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Prospective Keele Undergraduate FAQ

Students must be enrolled in full-time undergraduate degree programs (24 credits over F/W terms or 12 credits per term).

Housing & Conference Services reserves the right to limit assignments to undergraduate students under 28 years of age. Exceptions may apply for Glendon students. Please contact Housing & Conference Services for any questions.

Absolutely! Our residence community is a wonderful mix of first-year and upper-year students. If you're considering staying in residence during your upper years, you can re-apply as long as you meet all of the following requirements:

  • You are continuously enrolled in a full-time degree program.
  • Have no behavioural infractions while living in or visiting York residence.
  • Have no outstanding debt to the University.

2024-2025 fall/winter term undergraduate residence applications are available starting at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 1. Apply through apply now and follow the instructions. Set 15 minutes aside to complete and submit your application no later than Monday, June 3 to increase your chances of securing a space.

Yes, we will continue to accept residence applications throughout the summer but you will only be offered if a space is available.

Yes, a $250 application fee is due upon application and can be paid online by Visa, MasterCard or American Express. For current information, please visit undergraduate residence rates.

Upon accepting your residence room offer, you will need to pay a $750 room deposit online using a credit card. This deposit is not an extra charge and will be deducted from your room fees after you move in. Instructions for online payment of your room deposit will be provided along with your room offer.

We offer both single and double rooms in our traditional-style and suite-style residences. Traditional-style dorm rooms feature common washrooms and lounges on each floor, while suite-style rooms include in-suite kitchens and washrooms. Please note that many first-year spaces are doubles and while we cannot guarantee preferences, we strive to accommodate student needs as best as possible.

Students cannot apply to specific residences. However, you will have the opportunity to rank your preferences for suite-style vs. traditional-style residences and single vs. double room types. While we will do our best to accommodate your preferences, we cannot guarantee specific requests.

First-year students are encouraged to experience living in a traditional-style residence. It’s a great way to meet other students, socialize and make lasting friendships. Plus, you'll enjoy the convenience of a meal plan. Traditional-style residence is our most affordable option, with cleaning services provided in common areas and washrooms.

Suite-style residences are a suitable choice for upper-year students who will be independent, share amenities, cook and clean for themselves.

Housing will do its best to accommodate everyone’s preferences, but assignments will depend on availability and cannot be guaranteed. Students should be prepared to accept any space offered in any residence to ensure a complete university experience!

The average room size is 110 square feet and is furnished with a single/twin-sized bed, lamp, desk, chair, dresser, closet and garbage bin. Students supply their own linens or may purchase linens through York University's external partner Residence Linens prior to arrival and they will be shipped to the housing office for your arrival.

Yes, each room has wireless and wired internet connection.

  • Pond suites are equipped with a fridge/freezer and stove. Students provide their own microwave.
  • Bethune suites are equipped with a fridge/freezer, stove and microwave.
  • Calumet suites are equipped with a fridge, freezer, convection oven, microwave and hotplate.
  • All students living in suites will provide their own small appliances, pots, pans, cooking utensils and cleaning supplies.

In your first year, most students will share a double room with roommates of the same gender. The residence application asks about your lifestyle preferences to help match you with compatible roommates. To ensure you have a great living experience, we encourage you to answer these questions thoughtfully and honestly.

First-year students who apply by the guaranteed deadlines and are assigned double spaces will have the opportunity to select a roommate. 

All residences at York have mixed gender spaces with shared washrooms and common areas, however there are limited designated single-gender communities within some buildings. These communities are gender-specific based on the gender identity indicated on a student’s school application.

Single gender communities are not guaranteed and as these communities are within mixed-gender buildings, students of any gender from within the building have access to that community. Each building has staff of all genders who may at times be within single-gender communities for carrying out their role responsibilities and supporting students. Additionally, while the people living in a single-gender community will all be of one gender people living within that community may have visitors of all genders.

You can indicate a preference for a same gender floor/section on the application.

