First Year Admission Housing Info

We can guarantee that all first-year students with a contract will be housed, housing experiences will be staffed and all spaces will be cared for, serviced, and more than adequate for student living.

Congratulations! Residence Life welcomes all incoming first-year students!

All first-year students are required to live in university residence halls for the entirety of their first academic year at James Madison University (fall and spring semesters). First-year students who join JMU in the spring will be required to live on campus only for the spring semester, but are encouraged to consider living on again next year.

Exceptions to the first-year residency requirement may be made for:

  • First-year students who commute daily within a 60-mile radius from the permanent home address of their parents or legal guardians as indicated on their application for admission to JMU.
  • First-year students who are 21 years of age or older.
  • First-year students with prior active duty military service.
  • First-year students who are married or have a dependent minor who lives with them.

Requests for exceptions must be made in writing to Karen Sampson. All requests must be made by the incoming student and must come from their @JMU account. Documentation may be required.

The New Student Checklist is comprised of several steps you need to complete, including signing your First Year Housing Contract, to prepare for your transition to JMU.

New first-year students for the Fall of 2026 will be able to access the Online Housing Portal on April 1st, 2026. Students can access the Online Housing Portal within 24–48 hours of paying their Admissions deposit. The deadline to sign the First Year Housing Contract will be May 31, 2026.  Students who sign their contract by the deadline will be assigned to a room by August 1, 2026.

Spring Admissions Housing Info

Spring 2027 will be released in Fall 2026.

Students can access the Online Housing Portal within 24–48 hours of paying their Admissions deposit.

Frequently Asked Questions

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General Residence Life Questions

Differential Room Rates

  • All first year students are required to live on-campus
  • Exceptions to this requirement include first year students admitted as commuter students and first year students that receive a residency waiver approval from Residence Life.
  • While returning students are not guaranteed housing subsequent years, there is upperclass housing on campus for sophomores, juniors and seniors.
  • Each year we are able to house approximately 35% of the sophomore class, so you should definitely think about living on campus after your first year!
  • Yes, all residence halls are coed. Most first year halls are assigned same-gender floors or sections.
  • All bathrooms are designated as female, male or gender inclusive.
  • Gender specific bathrooms may not be used by the opposite gender.
  • Gender inclusive bathrooms are single-occupancy.

Not all Residence Halls have elevators. The following halls do have elevators:

  • Bluestone Area:
    • Alger, Harper Allen-Lee, Hoffman, and Wayland Hall
  • Lake Area:
    • Eagle and Shorts Hall
  • Skyline Area:
    • Chandler, Chesapeake, Paul Jennings, and Shenandoah Hall
  • Village Area:
    • Potomac Hall

Storage Scholars

Student Storage, Made Easy
Storage Scholars is the preferred moving, storage & shipping partner of JMU.

If you are no longer planning to attend JMU, please immediately complete the First-Year/Transfer Cancellation Notice, which is located on the Registrar's website.

First Year Housing Questions

We have five residential areas on campus. In those areas, the following halls will be available to first-year students:

  • Bluestone: Alger, Gifford, Hoffman, and Wayland*
  • Hillside: Bell, Hillside, and McGraw-Long
  • Lake: Eagle and Shorts
  • Skyline: Chesapeake, Chandler, Shenandoah, and Paul Jennings**
  • Tree Houses: Cedar, Dogwood, Magnolia, and Oak
  • Village: Chappelear, Dingledine, Frederikson, Garber, Hanson, Huffman, Weaver, White, and Potomac**

*Bluestone Buildings subject to change

**Paul Jennings and Potomac Hall are First Year on floors 1-3 and Upperclass/Transfer Student on Floors 4-5; Upperclass/Transfer students will be housed on Floor 3 if needed

  • Rooms vary from hall to hall and sometimes from room to room within each hall.
  • Floor plans and more information about each hall can be found on our ResHall Descriptions page.
  • Explore our virtual tours for a better look inside our rooms!
  • Bedrooms are not cleaned by university staff
  • Common areas and community bathrooms are cleaned regularly
  • Village Suite/common rooms within a suite are not cleaned by university staff
  • Private suite baths are not cleaned by university staff
    Remember: if a bathroom is behind a locked door the housekeeper does not clean it.
  • About 95% of our first year halls feature community or suite style bathrooms.
  • If you have a medical condition that requires special accommodations, please download the Housing Accommodation Form.

