Sophomore Housing Lottery

Zoom Info Sessions
We hope you were able to attend one of the Sophmore Housing Lottery info sessions that took place on Jan. 28 and Jan. 29. In case you missed it or need a refresher, please watch the video below with detailed information about Stage I, including license agreement term lengths, roommate groups, meal plans and more.

Link To Recorded Info Session 

Log in to the Housing Portal and complete the following by Feb. 28, 2025:

1) Review your license agreement term length (required)
The default term length for sophomores is nine (9) months for the academic year (Aug. 21, 2025 - May 15, 2026). You may opt into an eleven-and-a-half-month (11.5) term length that extends through summer (Aug. 21, 2025 - July 31, 2026) at Aztec Corner, M@College and Viva. If you select an 11.5-month license agreement, you will not be able to switch to a 9-month license agreement and vice versa.

2) Search and mutually confirm your roommates (optional)
If you would like to live with particular roommates, you may join a roommate group! Roommate groups may be two (2) or four (4) people only*. If you are in a roommate group, only the roommate group leader will receive a lottery date and time, and that person will select and assign a room for all listed roommates. The roommate group leader is determined by whoever initiates the roommate request. Please keep in mind that roommate group leaders will not be searchable in the housing portal due to their leader status

*There is an exclusive opportunity for larger roommate groups of five (5) to nine (9) to be assigned together at Tepeyac or Tacuba only. Please see the section “Large Group Opportunities” on this page for additional details. 

The sophomore housing lottery process is designed to accommodate larger roommate groups to optimize room allocation. Lottery start times are the only items assigned at random. As such, roommate groups of four (4) will receive earlier lottery dates than roommate groups of two (2) and students without roommate groups. Bed spaces that are not filled within a unit will be held for students with a later lottery date.

Note that by initiating a roommate group, you will be responsible for assigning yourself and your roommate(s) to a space. Alternatively, by accepting a roommate group invitation, you are agreeing to accept the assigned space completed by the roommate group leader.

3) Select a meal plan (optional)
Meal plans are optional for sophomore students. Meal plan selections require an academic year commitment and cannot be canceled after Aug. 1, 2025.

Sophomore & upper-division meal plan rates for the 2025-26 academic year will be available in January 2025.

In March, roommate group leaders and students without a roommate group will receive an email with their lottery date and time assignment. When your appointment window opens, you will be able to select from all available room options! 

1) Create a Plan
Room selection is based on availability during your lottery date and time. Specific room types and buildings cannot be guaranteed. Become familiar with all sophomore residential community options to ease your selection process.

Lottery dates will take place between March 17 and March 26. Please note: Lottery dates and times will not be assigned during the weekend on March 22 or March 23. 

Roommate group leaders and students without a roommate group will be able to log in to the Housing Portal and preview available spaces one (1) hour prior to your lottery date and time.

2) Select Your Room
If you are a roommate group leader or not in a roommate group, log in to the Housing Portal during your lottery date and time to self-select your room and assign your roommate group (if applicable) to your living space, floor, or building. You will have 24 hours from your assigned lottery date and time to complete your room selection. 

If room selection is not completed within 24 hours of your assigned lottery date and time, your access to the Housing Portal will expire and a space will be assigned to your roommate group after the lottery process is complete. 

Room Selection: Roommate Group Leaders

Room Selection: Students Without a Roommate Group

California State University campuses are required by law to give housing accommodations to students who are currently or formerly homeless and/or foster youth. As such, housing accommodations are offered to students in the Guardian Scholars Program, which is committed to serving students who identify as current or former foster youth to ensure housing stability.

Housing provides reasonable accommodations to assure equal access to students with disabilities. Students seeking housing accommodations on the basis of disability must register for services with the Student Disability Services (SDS) by Feb. 14, 2025 to be eligible for housing accommodations. Housing accommodations cannot be guaranteed, and are based on availability.

Housing space accommodations are offered to Division I student-athletes so they can successfully participate in summer training and be in close proximity to training facilities.

