Housing Preference Form Instructions

The Housing Preference Form and Roommate Requests

After you have paid your admissions deposit, you will need to complete the housing preference form and set up your roommate group to be provided housing beginning:

• Fall semester start: April 1 (or first Monday of April)
• Spring semester start: Nov.15 

The housing preference form is for you, the student, to complete. We want to ensure that you are satisfied with the choices you select and it allows us to better match you with a roommate when you answer the questions. You will not be housed until you have completed a preference form.

• Form deadline
• Accessing the Housing Preference Form
• Roommate Groups
  • Returning student roommates
• Mutual Roommates Required
• How to Create a Roommate Group
• Accepting and Denying Roommate Requests
• Living Off Campus

Form deadline

• Fall semester start: Housing preference form: May 31; Roommate group deadline: May 31
• Spring semester start: Housing preference form: Jan. 4; Roommate group deadline: Jan. 4

You will provide us information in two steps:

1. Complete the housing preference form (roommate matching questions, special interest, housing preferences, etc.)
2. Create your roommate group (optional- only if you have a request)

Accessing and Completing the Housing Preference Form (view screenshots)

Access to the preference form is through myRedDragon. If you need help accessing your myRedDragon account, visit the Information Resources Get Help page.

1. Once you are logged into myRedDragon go to the student tab.
2. Look for the Residence Life and Housing section.
3. Select the “Housing process and information” link
4. From the side menu, select Forms > New Student Preference Form
5. Complete the form. After you have completed your living area preferences, selecting continue will submit your form.

If you want the option to live in all gender housing you must also complete the All Gender Housing Living Agreement. To view the form, you must provide a "yes" answer to question #11 on the preference form.

Roommate Groups (view screenshots)

If you have one or more people you would like to request to live with, complete the following steps. If you would like to have us match you with a roommate, skip this step. Your roommate request must complete the new student preference form to be searchable and then requested.

• One-person roommate request (two-person group):
  • You may be assigned in a double (unless your date of deposit requires you to be in a triple; we will assign you and your request together plus one other person)
• Two-person roommate request (three-person group):
  • You may assigned in a triple (if available) 
    • Freshman will need to contact the Residence Life and Housing Office to request a third roommate.
• Three-person roommate request and beyond (transfers only)
  • Students may be places in quads/suites/apartments (if available)
• Other-gender roommate request:
  • You will be required to sign the all gender housing living agreement and you will be assigned to all gender housing
• Current returning student roommate request:
  • The returning student cannot participate in RSP; instead they will be assigned with you over the summer
    • Returning student must complete the Housing Waitlist form after May 1 and list new student as their preferred roommate. 
  • You will answer "yes" to question 08 on your new student housing preference form and then type their name in answer 08a; they will not be in the roommate/suitemate search

Mutual Roommates Required

• All roommate requests must be accepted by the other individual(s) to be assigned together through the roommate page; requests written only in the comments section of your preference form are not guaranteed
• Contact Residence Life and Housing before the roommate deadline if you cannot find your roommate in the search or if you are having difficulty confirming requests.

How to create your roommate group

1. After you have completed your Housing Preference Form, go to Housing Information > Roommates/Suitemates
2. Select the term you require housing for from “Select a Term” and submit
3. Enter the information of your roommate request
   1. If there is more than one person who has a same name, a list of choices will appear; select the appropriate person to send the request to
   2. If there is only one person with your criteria, a request will automatically be sent to the individual
   3. If searching by email, use only the SUNY Cortland email
4. Once the request has been sent, the recipient must approve/deny the request

Accepting and denying roommate requests

The person who receives the request must approve the request for it to be mutual. Skipping this step will result in you and your request not being housed together. Please communicate with the person you request to ensure they do not skip this step. Email confirmation messages do not guarantee mutual requests.

1. Once you are logged into myRedDragon go to the student tab.
2. Look for the Residence Life and Housing section.
3. Select the “Housing process and information” link
4. Go to Housing Information > Roommates Suitemates
5. Select the term you require housing for from “Select a Term” and submit
6. Review your roommate requests; approve or deny the request

Living Off Campus

If you meet one of our housing requirement exceptions, you can apply to live off campus by completing our New Student Off Campus Approval Form.

1. Once you are logged into myRedDragon go to the student tab.
2. Look for the Residence Life and Housing section.
3. Select the “Housing process and information” link
4. From the top menu, select Forms > New Student Off Campus Approval Form
5. Complete the form; we will contact you with approval or denial