Explore Housing and Meal Plans

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.

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.

• UW-Eau Claire
• UW-Green Bay
• UW-La Crosse
• UW-Madison
• UW-Milwaukee
• UW-Oshkosh
• UW-Parkside
• UW-Platteville
• UW-River Falls
• UW-Stevens Point
• UW-Stout
• UW-Superior
• UW-Whitewater