Form a roommate group of two (2) or four (4) individuals in the Housing Portal by the Stage I deadline of Feb. 28. The Housing Portal will not allow groups of more than four individuals.

Beginning Feb. 1, but no later than Feb. 28, roommate group leaders must email Housing at [email protected] to indicate your decision to opt out of the lottery for an assigned unit in Tepeyac and Tacuba, and your decision to combine roommate groups to form a larger group of five (5) to nine (9) individuals, if applicable*.

*If you would like to combine two or three roommate groups to form a group of five (5) to nine (9) individuals, all roommate group leaders must email Housing at [email protected] to indicate your decision to combine roommate groups for an assigned unit together in Tepeyac or Tacuba. It is crucial to emphasize that this opportunity for lottery opt-out and combining roommate groups is exclusive to Tepeyac and Tacuba and does not apply to other residential buildings. To ensure smooth processing of requests, all submissions must be emailed by Feb. 28.

Housing will review the email request. Once approved, the Assignments Team will collaborate with the roommate group leader(s) to assign a suite in Tepeyac or Tacuba and assign specific room types (single, double, triple) for each roommate.

What makes this opportunity worth considering?
If you have a big group of friends you would like to live within the same unit, this option is ideal. Unlike the standard lottery process, which may result in the dispersion of your roommate group into separate units, this opportunity guarantees that your entire roommate group will reside together in the same unit if all steps listed in the “Large Group Opportunity” section are completed by the deadline specified. Additionally, by opting for this opportunity, you bypass the uncertainties of the lottery process, eliminating the need to navigate room selection during an assigned lottery date and time.

Do I have to fill every space in the suite?
No, you do not need to fill the entire suite. Tepeyac and Tacuba suites range from eight (8) to nine (9) students per suite. Any unoccupied spaces within a suite will be available during the sophomore housing lottery.

Can I have co-ed roommate groups?
Yes, your roommate groups may be single-gender or co-ed.

Can I change my mind about being in a larger roommate group in Tepeyac or Tacuba after Feb. 28?
You will not be able to edit or change your roommate group after Feb. 28. Since you will be assigned to a space in Tepeyac or Tacuba, you will bypass the sophomore housing lottery. If you wish to change your assignment after Feb. 28, you will need to wait until early April when the pre-occupancy room switch process opens.

What happens if I change my mind about being in a larger roommate group in Tepeyac or Tacuba before Feb. 28?
If you change your mind by Feb. 28, you will revert back to the Sophomore Housing Lottery process.

Complete the sophomore housing lottery process (outlined above) with the Office of Housing Administration. Space is limited; only seven (7) apartment units or twenty-six (26) total beds are available at M@College through the Housing License Agreement. An assignment to M@College cannot be guaranteed and is based on availability.

M@College is now accepting applications. Apply as soon as possible as space is expected to fill up quickly.

If your application is approved, you may sign a lease directly with M@College. In order for M@College to fulfill the campus residency requirement, you must complete a Contract Release Request within seven (7) days of your signed lease with M@College. Please submit the Contract Release Request to the Office of Housing Administration by Feb. 7, 2025. Failing to complete the Contract Release Request upon a lease with M@College will have costly consequences.

Though M@College is affiliated with SDSU, it is considered an off-campus community and is not owned or operated by the university. Leasing directly with M@College may have financial aid impacts depending on your financial aid package. M@College cannot reassign you to another building if your needs or circumstances change. Please note: Only a lease with the Office of Housing Administration can allow you to apply for a building switch if needed.

Students must have a Fall 2024 semester and cumulative GPA at or above 2.80 and be in good standing with the university. 

This means you cannot be on academic probation/disqualification or judicial probation for any reason.

Any concerns, including university accommodations that may impact eligibility, must be addressed by email to [email protected] before January 22, 2025.

Clarification: Rounding GPA figures does not occur.

