Explore Housing and Meal Plans - UW HELP

Explore Housing and Meal Plans

There’s more to your life on campus than just classes. You’ll also need to think about where you’re going to live and what you’re going to eat. Select your UW below to find out what options your UW has for housing and meal plans to make your transition independence a little easier.

On-Campus Housing

You can find on-campus housing at all four-year UW System campuses, as well as eight of the UW Colleges campuses. Most on-campus housing comes with furniture such as a bed, desk, and dresser, a cable TV hookup, internet, and utilities such as heat and water. Housing options and availability vary by campus.

How Much Does On-Campus Housing Cost?
Each campus determines its own housing costs, taking into account the type of accommodations offered (single room vs. double room, suite vs. shared space, etc.) and the market value of rent in the surrounding community. Housing is offered at a set price for the entire academic year. Use the student budget builder to estimate your housing and dining costs.

To reserve your spot in a particular residence hall or on-campus apartment, complete an application, sign a contract, and submit the deposit or prepayment the campus housing office requires. A prepayment gets applied to your housing payment, while a deposit is refunded to you at the end of the school year if you follow the rules stated in your contract.

For more information on housing options, costs, and policies, as well as meal plans, contact your campus housing office.

Campus Deposit/prepayment required with contract Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment
UW-Eau Claire

A $75 housing deposit is required.

Students have until May 1st each year to cancel their housing contract and receive a refund of their $75 room reservation deposit.

Under no circumstances will the $75 deposit be refunded after May 1st each year.

Please note that even if students are released from their housing contract, they do not receive a refund of their $75 housing deposit.

UW-Eau Claire – Barron County

No application fee. A security deposit is required.

The security deposit is refundable if there are no charges against the account. 

UW-Green Bay

A $50 housing deposit is required.

UW-Green Bay, Sheboygan Campus

No housing deposit required.

UW-La Crosse

A $150 housing deposit is required.

This is not refundable if a student cancels after May 1st.

UW-Madison

A $300 housing deposit is required.

Is refundable if the student notifies housing before May 1st of non-attendance at UW-Madison.

UW-Milwaukee

A $100 housing deposit is required.

Residence hall contract guide book for contract cancellation deposit forfeiture.

UW-Milwaukee at Washington County

No housing deposit required.

UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha

No housing deposit required.

UW-Oshkosh

A $150 prepayment is required.

Refund and forfeiture policies housing contract link.

UW-Oshkosh, Fond du Lac Campus

Housing deposit varies.

UW-Oshkosh, Fox Cities Campus

Housing deposit varies.

UW-Parkside

A $50 contract fee is required.

UW-Platteville

A $150 housing deposit is required.

Please see UW-Platteville’s Residence Life Room Reservations website for contractual considerations for refund and forfeiture.

UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County

A $275 housing deposit is required.

The reservation fee is refundable until the lease is signed.

UW-River Falls

A $135 housing deposit is required.

The processing fee is non-refundable; the contract cancellation link.

UW-Stevens Point

A housing deposit is not required.

UW-Stevens Point at Marshfield

A housing deposit is not required.

UW-Stevens Point at Wausau

A housing deposit is not required.

UW-Stout

A $125 housing deposit is required.

Housing contract stipulations.

UW-Superior

A housing deposit is not required.

UW-Whitewater

A $125 housing deposit is required.

UW-Whitewater at Rock County

No housing deposit required.

Campus UW-Eau Claire
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $75 housing deposit is required.

Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment

Students have until May 1st each year to cancel their housing contract and receive a refund of their $75 room reservation deposit.

Under no circumstances will the $75 deposit be refunded after May 1st each year.

Please note that even if students are released from their housing contract, they do not receive a refund of their $75 housing deposit.

Campus UW-Eau Claire – Barron County
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

No application fee. A security deposit is required.

Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment

The security deposit is refundable if there are no charges against the account. 

Campus UW-Green Bay
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $50 housing deposit is required.

Campus UW-Green Bay, Sheboygan Campus
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

No housing deposit required.

Campus UW-La Crosse
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $150 housing deposit is required.

Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment

This is not refundable if a student cancels after May 1st.

Campus UW-Madison
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $300 housing deposit is required.

Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment

Is refundable if the student notifies housing before May 1st of non-attendance at UW-Madison.

Campus UW-Milwaukee
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $100 housing deposit is required.

Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment

Residence hall contract guide book for contract cancellation deposit forfeiture.

Campus UW-Milwaukee at Washington County
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

No housing deposit required.

Campus UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

No housing deposit required.

Campus UW-Oshkosh
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $150 prepayment is required.

Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment

Refund and forfeiture policies housing contract link.

Campus UW-Oshkosh, Fond du Lac Campus
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

Housing deposit varies.

Campus UW-Oshkosh, Fox Cities Campus
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

Housing deposit varies.

Campus UW-Parkside
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $50 contract fee is required.

Campus UW-Platteville
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $150 housing deposit is required.

Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment

Please see UW-Platteville’s Residence Life Room Reservations website for contractual considerations for refund and forfeiture.

Campus UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $275 housing deposit is required.

Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment

The reservation fee is refundable until the lease is signed.

Campus UW-River Falls
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $135 housing deposit is required.

Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment

The processing fee is non-refundable; the contract cancellation link.

Campus UW-Stevens Point
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A housing deposit is not required.

Campus UW-Stevens Point at Marshfield
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A housing deposit is not required.

Campus UW-Stevens Point at Wausau
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A housing deposit is not required.

Campus UW-Stout
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $125 housing deposit is required.

Deadline for refund of deposit/prepayment

Housing contract stipulations.

Campus UW-Superior
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A housing deposit is not required.

Campus UW-Whitewater
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

A $125 housing deposit is required.

Campus UW-Whitewater at Rock County
Deposit/prepayment required with contract

No housing deposit required.

Do I Have to Live on Campus?

There’s a reason most freshmen live on campus, in university-operated residence halls: It’s an excellent way to start the college experience. For starters, there are tons of services and resources located steps from your living space, from cafeterias with student-friendly hours to resident advisors with all sorts of knowledge about campus life. Other perks include:

  • Close proximity to your classrooms and other campus buildings
  • Easy access to laundry machines, fitness centers, and bike storage
  • Meeting others experiencing challenges and transitions similar to yours, whether it’s finding the chemistry lab or being away from home for the first time
  • Connecting with students taking some of the same introductory courses as you
  • Getting to know people from around the state, the country, or even the world
  • Attending residence hall events where you can make friends and gather useful information
  • Having your rent paid ahead of time, so you don’t need to pay a landlord each month

Freshmen and sophomores at many UW System schools must live on campus unless they live with a parent or guardian within 40 miles of campus. Students who are 21 years old or finished high school at least two years ago may be granted an exception to the requirement, which applies to these UW campuses:

  • UW-Eau Claire
  • UW-La Crosse
  • UW-Milwaukee (freshmen only)
  • UW-Oshkosh
  • UW-Parkside
  • UW-Platteville
  • UW-River Falls
  • UW-Stevens Point
  • UW-Stout
  • UW-Superior
  • UW-Whitewater

Have questions? Contact the residence life office at your campus.

Meal plan information

Meal plans vary from school to school. Some schools have structured plans that offer a specified number of meals for a certain price. Other schools give students an account they load with money for purchasing meals and snacks at campus dining halls.