What is the Draw and who participates?

The annual housing Draw is the first assignment round for the next academic year. The Draw is only for single undergraduate students. Graduate students, undergraduates with partners, and undergraduates with children are accommodated in graduate student housing.

Any rising sophomore, junior, or senior who would like to live on campus next Autumn Quarter should participate in the Draw. If you are an undergrad going abroad Autumn Quarter 2015, you can apply during The Draw or wait and submit a Winter Quarter housing application anytime before October 23rd, 2015. If you will be out of housing for both Autumn and Winter Quarters but returning for next Spring Quarter, apply now or anytime before February 5th, 2016.

How do you participate?

To submit your Draw application, log onto Axess and select Student Housing and Dining from the Student drop-down menu. On the housing application, students rank their residence choices and pick a final choice. The final choice is always either “Yes, I am willing to accept any other assignment” or “No, do not assign me if the choices I selected are not available." Students who are guaranteed housing must select, “Yes, I am willing to accept any other assignment" as their final choice in order to maintain their guarantee. See the Draw Application section for more details.

The deadline for submitting a Draw application is Sunday, May 3rd, 2015.

Tiers and Application Numbers

Students with guarantee years remaining will be required to select a tier level on their application. Each tier level represents a range of numbers from which the student’s random application number will be drawn.

Applications are considered in application number order so students with lower application numbers are considered before students with higher application numbers. See the Tiers section for more information.

Group Applications

Students have the option of applying as a group so that they have a chance to live with their friends. Students indicate their desire to apply as a group in the group section of the application. The first group member to apply establishes a group name and password which the other group members will use when they submit their applications.

It is important that all group members set their group retention correctly and list the exact same residence choices in the same order. Some of the most common mistakes students make with their Draw applications happen when they apply as a group. See the Group Applications page for more information about applying as a group.

Greek Students

Students who are a part of a housed Greek organization have special rules regarding tier usage and their commitment to their house. See the Greek student section for more information.

Medical Accommodation Draw

Students who need special housing consideration through the Office of Accessible Education go through a special Draw process called the Medical Accommodation Draw. This process exists to ensure that students with documented medical needs get the type of housing they require. In order to participate in the Medical Accommodation Draw, students must submit OAE paperwork and their housing applications by April 17th, 2015. See the Medical Accommodation Draw section for more information.

Important Dates for 2015-16

After picking up their keys, students must submit and have a Termination of Occupancy (TOC) approved in order to be released from their contracts before the contract end date. In general, students are only released early if they are no longer enrolled or go on a Stanford away program (BOSP or Stanford in Washington).