Your residence occupancy is effective for the 2024-2025 fall and winter academic terms but excludes the winter holiday closure period when the residences are closed. Students are required to make alternative living arrangements during the closure period but students who live out-of-province may appeal to stay in residence if they have no alternative accommodation and will be charged a standard holiday closure fee if they are approved.

The undergraduate residence contract commence on check-in date. Guidelines for move-in will be posted on residence move-in information in August. Move-out is 24 hours after the student completes their F/W term classes and/or exams or Sat. April 26, 2025 at 12:00 p.m., whichever is earlier.

Keele Check-in Dates

Student GroupCheck-in Date
First-year international studentsSunday, Aug. 25
First-year domestic studentsSunday, Aug. 25
Fall-only and full-year exchange studentsSunday, Aug. 25
Upper-year studentsTuesday, Sept. 3
Winter-only exchange students and winter intake studentsFriday, Jan. 3, 2025

Common spaces in residence buildings are cleaned by Housing staff daily between 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (does not include washroom in suite-style buildings). On weekends, minor cleaning (garbage emptied, washrooms cleaned (trad-style) will be completed between 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms (including garbage/recycling removal to garbage rooms), and share the responsibility of cleaning shared washroom and kitchen spaces in 2 person rooms. Students are encouraged to discuss cleaning tasks and schedules with their roommate. Residence life dons are available to help this process.

Once moved in, students may request to change their building or room assignment by submitting a transfer request form online every October through Housing & Conference Services. For roommate conflicts or other challenges, residents should first contact their don or residence life coordinator. Transfer requests require mediation by residence life and Housing & Conference Services and are subject to room availability.

If approved in writing to transfer to another residence or room, a transfer fee will be charged along with the prorated rate for the new room effective from the day of transfer.

No, all residences are smoke-free. Smoking is also strictly prohibited within 9 metres of the building entrance.

Rules and policies on cannabis smoking, possession and cultivation are available in residence community standards.

Residents are encouraged to contact their don/residence life coordinator on all smoking and cannabis concerns they may have. Issues will be addressed with responsible residents in accordance with policies set in the residence occupancy agreement and residence life handbook.

The purchase of a dining plan is mandatory in all traditional-style residences where cooking facilities are not provided. Compact refrigerators are permitted in student rooms. Students may either purchase a compact refrigerator themselves or rent one from our external partner Coldex. Students living in suites with kitchen access may purchase optional meal plans. For more information, visit the Food Services website.

York has over 40 food service providers at the Keele Campus offering a wide variety of food types including salads, soup and sandwiches, full “home-style” dinners, fast food, international, halal and kosher food. Glendon Campus offers a main dining hall and other food outlets.

We suggest you budget about $12,713-$17,577 to cover your residence and food costs for the eight-month period, not including personal spending money. Please refer to the website for information about undergraduate residence rates.

In addition to your room and meal costs, all students are required to pay an $80 residence life fee. You may incur additional costs if you wish to subscribe to phone and cable TV. Students are strongly recommended to get contents insurance as the University is not responsible for loss or damage of personal property for any reason.

York has close to 2,500 residence spaces available for students in ten different undergraduate residence buildings at York’s Keele and Glendon campuses.

Absolutely! Each residence has residence dons, who will lend a helping hand during your transition to university life and will be your resource during your time in residence. Residence dons report to a live-in professional residence life coordinator, who is fully trained to manage simple to complex resident concerns.

Tours are not currently offered on a regular basis. We do show rooms during Fall Campus Day and Spring Open House.

We encourage you to view our residence buildings and gallery.

The Village is a residential neighbourhood just beyond the south boundary of York University’s property. Residential dwellings in the Village are privately owned and York has no ownership or legal jurisdiction within this community. Many homes in the Village have been converted to “rooming houses” that do not comply with provincial building and fire regulations and rooms are rented to anyone, not just students. Many owners do not live within the rooming houses that they own and may not be immediately available to tenants when issues arise.

Note: Housing & Conference Services strives to ensure the completeness and accuracy of information contained on this website, however, we reserve the right to change any of the information at any time without notice.