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. |
|
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. |
|
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 | |
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 | |
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.