Upperclassman Application Process
Get ready to live Southern Miss!
We are excited that you want to make (or continue to make) The University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg campus your home away from home! The Department of Housing and Residence Life at Southern Miss offers a convenient and safe place for students to live while making the most of their social and academic lives. The department is made up of 12 residence halls, 1 apartment complex, 10 sorority houses, and 10 fraternity houses, for an overall on-campus population of more than 3,500 students!
Getting Started: The Housing Application
First of all, we are excited that you are wanting to continue to live on campus, or are wanting to make Southern Miss your home away from home for the first time! As an upperclassman or transfer student, you are not required to live on campus. Incoming freshman are required to live on campus their first year, so they will get priority. For upperclassmen and transfer students, room selection is based on a first come first serve basis, so we highly advise that you complete the housing application as soon as possible. The later you wait to apply, the chance of being placed in a room becomes slim.
With this in mind, below is information pertaining to the application process for upperclassmen and transfer students. Please read through this information carefully!
Step 1 - Log into the Housing Portal and apply for housing
For current students, you'll continue to use the same log in credentials to access the Housing Portal, and you'll find the application under Applications and Assignments tile.
For transfer students, you will need to be accepted to Southern Miss in order for you to access the Housing Portal. Once you've been accepted, you'll receive your student ID and will need to create a password. After this has been set up, you'll be able to access your SOAR and Housing Portal accounts.
Step 2 - Fill out the Housing Application
You'll need to read and fill out the information required from you. For a returning upperclassmen, this should take you less than 5 minutes to complete. For transfer students, this should take 10 - 15 minutes to complete.
Step 3 - Read and sign the Housing Contract
Once you've completed step 2, you'll need to read the Housing Contract, virtually sign it, and submit. If you are a returning Southern Miss student, these are the only steps you need to take for the Housing Application.
Step 4 - Pay the Housing Application Fee (for transfer students)
If you are a returning Southern Miss student, you do not have to pay the housing application fee. If you are a transfer student, you will need to pay the housing application fee in order for your housing application to be completed and submitted.
Important Dates
October 1: The Housing Application becomes available online (this date will never change from year to year).
October 1 - December 16: This is the priority window for returning upperclassman students.
October 1 - March 1: This is the priority window for transfer students and the application fee is $75.
March 2 and on: Once the priority window for transfer students has passed, the application fee goes up to $150.
Please note: The Housing Application does not have a set close date, but we advise you to complete it as soon as possible. Since freshmen take priority with housing, the longer you wait to apply, your chances of being placed in a room on campus becomes slim.
Room Selection Process
Now that you've submitted your Housing Application, the first step is complete! The room selection process will begin in the spring semester. For further information about when that process will begin, continue to check back to this page and keep an eye on your USM email. In the meantime, you can check out the different housing options we offer by clicking here.
Questions?
If you have questions about the Housing Application or room selection processes, you can email us at reslifeFREEMississippi or call 601.266.4783 Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., CST and we will be happy to assist you!
Other Important Information
- See important dates on our calendar.
- Review the housing contract and policies.
- Check out our housing rates.
- Need accommodations? Check out Student Accessibility Services (SAS).
- Check out Parking and Transit Services for parking passes and the bus route.
