Housing Information for Parents and Supporters

All first- and second- year students are required to live on campus.

National research shows that students who live on campus have higher grade point averages, are more satisfied with their college experience, are more engaged in co-curricular experiences and are more likely to graduate than students who live off-campus.

Exceptions to the policy may be granted if a student meets certain special circumstances.

Read the residency policy

Housing sign-up is organized by time and location. Like buying concert tickets, select seats sell first and may sell out. It is crucial for your student to have their top three housing options in mind when selecting a living space.

To help save time, they may begin their housing application and build roommate groups ahead of their housing sign up time. This will allow your student to select their living space on the specific day sign-up is for that location.

Returning students may sign up on the Wishlist if they do not receive their housing of choice. Residence Life can often accommodate students on the Wishlist before August move-in. There is not a Wishlist for incoming students due to the housing selection timeframe. 

Learn more about applying for housing

 

TheOffice of Residence Life, theOffice of LGBTQ Services and Gender Equity Programs and theOffice of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are committed to fostering an inclusive community for all students, including those whose gender identity and/or expression differs from the sex assigned to them at birth.

Applying for Gender-Inclusive Housing means that each student assigned to the living space will agree to share that space regardless of assigned gender at birth, legal gender, or gender identity. All students who are eligible to live in the residence halls can choose to live in gender inclusive housing. Students who request gender-inclusive housing should understand gender identity and gender expression and actively seek to contribute to inclusion in their community.

Students interested in Gender Inclusive Housing will apply for this in the Housing Preferences step of their housing application.

For information on Gender Inclusive Housing options, contact:

• Office of Residence Life:989-774-3111
• LGBTQ Services and Gender Equity Programs:989-774-3637

 

learn more about the Office of LGBTQ+ Services and Gender Equity

We have four premium halls (Campbell, Celani, Fabiano and Kesseler) that offer four individual
bedrooms, two bathrooms, common space and air conditioning. These halls have a 30% additional room rate.

We also offer singles in Cobb Hall, sixth, seventh and eight floors. These rooms include a full-size bed, desk and desk chair, couch and coffee table. Singles in Cobb Hall have a 40% additional room rate.

Kulhavi Hall also offers suite-style living, where 4 students each have their own room and share 2 bathrooms and a living room.

Your student's first housing payment of $350 is due May 1, or with application if applying after May 1.

• The first housing payment will appear on their April billing statement. If they apply after April 1, please allow one week for the charge to reflect on your student's account.
• To make a payment online, log into their centralink.cmich.edu account with their global ID and password. Then click on "view/pay my bill," and choose either electronic check or credit card.
• If your student needs to defer/postpone this payment, please email reslife@cmich.edu and be sure to include your student's name and student ID number.

Step 1: Clean and organize living unit. It should be in move-in condition, as clean and in good repair as when you moved in. Students should refer to the checkout instructions attached to this email and posted outside their living unit door.

Step 2: Each resident MUST check out in person with a Residence Life staff member.

Failure to checkout in person will incur an improper checkout fine. During each resident’s final in-person checkout with a staff member, your student's room will be inspected for damages and excessive cleaning requirements. Photos are taken of all billable damages or cleaning charges. Any damages or excessive cleaning charges will be billed to your student's account and will appear on their June statement due July 1. Charges found in common spaces or shared bedrooms will be split amongst all residents unless a resident(s) claim responsibility by emailing their residence hall director by 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 10.

24/7 quiet hours begin Saturday, May 3 at 11:59 p.m. and extend through finals week. We highly recommend that students move out during the week before to reduce the amount of noise and added stress during finals week. We ask that students and anyone helping them move out to be considerate of these 24/7 quiet hours.

A staff member will be checking each living unit during the week of April 21-27. The following items must be completed prior to the Order Week Check:

• Return university bed to the fourth slot/pin from the bottom, leaving three open slots/pins. If your student has a Bedloft, disassemble the loft, leave loft pieces on their bed, add a tag with their name, student ID number and room number, and
  reassemble your university bed to the second rung from the bottom.
• Everything must be taken off all walls and doors, and free of sticky residue.
• Toilets and showers should be scrubbed and clean.

