Starting in March when the housing application opens for the upcoming academic year (October for Spring Starts) First-Year Students (incoming or transfer) are emailed a welcome letter from the housing office within 24 hours of depositing to Eastern University. Students should read this letter carefully for details related to the application. 

Housing Application/Commuter Request Form: 

All first-year students are required to complete the Housing Application/Commuter Request form located within the housing portal, using information from the application the university assigns students to Themed Communities in one of the first-year residences. While we understand there are numerous reasons students might want to request a specific residence hall, we place a greater value on the people who will shape your community rather than the building in which you will be living. 

Housing Portal: 

What is the housing portal? 

The Housing Portal is where you will be able to locate all information related to Housing at Eastern University. This is where you will access housing applications, apply for commuter status, and schedule your arrival time on campus when the residence halls open for the semester.  You will need your Eastern username and password to access the Housing Portal. If you need assistance or have any questions about your username or password, please contact your admissions counselor.

Themed Communities

What are Eastern University Themed Communities? 
Themed Communities are specialized living communities within the residence halls designed to create a shared experience for first-year students by matching students with a roommate using areas of interest as the criteria. Themed Communities will offer intentional events, programs, and experiential learning opportunities, with a dedicated staff person leading the community. Students who participate in Themed Communities experience a stronger connection to the university through increased academic and personal success. 

Eastern University will offer the following Themed Community options for our first-year students:

• Outdoor Adventure & Sustainability 
  - This Themed Community is designed to appeal to students who enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, climbing, and nature walks. There will also be an emphasis on sustainable ways to maintain these spaces and become a better steward of Eastern’s campus. Eastern University offers students the ability to explore our 114-acre campus, which is within 15 minutes of Valley Forge National Park. 
• Creativity & Expression 
  - This Themed Community is for creatives who have an interest in the arts such as writing, painting, music, literature, and theater. This community will provide a place for students to make connections with like-minded individuals. 
• Travel & Culture 
  - This Themed Community is designed for students who are interested in various types of travel experiences including local, domestic, international, immersion experiences, and exposure to different cultures. 
• Health & Well-Being 
  - This Themed Community is geared towards students who are interested in topics related to mental health, fitness, and nutrition. Like-minded students will live in a community with fellow students who want to place a focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and encouraging self-care. 
• Entertainment 
  - This Themed Community is for students interested in all things entertainment and want to connect with other students interested in various areas of entertainment such as movies, television, comedy shows, concerts, and sporting events. Entertainment is an integral part of life and its various forms create community.

All first-year students are required to participate in a Themed Community. Students select up to three preferences for communities that they wish to participate in when completing the Housing Application/Commuter Request form. Results from the Roommate Questionnaire and Themed Communities Preferences will determine the housing placement for first-year students. Please keep in mind that space is limited and students who apply for housing after the deadline may not receive their first choice of Themed Community. 

Steps to Apply for Housing 

Once the housing application/commuter request form opens, you will be eligible to complete your Housing Application/Commuter Request form using the following steps:
1. Access the Housing Portal. 
2. Click “Student Login” to enter the portal. 
3. Then you will click on the “Housing Application & Commuter Request Form”.
4. You will then select your intention for Fall. 
- a. You will be able to choose from Resident or Commuter. This choice will take you to the appropriate application. 
5. If you select Resident you will proceed through each step of the application by supplying the following information: 
- a. Personal Details 
- b. Emergency Contact Information 
- c. Accommodations( Where you submit documented Disability Accommodations)
- d. Reviewing and Signing the Housing Contract 
- e. Themed Communities Selection
-- i. All first-year students will need to select a Themed Community to live in for the duration of the Academic Year. 
- f. Meal Plan: All incoming students are required to have the 21 weekly meal plan during their first year at Eastern. 

Requesting a Roommate 
Roommate requests for a Themed Community can be made through the Housing Application. However, to be eligible to be roommates, both students must select the same Themed Community and also choose each other as roommates. If a student chooses a Themed Community and the roommate does not, the student will be placed in the Themed Community over the roommate.

