eligible to enroll in a block or commuter meal plan.

 

If your deposit is not received by the deadline, you will not be eligible to participate in the Priority Self-Selection process. If an eligible student requests you as a roommate, you will not be able to be pulled into their room. Please notify classmates of your ineligibility so they may seek other roommate options. Vacant spaces in rooms cannot be held for students.

Students who are unable to pay the deposit by the established deadline may complete the Post Selection Housing Placement Process. This form is available in the St. John's Housing Portal under the Self-Service forms tab. Students who complete the form will be contacted once an available space is identified. Students will be invited to deposit, complete an application, and then be assigned a room and meal plan by the Office of Residence Life. 

Halls in the Residential Village, Founder's Village, Goethals Apartments, Henley Road Complex, and Seton Complex

Single:This is a bedroom in a suite or apartment in which only one person sleeps.

Double: This is a bedroom in a suite or apartment in which two people sleep. The bedroom can be configured as a bunk bed and in some instances it may be possible to debunk the beds.

Junior Double: This is a bedroom in which two people sleep. This room tends to be smaller in terms of size and will be set up with a bunk bed. Beds will likely need to remain bunked. Closet space may be shared and in some cases desk(s) or dresser(s) may be located in the common area or closet.

Junior Triple: This is a bedroom in which three people sleep. The space is configured with one bunk bed and one free-standing bed. This room tends to be smaller in terms of square footage which makes debunking unlikely. Closet space may be shared and in some cases desk(s) or dresser(s) may be located in the common area or closet (if suite style room).

Triple: This is a bedroom in which three people sleep that is configured with one bunk bed and one free-standing bed. When roommates are in agreement debunking may be possible.

Quad: This is a bedroom in which four people sleep that is configured with two sets of bunk beds. Debunking is not possible in this space. Closet space may be shared and in some cases desk(s) or dresser(s) may be located in the common area or closet (if suite style room).

DePaul Houses

All law students live in apartments with single bedrooms. Graduate Students live in apartments with a single and double bedrooms.

Private Single: is an apartment in which only one person lives by themselves. They have exclusive access to the living room, kitchen and bathroom areas in this unit. These spaces are extremely limited in number (reserved for law students).

Deluxe Single:This is typically the largest bedroom in an apartment with two other bedrooms. It has access to its own internal bathroom and shower (reserved for law students).

Single: This bedroom varies in size, please see square footage for more details. The single bedroom has access to the common area bathroom, shower, kitchen, and living room within an apartment with two other bedrooms. (available for law and graduate students).

Private Double: This is an apartment in which only two people live. The apartment has a common area bathroom for the exclusive use of those residents (reserved for graduate students).

Deluxe Double: This is a room in an apartment in which two people share a bedroom space with its own private internal bathroom. Additional student(s) live in the apartment’s other bedroom(s). All students in this unit have access to the common area bathroom, shower, kitchen, and living room within their apartment (reserved for graduate students). 

Double: This is a room in an apartment in which two people share a bedroom space. There is no internal bathroom and all students have access to the common area bathroom, shower, kitchen, and living room within their apartment (reserved for graduate students).

NOTE: In an effort to preserve suites and rooms as family units, the room change process has been suspended for 2020-21 to prevent the potential spread of the virus.

The Room Change Process allows students to sign up to participate in one of the following two options:

ROOM SWAP: This option allows students to participate in a bed-for-bed trade with another student. Room swaps can only be completed for students who have the same gender and class year. Continuing students can log into the St. John's Housing Portal to access the Room Swap application during the posted times on the Housing Calendar.

ROOM CHANGE WAITLIST: As rooms become available throughout system, the Office of Residence Life will use the room change waitlist to fill those spaces based on your preferences, gender, class year, and or living-learning/community eligibility. Room change offers will be made in the order in which they are received. To access the form, please log into the St. John's Housing Portal and access options in the self-service menu on the main page.

Note: Room changes are based on availability. This means that in order to move into a vacant space, the previous resident must file the appropriate paperwork with the University to decline their housing. This process unfolds throughout the course of the summer and typically picks up once bills are due and student's finalize their housing decisions.

Once the semester starts the Office of Residence Life will begin the OPEN ROOM CHANGE PERIOD. The process begins on the first day of classes and runs for a period of time specified in official communications to your St. John's e-mail. All room changes during this process require an in-person meeting with your building or area's Residence Director. All room changes are subject to availability and final approval from the Office of Residence Life.

What if I cannot make my appointment for self-selection? Can I get a new appointment?

