Sarah Lawrence is a residential community with approximately 85% of the undergraduates living in College housing. First-year students are required to live on campus unless they live at home, within commuting distance of the College. First-year students and transfers are assigned by the assistant dean for residence life to double or triple rooms in a variety of locations.

After the first year at Sarah Lawrence, students have a choice of living arrangements, including traditional residence halls, suites, small cooperative houses, and apartments. In order to be a resident, everyone wishing to live on campus for the upcoming school year must participate in the housing lottery by the appropriate deadline in the spring of each previous year.We hold the lottery because housing is limited, and we have found that the lottery system is the fairest way for students to have a chance to live in their preferred locations.Where a student eventually lives depends on their random lottery number and the class they will be in as of the next fall semester. Students can petition by themselves or with a group. Depending on the lottery number or the combined number of their group, they either receive their preferred location or they may be put on a wait list to be placed over the summer by the assistant dean for residence life in the most appropriate housing available.

To secure their assigned rooms, students must also send in a housing deposit by the due date. Students are informed of the housing deposit due date prior to the housing lottery process. The housing deposit is nonrefundable; however, it will be refunded to any student on the guaranteed wait list who is not housed on Opening Day.

Housing is not guaranteed to students returning to campus second semester from leaves and off-campus studies, although the College makes every effort to house such students in rooms vacated by students graduating in December or going on leave. Information about second-semester housing is sent to students’ home addresses in the fall. Information will also be sent directly to the student if the Office of Student Affairs has a current address.

All students living in College housing must adhere to the housing contract, which every student must sign before she/he is allowed to occupy College housing. In addition, all students must abide by all rules and regulations in the Student Handbook, and any new policies implemented by the Committee on Student Life and/or the Office of Student Affairs.