Any living unit that does not complete an Order Week Check or does not have the above items completed will be required to complete a check with a Residence Hall Director during the week of April 28-May 2.

Each resident must complete an in-person checkout with a staff member. Failure to checkout in person will incur an improper checkout fine. During each resident’s final in-person checkout with a staff member, your student's room will be inspected for damages and excessive cleaning requirements. Photos are taken of all billable damages or cleaning charges. Any damages or excessive cleaning charges will be billed to
your student's account and will appear on your June statement due July 1. Charges found in common spaces or shared bedrooms will be split amongst all residents unless a resident(s) claim responsibility by emailing their residence hall director by 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 10.

Damage charges will appear on your student's June statement, due July 1. Any appeals to damages must be from the student and submitted in writing to their residence hall director by Wednesday, June 11. No appeals will be accepted after June 11.

Your student will need to log in to https://housing.cmich.edu and select My Details to update their mail forwarding address.

We will be holding a Donation Drive in each residence hall lobby May 5-10. Your student may donate unopened or individually wrapped not expired food items, gently worn clothing and shoes, new or gently used school supplies and dishes/small kitchen items. Mini fridges can be discarded at the pallets by the dumpsters in your community. Larger items can be donated to Habitat for Humanity by calling 989-773-0043. These items cannot be discarded in the dumpsters or left in your student's room or community.

If your student has questions and concerns, they should be directed to residence hall director. 

The following electronic appliances are allowed in resident rooms:

Coffee pots (all halls).

Mini fridge 4.3 cubic feet or smaller (all halls).

Rented combination microwave/refrigerator unit (all halls).

Stand-alone microwaves (Campbell, Celani, Fabiano, Kesseler and Kulhavi Halls ONLY).

 

The following electronic appliances are not allowed in resident rooms:

• Air fryer.
• Toaster ovens.
• Popcorn poppers.
• Electric grills.
• Other cooking devices.

These appliances may be used in kitchenette spaces, which are available on every floor.

Renting a combination microwave/refrigerator unit

Combination microwave/refrigerators are available for rent through the University's agreement with Bedloft. These combination appliances are permitted in all residence rooms. 2025-2026 Bedloft rental information will be available on their website in mid-April.

Read more about the appliance policy

Lofting can be a great way for your student to maximize floor space!

Lofts are permitted, but must be rented through Bedloft.com. 2025-2026 Bedloft rental information will be available on their website in mid-April. Personal lofts are prohibited.

Lofts are not needed in Campbell, Celani, Fabiano, Kesseler and Kulhavi halls, since the University-provided beds are already loft-able.

Lofts are not allowed in Carey due to the size of the bed.

Watch this video for the four different ways your student can configure their bed.

Watch 4 ways to configure your bed

Yes. Your student may bring family and friends to help move them onto campus. Students will receive an email the first week in Aug. that will go over the move-in process.

How much your student will pay for living on campus will depend on:

• Your student's choice of residence hall.
• If your student opts for premium single-occupancy options.
• Your student's choice of meal plan.
• Their scholarship and financial aid options.
  

 

The OFFICE OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID

Current students may cancel their housing contract 30 days from the date they signed the
contract (first step of the housing application) in writing to reslife@cmich.edu for no fee.

Cancellations made after the 30 days, but before Aug. 1, 2025, will result in a $300 contract
breakage fee.

Cancellations made after Aug. 1, 2025, but prior to the beginning of the fall 2025 contract, will result in a $500 contract breakage fee.

Reminder: Students must live on campus for two full academic years.

The Office of Residence Life provides housing in select residential facilities during the summer
for enrolled students. You will receive an email after spring break regarding summer housing
options.

Your student can submit a maintenance request using their CMICH log-in through the work request system. 

Submit a maintenance request

Your student can request to change their meal plan through their housing portal.

Students will have the first two weeks of the semester to change their meal plan with the CentralCard Office for no fee. 

Students will select one of the three meal plan options in their housing application. Each meal plan comes with meal swipes and FLEX Dollars. Meal swipes are used in any of the three dining units on campus. FLEX Dollars are used in the CMU Dining retail locations on campus. Learn more about CMU Dining and meal plans here.