Your self-selection appointment is the first opportunity to enter the St. John's Housing Portal and select a room and meal plan. This is a live selection process and students are encouraged to enter at their appointed time. However, you may enter at any later time to make your selection. Note that in doing so, students with later appointments will be choosing and availability will change on a minute-to-minute basis. For online selection, there is no way to have a proxy sign in to act on your behalf. once the next person's appointment time starts, they can select a room, diminishing your potential room choices. If you are not able to select a room prior to the online selection deadlines, you will forfeit your opportunity to self-select your space and will be auto-assigned to a room. 

Note: when students confirm each other as roommate pairs in the housing portal, the roommate with the earliest selection appointment can choose the room and place all approved roommates into their bedroom (so long as they have chosen a bedroom with enough vacant beds).

I am a student-athlete. Do I need to participate in the housing selection process?

If you are requesting to reside on campus for the next academic year, you MUST submit the $500 housing deposit and complete all steps of the selection process by the deadlines in the Housing Calendar. Please note that athletes are subject to the same eligibility criteria as all other students participating in the process. Every effort will be made to secure a spot for student-athletes, but demand ultimately decides the outcome, and roommate requests may be affected.

I am studying abroad. Can I participate in housing selection?

Current study abroad students seeking to reside on campus must submit the $500 housing deposit and complete the required steps in the housing selection process. Study abroad students will be able to participate in the selection process in the same exact way as all St. John's students via the St. John's Housing Portal. Students who study abroad in the fall, seeking housing for the spring will be able to choose from vacant spaces in housing. The Office of Global Studies furnishes the Office of Residence Life with the names of all students who are studying abroad for a given semester. Please monitor your St. John's e-mail for official communications and instructions regarding this selection process. 

I am a member of the Ozanam or Catholic Scholar Program. How will this process work for me?

If you are requesting to reside on campus for the next academic year as a part of a special program, you must submit the $500 housing deposit and complete all of the steps in the selection process by the deadlines outlined in the Housing Calendar. Students in the Ozanam and Catholic Scholars program live in the community in triple bedrooms in Donovan Hall.

What does it mean to be "eligible to participate?"

To ensure that you are eligible to participate in the housing selection process, you need to meet all the deadlines and requirements outlined in this guide. "Eligible" means that you have completed the outlined steps, cleared an academic and student conduct review; and qualified for participation in the housing selection process.

How can I see examples of rooms and buildings before housing selection?

If you are interested in viewing floor plans or our 360º virtual tour, please visit the Office of Residence Life webpage. Here you can review information about housing on the Queens Campus. We encourage all students to read and review the Living at St. John's: Guide to Residence Life for a full overview of our residential communities.

Can I get my deposit back?

If you are not eligible or no longer interested in participating in the selection process, you must log in to the St. John's Housing Portal and complete the deposit refund form (found under the self-service forms tab) by the deadlines established in the Housing Calendar. Note: deposits for incoming students, new transfers, and new graduate students are non-refundable.

If you wish to decline your housing and meal plan after making a selection, please log into the St. John's Housing Portal and complete a Housing Decline form. This will cancel your room and board selections, and cancel your housing application.

Students can learn more about Housing at St. John's by consulting these important resources:

THE OFFICE OF RESIDENCE LIFE

To learn more about our policies procedures, to meet out staff, and gather contact information please visit the Office of Residence Life website.

Please refer to the Living at St. John’s Guide (PDF) for an overview of all our housing options, programming goals, and campus amenities.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Room and Board costs and the Refund Calendar are important sites to review on an annual basis.

HOUSING SELECTION INFORMATION

The Freshman Roommate Pairing Guide (PDF) provides a diagram to help explain how to choose your roommates and avoid common mistakes.

Review the Room Type Guide (PDF) to learn how to determine the type of room you're choosing and the square footage of that space.

Review the How To Search For A Roommate Guide for details on how to seek out a roommate in the portal.

Review the How To Add A Roommate and Verify A Group Guide (PDF) for assistance in pairing with a preferred roommate(s).

Review the Selecting A Room and Meal Plan (With A Paired Roommate) Guide (PDF) for a screen by screen view of the selection process.

Summer Housing (Summer Sessions)

For continuing students registered for credit baring classes during an upcoming summer session.

Summer Housing is available for St. John’s students who are registered for summer classes. For more information, please visit Summer Housing.

Students who are participating in internships, labs, practicums, but are not earning credits toward their degree must register for summer housing through Conference Services.

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