I am wondering if anyone can shed any light on the housing situation at Utah. I’ve heard that housing is not guaranteed for freshman and that it is a lottery so it doesn’t matter when you apply for housing. Curious if anyone can share their experiences, has anyone applied by the priority date and not gotten housing? Any tips or insight would be greatly appreciated!
Univ of Utah housing was struggling for 2022 admits. They indicated they “haven’t been able to keep up with the demand.” Not every student who applied for Housing by the Priority Deadline got on-campus housing. Recommend you apply as soon as the option opens.
Our regional admissions rep indicated that out-of-state students do get somewhat of a priority if on the waitlist, but the nature of that priority was not clear.
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Any experience with the LLC’s would also be appreciated. Does honors housing increase your chances of getting a space?
Yes, definitely choose the LLCs and Honors housing if you can afford it. Kahlert is brand new and much closer to everything than the regular housing at the top of campus. Lassonde is also generally easier to get into since it is super expensive. But whatever you do, don’t miss the application deadline, even if you haven’t made a final decision to attend. I don’t believe it is first come first served though.
After freshman year most people have to go off campus, but there is at least a chance to get honors housing in MHC or Block 44. If you get a Presidential scholarship with a housing subsidy, I think you are de facto assured to get one of these options all four years. My D18 who just graduated was in MHC years 1, 3 and 4 (before Kahlert opened) and Block 44 year 2.
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It does not matter if you apply right away for housing just make sure you apply by the priority date. Everyone that applies by the date will get a housing reservation time and it is randomized. Last year everyone that applied by the priority date did end up eventually getting housing. This year they have made some changes that will be helpful and make it less stressful. One you have to pay a non refundable enrollment fee in addition to the housing reservation fee. They pushed back the priority housing dates to April 3 for LLC/TC housing applications and May 3 for traditional housing. It used to be March and so a lot of students hadn’t received all their decisions yet or financial aid and so applied for housing and got rooms but then didn’t decide to go to Utah. Also, if your student has a scholarship that includes money for a room they also get some priority for a room assuming they apply by the priority date!
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Thanks so much for the great info!
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I understand that changing the process to enroll first and then apply for housing will help them get a better handle on their numbers. But I’m sort of worried that we need to pay a non-refundable enrollment deposit and then my son might not get housing (which would be a deal-breaker for him attending), and most likely find out AFTER May 1, at which point he could lose his admission or scholarship at another school.
When we visited in October we saw the 4th wing of Kahlert Village under construction and when I spoke with the housing office a few weeks ago they told me that it was still on schedule to open for Fall 2023 semester. I hope this is true, as that will add several hundred more freshmen beds.
Does anyone know what the LLC theme will be for the 4th wing?
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You will know before May 1st if you have housing or are on the waitlist. Have you joined the Utah Parent Facebook Page? I believe someone on there said the fourth wing was going to be honors.
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LLC offers must be accepted by April 19th (ie notification is given the week before that) and housing selection week is April 24-28
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Struggling over here… I don’t know that my son is going to have firmed up where he is attending by April 19. With financial offers and late times of finding out about a few schools, my guess is he will not know too long before the May 1 decision date. We are out of state (and very far away) so the possibility that he will not get housing is pretty terrifying. He was accepted to the Honors program, pre-engineering. Not sure if that makes a difference. It’s great to hear there are so many people looking for housing there (as one of my fears is that it is a huge commuter school with no one on campus), but my kid will need to have a place to live 
The housing deposit (not the application fee) is refundable until May 1. So if you are uncertain, it makes sense to go through the application process in early April and even choose a room if a decision still hasn’t been made.
We are waiting on UCs and CPSLO. If my S23 gets in to either of those then the admitted students day isn’t until April 14/15. So more than likely we will end up doing the Utah registration and housing application in early April anyway. I’m not sure how much this change will save them in reshuffling, but at least there won’t be as many kids who don’t realize about the housing deadline and miss out completely, as the regular housing deadline now isn’t until May. Having said that, the regular housing is definitely less desirable compared to Kahlert.
Great idea! Thank you soooo much!