Bluffton University

Room draw schedule

A mandatory hall meeting for all returning students will be held. Look for announcement of time/location from your residence life hall staff. Commuters wishing to live on campus can contact the student life office for information at Studentlife@bluffton.edu. Below is information regarding the process. Please attend your all hall meeting for an overview. 

Housing application form opens

The Housing Application Form for the Apartments and Nesting opens at noon on Feb. 17. It is located under the student life tab on  my.bluffton.edu.  

Room nesting

Nesting is when you wish to keep your current room with your current roommate for the next academic year.

For doubles and triples, a resident must have all current roommates to nest for the next year to keep their room. If you wish to nest and keep your current room, all roommates need to list the other as their roommate in order to reserve the room. If roommate names do not match or the deadline is missed, the room will be forfeited. If your current roommate will not be returning to campus for the next academic year, you cannot nest in your current room. If you have completed your nesting documentation before the deadline, you do not need to complete any further documentation for room draw.

Super singles are not eligible for nesting. (More information can be found in the super-single policy)

Nesting deadline: 5 p.m. Monday, March 17
Deadline for all roommates to submit the nesting form is 5 p.m. Monday, March 17.

Riley Court Apartment draw

Deadline for apartment applications
5 p.m. Wednesday, March 12
If you are interested in signing up for an apartment, you must submit the Apartments Application on my.bluffton.edu by 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 12.

Preference for Riley Court apartments will be given to groups who sign up with six people, with upperclassmen being given priority within these groups. If any apartments are left after these groups of six register, there will be a room draw for any available apartments in groups of two.

Six residents live in each apartment which includes three double rooms, a kitchen, living room, two bathrooms and laundry facilities. A meal plan is required to live in the apartments.
More information on Riley Creek Apartments >

Please note:

• ONLY students who will be attending classes on the Bluffton campus for the entire 2025-26 academic year will be considered.
• Preference for living in the Riley Court apartments will be given to groups of six people, with upperclassmen being given priority within those groups.
• Graduate students are eligible to live in the apartments. However, priority will be given to groups of six undergraduates. If any apartments are left after these groups of six register, there will be a room draw for any available apartments in groups of two. 
• Students must plan to attend classes on the Bluffton campus for the entire academic year to live in the apartments. Student’s conduct record, GPA and seniority will be considered when assigning apartment lodging. Class status will be determined by the current credit hours completed.
• If you receive an apartment assignment for next year and any member of your group does not return to Bluffton, the group will be responsible for finding a new student to take their place or pay for their portion of the room charge. If you do not find a replacement or accept the extra charge, you will lose your apartment and a group from the waitlist will be moved into your place.
• You must have at least the Apartment 70 block plan when living in the apartments. You may also have a 10, 15 or 20 meal plan for an additional cost. 
• Individual rooms within each apartment will be decided by the apartment members themselves but must be communicated to the coordinator of residence life by the date and time given by the university.
  
  

Room Draw Order and Instructions

More information detailing the room draw process will be released shortly. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Michael Bryan, coordinator of residence life, at bryanm@bluffton.edu

Room draw is the process through which all returning Bluffton University students planning to live on campus request a residence hall, room, and roommate for the next academic year. There will be no in-person room draw. For room draw, please complete and submit the Room Draw Preference form on my.bluffton available at noon March 19. This form is due at 5 p.m. April 4.

Singles 
There are a limited number of single rooms available on campus. Single rooms are smaller rooms that are designed to house only one individual. Because of a limited number of single rooms on campus, it is unlikely that all individuals seeking a single room will be accommodated.

Triples 
There are a limited number of triple rooms that can house three individuals. Once you have chosen a triple, all three residents will need to fill out the housing agreement.

Rooms will be decided by class seniority (like all room draw processes).  Students are strongly encouraged to have a backup plan in the event they do not receive a single or triple room.

Rooming with an incoming student
If you plan to room with an incoming student you will not be able to select a room for room draw. The incoming student must email housing@bluffton.edu to indicate this roommate pairing desire. To do this, the student must be accepted, deposited and plan to attend Bluffton University.

After we receive the accepted incoming student's housing form, we will assign the two of you as roommates in a room set aside for incoming student housing. Your housing assignment information will be emailed to you in July.

Super single
A super single is a standard-sized room that has only one person living in it. There is an additional fee per semester for a super single. See the tuition and fees page.

For room draw, individuals will need to have a roommate when they pick their room but also then indicate if they are willing to pay the super-single price if space is available. If you click the box to indicate that you are willing to pay the super-single price, you will be added to a waitlist to live in a super-single. A residence life representative will contact you in August if there is space available.

Please don’t email asking if there is a single or super-single available. The waitlist will be reviewed when/if any single options come open and will be made available based on credit hours completed. An email will be sent to your Bluffton.edu account if an offer is made to you. You will be given a limited amount of time to respond, so please check your email frequently over the summer.

No roommate?

Students without a roommate should contact their RA/HD to aid them in finding a roommate. Students need to find a roommate they can be compatible with and not “plan” for a single room to be available. If you do not have a roommate when you choose your room, you will be consolidated with an individual who also does not have a roommate. All returning students MUST submit a room draw form through my.bluffton.edu, under the student life tab.