Room Selection

Returning Student Housing Application

Students who wish to participate in the room selection process for 2026-2027 must complete the online housing application. The housing application will be available in the housing portal. After logging in using your single sign-on credentials, the application will be at the top of the page.

To participate in the online selection process, applications must be completed by the application close date communicated by Residence Life.  Please carefully review the application before signing. The application is legally binding and covers the entire 2026-2027 academic year.

REMINDER: Students who are participating in an off-campus program in Fall 2026 should not complete this housing application. If you are returning to campus in Spring 2027, you will sign the housing application during the Fall 2026 semester.

Room Types

Returning students will have the option of selecting double, triple, and quad rooms in the following buildings:

• Deerpath
• Cleveland Young (by separate application)
• Lois
• Harlan
• Blackstone
• Moore
• Nollen (basement and first floor rooms)
• Campus Apartments
• McClure and Gregory lower level suites

We strongly encourage students to review the full list of room types to understand what rooms are available in which buildings. 

Room Selection Times

Selection times for all Room Selection processes are determined by cumulative completed credit hours as determined by the Registrar. Credit hours in progress are not considered; however, credit hours that are transferred in do count toward the total.

Students with the same number of credit hours will be assigned a selection time according to a random, computerized placement. Students will be emailed when selection times are available in the My Housing portal - typically 1-2 days before selection begins.

Room Selection

In order to select a room, students must be in a matched roommate group that is able to completely fill said room. For example, if a student would like to select a double, they must be in a matched roommate group with one other person. When they login to select a room, they will only see rooms they are qualified to select. In this example, they would see any double rooms that are available.

Residency Requirement

The College has a three-year residency requirement, which means that all first-, second-, and third-year students are required to live on campus. Students may apply for an exemption from the three-year residency requirement if they meet either of the following criteria:

Option A: Residency Requirement Exemption

Students who meet one or more of the following conditions:

• Live at home with a parent/guardian within 30 road miles of the College

• Age 23 or older

• Have dependent children

• Are married

• Active members of the armed forces

• Have completed 24 Lake Forest College credits or more as determined by the Registrar

Option B: Independent Living Exemption

Students who meet all of the following conditions:

• Are 21 years of age or older at the start of the semester

• Can provide documentation proving independent living for at least one year post high school

• Are in good standing with the College

• Have lived on campus for at least two semesters

If you wish to apply for exemption from the residency requirement, you will need to complete a Residency Requirement Exemption Request. 

Cleveland-Young International Center

Students who are interested in the opportunity to participate in the living experience in Cleveland Young International Center may complete an additional application. The Cleveland-Young International Center application will be available in the housing portal after the general housing application is completed. Your application will be reviewed and an acceptance or non-acceptance email will be sent before general room selection.

Roommate Selection & Matching

The roommate matching process begins in early March. Students are able to request specific roommates or create an online profile to search for a compatible roommate based on living preferences.  Roommate requests must be mutual in order to be honored. 

Students are permitted to pull other students into a room with them. The group should plan to use the best selection time in the group (the earliest selection time is the best). Because room selection can be unpredictable in terms of what rooms and halls will fill up first, you are encouraged to make several plans before your selection time. This includes how a roommate group will divide if a particular space is not available. 

Gender-inclusive housing is available to students through the room selection process based on mutual requests. Roommate groups may be gender inclusive, which will allow mutually-selected groups to identify their preferred living space on campus. There are no additional steps required to request a gender-inclusive housing situation.

Accommodations Process

Students with certain approved residential accommodations have the opportunity to be pre-assigned to a space on campus by the Office of Residence Life. Students must meet the following criteria:

• Have a completed housing application on file for the upcoming academic year by the due date communicated.
• Have an approved residential accommodation on file for a specific room type, bathroom access, air conditioning, or mobility need.

All eligible students will be emailed an assignment by Residence Life after the housing application closes. If a student does not wish to participate in this pre-assignment process, they must opt out by submiting an email to Residence Life indicating this choice. By opting out of the pre-assignment process, students agree to waive the reduced fee for an accommodations placement and will be subject to the differential cost of the room they select. Fees can be found on the LFC Student Accounts page.

Students seeking an approved accommodation should visit the Office of Accessibility Services web page. 

Room Rates

Lake Forest College uses differential pricing for housing costs. This means that your cost of living will more accurately reflect the room type in which you live. 2026/2027 room rates are listed on the Student Accounts page.