Single & Handicap Accessible Rooms 
 Single, Semi-Private, and Handicap Accessible rooms are first held for students with disabilities accommodations. Single Rooms are not available for first-year students.

Returning Student Process

Housing Application/Commuter Request Form

Starting in March when the housing application opens for the upcoming academic year (October for Spring Starts) Returning Students are emailed a letter from the housing office announcing the date the housing application/commuter request form will open and updates to the process for the upcoming year.  Students should read this letter carefully for details related to the application.

Any student who is not an approved commuter who is enrolled full time (12 credits) at Eastern University is required to complete the Housing Application/Commuter Request form located within the housing portal. Returning students who have completed the application by the established deadline receive notice of their assigned date and time to re-enter the housing portal to self-select their room assignment for the upcoming year. Students must be registered for the upcoming Fall semester before they are permitted to self-select a room.  This ensures only eligible students are in a housing assignment. 

• After a room is selected, any student who drops below the required credits will be notified and given one calendar week from that notice to add the appropriate credits to their schedule before their room and board and associated charges are dropped. Students who need additional time to register must submit a written request for an extension through the Housing Office.
• Students who fail to select a room assignment prior to August 1st will be assigned the 21 weekly meal plan and assigned to a room using preferences and roommate matching percentages entered on the application when possible. 
• Rooms are double occupancy meaning you will be placed with a roommate if you have not selected one during the application process.

Requesting a Roommate 

• Roommate requests can be made through the Housing Application. There is a required roommate questionnaire all students must complete. The questionnaire results can be used to match students of similar interests and habits. Students can also conduct a search for the name of the students they wish to form a roommate group with prior to Housing Selection.

Room Requests 

• Residence Hall Rooms are based on a first-come, first-served basis during housing selection. If a space is not available during housing selection the space is not available. 

Single & Handicap Accessible Rooms

• Single, Semi-Private, and Handicap Accessible rooms are first held for students with disabilities accommodations. Any student interested in a single room can click here to add their name to the single room waitlist. If any spaces remain by the first week of August prior to the start of an academic year, these spaces will be assigned to students on the waitlist based on availability and in order of when a name was added to the waitlist. 

The room selection process will open in April. Make sure to watch your email for a notice with your specific time slot! Room selection priority is based on your number of earned credits, which does not include any credits currently in progress. Before you will be able to complete the room selection process you must do the following:

1. Submit the Housing Application & Computer Request form through the Housing Portal. 
   • Additional step by step directions for the form are available here.
2. Settle any holds on your account. Here is the contact information for offices that you may have a hold from:
   • Health Center - located on the Ground Floor of Doane Hall (healthcenter@eastern.edu or 610-341-5955) 
   • Financial Aid - located in Mall Cottage (finaid@eastern.edu or 610-225-5102)
   • Registrar - located in Mall Cottage (registrar@eastern.edu or 610-341-5853)
   • Student Accounts - located in Mall Cottage (student.accounts@eastern.edu or 610-341-5831)
3. Register as a full-time student (minimum of 12 credits) for the Fall 2024 semester.

All students who have submitted their application by Monday, April 8th, will receive an email during the week of April 8th with their specific time slot to re-enter the housing portal to select their room assignment for the 2024-2025 academic year. REMINDER: Students must settle all holds and be registered for Fall 2024 courses in order to select their room.

As stated in the Eastern University Handbook, all Traditional Undergraduate Baccalaureate students (TUBS) are required to maintain residency throughout their time at Eastern University unless formally released through approval by the Student Development Office. Students who fit into one of the categories below may petition for commuter status and an exclusion from the residency requirement:

1.  Live with a parent/guardian within a 50-mile radius of the St. David's campus (Requires a notarized letter from parent/guardian stating that  student will be commuting to campus from their home which is within a 50-mile radius of campus)
2. Actively serving in the military reserves or have previously served in the military
3. Reached 23 years of age before the start of the academic year of enrollment
4. Are married and/or have a dependent(s)
5. Enrolled as a part-time student (taking less than 12 credits per semester)

Campus residency status may affect a student's financial aid package. For more information, it is recommended that students contact the Financial Aid Office directly.