Clarification: Students who join a chapter in Spring 2025 or later are not eligible for exemption through this process for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The fraternity or sorority chapter must be in good standing with the Pierce Greek Life Center and have met all Fraternity & Sorority Life (FSL) Foundations requirements for the Fall 2024 semester.

The fraternity or sorority chapter must have a university-recognized chapter facility.

The fraternity or sorority chapter must also have a Fall 2024 semester average GPA at or above 2.80.

Clarification: Rounding GPA figures does not occur.

Clarification: Students cannot be exempt to live in unrecognized “satellite” houses through this process.

The full FSL exemption process requires:

1. Submitting the FSL Chapter Live-In Request Google Form before the deadline
2. Submitting the signed Letter of Intent/Contract Release Request before the deadline
3. Receiving confirmation of eligibility from the Pierce Greek Life Center
4. Receiving the Greek Exemption confirmation letter from Office of Housing Administration

Please see below for deadlines associated with each of the four required steps in this process.

Additional information and resources can be found at the Pierce Greek Life Center or by contacting [email protected].

This exemption process closes on February 12, 2025, and no late FSL chapter live-in requests are accepted for any reason.

The sophomore housing lottery is based on availability during the assigned lottery date and time. Roommate groups, room types,  and buildings cannot be guaranteed.

Roommate groups may be two (2) or four (4) people only. However, we are able to make an exception for students wanting to live in Tepeyac and Tacuba. See the “Large Group Opportunities” section of this page for additional details.

All roommates must select the same term length.  If you select an 11.5-month license agreement, you will not be able to switch to a 9-month license agreement and vice versa.

Yes, roommate groups can be co-ed and will be assigned to a co-ed unit. Please note that if there are any empty spaces in a co-ed unit, other co-ed students or groups can be assigned to those empty spaces in that room or unit.

Student Leader selections will be made after the lottery process. We recommend completing Stages I and II until selections are made. Be transparent with your roommate group throughout the process. Should you decide to accept the position, you will be removed from your assigned space. The vacant space will be made available to other students.

The Office of Housing Administration will receive the names of final eligible students with signed Letter of Intent/Contract Release Request forms. Students will receive a confirmation letter for the Greek Exemption and will not need to go through the housing lottery process.

Housing provides reasonable accommodations to assure equal access to students with disabilities. Students seeking housing accommodations on the basis of disability must register for services with the Student Disability Services (SDS) by Feb. 14, 2025, to be eligible for priority housing. Housing accommodations cannot be guaranteed, and are based on availability. 

The sophomore and upper-division housing rates for the 2025-26 academic year will be available in January 2025.

Housing rates vary based on whether the student selects a 9-month versus 11.5-month license agreement term length. The tier levels (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3) are based on building amenities. Triple, double, and single rate amounts refer to the number of students in the room, not the number of students in the unit. The rate amount is per student. 

For example, a student who selects a 9-month term length and is assigned to a double-occupancy room in Aztec Corner would pay the 9-month, Tier 3, double rate. 

A space will be assigned to you after the lottery process is complete.

Multiple factors can prevent you from locating your group member during the roommate search:

• The group member has their privacy settings set to not searchable
• The group member has not completed the first stage of the sophomore housing lottery
• The group member has a different term length
• The group member has created a group and is classified as the group leader

In case you missed it or need a refresher, please watch the recorded info session event below with detailed information about Stage I, including license agreement term lengths, roommate groups, meal plans and more.

Link To Recorded Info Session 

Meal plan selections do not carry over into the summer. If you'd like a meal plan for the summer months, you’ll need to purchase a separate summer meal plan. 

You may only create a roommate group of 5-9 people by utilizing the 'Large Group Opportunity' at Tepeyac or Tacuba only. Other sophomore communities do not allow combining roommate groups of 1-4 to create groups larger than 4.

No, the date you complete Stage I within the February 3–28 period (whether it's February 3, February 28, or any other day) will not affect the lottery date and time you receive in March. The most important thing to focus on is completing Stage I accurately and thoroughly, as once it’s submitted, you cannot go back and edit your information.