The USC Housing Renewal (UHR) program is designed to assist current residents in getting their housing for the upcoming year. Participating in UHR gives residents priority for assignments over non-resident students and new transfers, as long as they follow all UHR procedures and meet all deadlines.

Freshmen currently living in university housing may take advantage of USC’s Sophomore Guarantee for the following year.  Provided they comply with all UHR deadlines and procedures, they will be guaranteed a space in USC housing for their sophomore year. Please see our FAQ for more information.

UHR takes place almost entirely online. Applications are submitted on our online portal during a designated period in January each year. Continuing residents must apply during this period in order to participate in UHR. 

UHR’s categories take into consideration the type of housing that participants are looking for, as well as their current assignments and class standing.

  • Most students will participate in our General Lottery, going online at their lottery-determined selection time to select from available housing spaces.
  • Students who wish to live in one of our special interest programs may select the special interest category.
  • There’s also a category for graduate and family housing residents who want to return to their exact same building and room type assignment.

Searching for and requesting roommates is easy using our online tools. Assignment and contracting are also done online, at times specified in each category.

After assignments in the General Lottery are completed, students will have the opportunity to cancel their contracts by defined deadlines and may request reassignment.

UHR participants who don’t have a confirmed contract at the end of the General Lottery and still want university housing may sign up for the UHR Wait List, and be offered space as housing becomes available..

More complete information about renewal procedures and timelines can be found in our UHR brochure, which will be available at Customer Service Centers and on this website beginning in early January.

Housing rents change every year. The rental rates for the upcoming academic year will be available on our website at the time the UHR application opens each January.

USC Housing Renewal 2024-2025 Timeline
USC Housing Renewal 2024 - 2025 Timeline
January 16Online application period for current residents opens
January 19Deadline to clear registration holds
January 19Online application deadline
February 2Living Learning Community and Graduate Current Space Renewal contracting time notification
February 5 - 8Living Learning Community and Graduate Current Space Renewal contracting period
February 9General Lottery selection time notification
February 12 -22General Lottery period assignment and contracting
February 26 - March 6UHR Wait List sign-up period
March 1Last day to cancel confirmed contracts without penalty
March 4Reassignment requests accepted
May 1Last day to cancel confirmed contracts with loss of confirmation payment