First-Year Housing Accommodation Form Deadline: June 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

All Village halls (excluding Potomac Hall), Eagle hall, and Shorts Hall do not have central A/C. However, the suite areas and TV lounges do have A/C.

All other halls have central A/C.

If you require air-conditioning due to a medical need: 

First-Year Housing Accommodation Form Deadline: June 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

  • Each hall has one or more laundry rooms with JACard (Flex, not dining dollars) operated washers and dryers. All machines also accept quarters.
  • All halls have high efficiency (HE) washers that recommend special HE detergent.

Below is the list of which halls will now have to use either the Speed Queen App or quarters to activate a washer or dryer. Instructional signage is posted in those laundry rooms

You should be able to request notifications about when a cycle is almost complete through the speed queen app or via text message.

  • Tree Houses
  • Hillside Area
  • Lake Area
  • Gifford Hall
  • Hoffman Hall
  • Paul Jennings Hall
  • Shenandoah Hall
  • Wayland Hall
Roommate Questions

Students are encouraged to, but not required to, select a roommate.

If you do not have a roommate by the roommate selection deadline, ResLife will assign you a room with another student who does not have a roommate. The housing assignment will be made based on the compatibility of the two students (determined in your questionnaire completed during signing your contract) as well as where the students ranked their living preferences.

Roommate Selection Deadline: July 1, 2026

Roommate Selection will begin in early April and go until the beginning of July, on the Online Housing System for students to begin searching and selecting a roommate.

  • You can search for people who have similar answers to the Lifestyle Questions by selecting "Browse Matching" from the Roommate Group Management page
    • This will bring up roommates who answered similarly to you
    • The higher the percentage, the closer your answers were on the Lifestyle Questions
  • If you already know who you would like to room with, you can search for them using their JMU eID 
    • Select "Roommate Search by Details" to search for your roommate with their eID

If you find someone you think could be a good fit for you as a roommate, you can send them a message through the Online Housing System. This message will be sent to their JMU email. If you determine that you want to live together, you must be in a Roommate Group with them by the roommate deadline, for it to be guaranteed.

PLEASE NOTE:

  • You cannot be in more than one Roommate Group
  • You cannot create a new Roommate Group if you are already in one
  • You will have to leave your original Roommate Group in order to join or create a new Roommate Group
  • While first-year students can select their roommate(s), they cannot select suitemates

While you can select your roommate(s), you cannot select suitemates.

Suitemate information cannot and will not be given out before you move in. You will meet your suitemates at Move-In.

  • Room capacities vary within halls and from hall to hall
  • Most rooms are doubles and house two students
    • A minimal number of specific rooms are designated as singles (most singles are available only with a Housing Accommodation) and some are designated as triples.
  • While first-year students can select their roommate(s), they cannot select suitemates.
  • During the first week of the semester, roommates are required to complete a roommate agreement and are given tips and strategies for getting along. Roommates discuss typical living issues such as cleanliness, studying, and borrowing items and complete the roommate agreement stating their decisions.
  • Hall staff encourages residents to address concerns directly with roommates initially. If personal communications fail, Resident Advisers (RAs) and Hall Directors (HDs) intervene and help mediate a roommate agreement for peaceful coexistence. Students are encouraged to resolve conflicts.
  • Although room changes are not encouraged, a change can be made (if space is available) by submitting a Room Change Request Form and the approval of the Housing Office three weeks after the beginning of the semester.
Things to Bring Questions

Check out what is in our Residence Halls

  • Lofts can be purchased or built
  • All lofts must comply with Residence Life specifications, which can be found on our Hall Policies page under “Loft Beds”).
  • Residence Life currently partners with College Savers and MicroFridge.
  • Students interested in purchasing desk hutches can visit College Savers website for ordering information.
    • Orders will be sent via Fed-Ex to the central mail room.
  • Residence Life does not currently partner with any loft, carpet/rug, or linen rental companies. 
  • Wall types differ from hall to hall. Wall types for each hall can be found via our hall descriptions.
    • For cinderblock: use poster putty (the white, NOT blue kind) or hooks with non-damaging adhesive (i.e. Command Hooks)
    • For drywall: use thumb tacks/push pins.
  • DO NOT use duct tape on any walls, doors, or furniture.
  • Failure to use the appropriate adhesives on walls can result in fines at move-out at the end of the year.
  • In single and double-bedroom spaces, one mini refrigerator (up to 5 cubic feet) per student is permitted. 
  • If you live in the Village, one mini refrigerator is also permitted in the suite common area.
  • No microwaves are permitted in residence hall rooms, but they are available in hall lounges or kitchens.
  • Microfridges (refrigerator/microwave combo) are allowed through our partnership with MicroFridge only.
    • You may not bring your own.
    • The units through MicroFridge are specifically approved by our Business Operations team for safety.
  • Traditional extension cords are prohibited
  • Please use a UL approved power strip/circuit breaker for additional electrical outlets.
  • These must be plugged directly into the wall. Lamps with an outlet in the base and bed risers with electrical outlets are prohibited.
  • Yes, each hall office has at least one vacuum that students may check out during office hours.
  • Mini-vacuums and hand vacuums are great to bring with you.
Live on Again! Contract for 2027-2028 Questions
  • Students will have the option at a later date to sign a Live On Again! Contract for on-campus housing for 2027-2028.
  • This contract guarantees them a space in one of our upper-class residence halls for their second year at JMU.
  • Students may sign this contract through the same Online Housing Portal that they used to sign their 2026-2027 first-year housing contract.
  • Approximately 6,700 of JMU’s 22,000 full-time undergraduate students are housed in University-sponsored residence halls. The remaining students live at home or in nearby apartments.
Computer and Telephone Questions
  • Yes, residential students have access to MyResNet wifi throughout their residence hall, including their bedroom. MyResNet access has already been included in your student fees.
  • All residential students are also provided with a wired MyResNet connection in their bedrooms. This enables your computer to access the internet and the campus network from your room. MyResNet access has already been included in your student fees.
  • You can access more information about computing at JMU on our Wireless Internet & TV page or with JMU IT.
  • Please note: Wireless routers are prohibited in residence halls. Wireless printers are also discouraged.
  • Yes, courtesy phones are located in each residence hall for students to place on-campus, local, and toll-free calls. Students can use calling cards with 1-800 numbers on these phones as well.
  • Residents may request an individual residence hall room phone by working with JMU Telecom and submitting a Student Telephone Installation Form found on their website.
  • Parents with concerns about their students can call the 24-hour campus emergency number. Campus police will respond to calls with appropriate counseling, and medical or law enforcement assistance.
Miscellaneous Questions

Students must visit JMU Dining’s website, and fill out a change form. 

There is a $20 fee to change your meal plan during the approved windows*

*First year students & RAs are exempt from the change fee.

  • Yes, the Student Learning Initiatives (SLI) Center is run through Residence Life and has many programs to help students feel comfortable in their surroundings, acclimate themselves to the campus, and succeed academically.

  • Resident Advisers (RAs) in the first-year halls also present numerous programs on transition topics/issues. For students who are struggling with homesickness, the first and best person a student can talk to is their Resident Adviser (RA). The RA is an upper-class student who has the experience to talk with students and the training to make a referral if necessary.

  • In addition, there are many offices on campus, including the Counseling Center, the Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS), the University Career Center, and the Student Activities and Involvement Office (and others) that offer programs and resources that will help students make this transition.

  • Student Org Night is held in the early Fall and Spring semesters as a resource for students to become aware of all the organizations and clubs on campus.

  • There are two planned fire drills in each hall per semester. These are an important part of our safety program.
  • False fire alarms are a concern to staff and residents alike. Much effort is put into communicating the importance of community respect for property and other residents.
  • All residence halls close on the last day of exams in May for non-graduating students.
  • Students should plan to check out of their hall within 24 hours of their last exam.
  • At the end of the year, be sure to check out our Check Out & Move Out page for more information.
  • The Residence Life is not able to store students’ items over the summer.
  • There are private companies you can use to store items near campus.

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Residence Life
Huffman Hall
MSC 2401
200 Huffman
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807