Residential Services FAQs for Prospective Students and Parents

As a member of the residence hall community, you will have the unique experience of cohabitating and interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, interests, and lifestyles. Students who take advantage of this wonderful opportunity will not only learn more about individuals who are different from them but will also be able to share their own experiences. Living on campus will provide you with extra opportunities for socializing, investing in your academic success, and dedicating time to things you love. With close proximity to classes, events, and campus resources, residential students can easily become involved on campus.

Housing on campus is primarily for full-time undergraduate students. Those interested in living on campus should submit a Housing Contract on eRezLife.

Housing and dining costs are dependent on the room and meal plan type.

Terms and conditions for the housing contract can be located in the housing contract application, or in the Resources section of eRezLife.

Meal plans and associated prices can be found on the Housing and Dining Costs page.

Students desiring a different meal plan can request a meal plan change until 4 p.m. on the third Thursday of the semester, by submitting the Meal Plan Change Request form on eRezLife.

After submitting a contract and prior to being assigned to housing, students can form a roommate group on eRezLife with their desired roommate. If a student is already assigned to housing, they will need to submit a Room Change Request form to request a different room type or a specific roommate.

Once assigned a roommate, residents can view their roommate’s name and contact information in their eRezLife account. Students are encouraged to check their eRezLife account for any changes prior to moving in.

During the academic year, the Office of Campus Life is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To reach the Office of Campus Life by phone, please call 630-844-7881. For housing or residential topics, please email reslife@aurora.edu. For student organizations or campus engagement topics, please email campuslife@aurora.edu.

Each residence hall is staffed by a professional staff Area Hall Director (AHD) and several student Resident Assistants (RAs). Their responsibilities include developing community, assisting with ensuring safety, planning social and educational activities to meet students' needs, and providing resource assistance. View the Campus Life staff.

RAs are assigned to oversee specific areas of a residence hall to serve primarily as a community builder and resource for residents. RAs are carefully selected and trained student staff members who work under the direct supervision of the Area Hall Director (AHD). The RA helps residents build community by assessing the specific needs of the community and developing and hosting activities conducive to learning and personal growth.

AHDs are responsible for overseeing the community development within the halls, including both social and educational aspects. The AHDs work closely with other departments on campus to ensure smooth operations within the residence halls, such as facilities management. The AHDs also are available to assist and act as resource persons for individual students and serve in a 24-hour on-call rotation for crisis response. To allow for quick crisis response, AHDs reside in residence halls on campus. Students are encouraged to consult the AHD with questions, conflicts, or suggestions.

The halls open shortly before the start of each semester and close at 5 p.m. on the Friday of finals week each semester. Specific dates can be found on Campus Life’s Move-in/Move-out Information page.

In the weeks prior to your specific August move-in date, you will receive an email with detailed instructions regarding the move-in process. During your move-in, you will check in with Campus Life, receive/activate your AU student ID, receive your residence hall room key, mail key, and important paperwork, and have the opportunity to obtain a parking pass. All students will have the opportunity to complete a Room Condition Report (RCR) on their eRezLife account upon arrival to their new room if desired. If you are moving in at another time of the year, Campus Life will communicate specifics regarding your move-in, ahead of your move-in date.

Specific information regarding amenities of each of the residence halls, as well as estimated room dimensions, can be found online.

Students who have received a housing assignment or who are currently living on campus and interested in changing rooms should submit the Room Change Request form on eRezLife. As spaces become available, Campus Life will reach out to students via their AU email to begin the room change process if the student is interested in the available space. Once a student submits the Room Change Request form, there is nothing more the student needs to do, as this request remains on file while Campus Life reviews available spaces.

The Office of Campus Life reserves the right to move or reassign a resident during the housing contract period. Additionally, the Office of Campus Life may need to consolidate vacancies by relocating residents at any time during the contract period.

Any vacancies in residence hall rooms are required to be kept in “move-in ready” condition, unless otherwise specified by the Office of Campus Life. Move-in ready includes ensuring that the full set of furniture belonging to the vacant assignment remains assembled, present, and empty of belongings.

The Office of Campus Life does not offer an option for students to buy-out a room prior to the start of the semester. If a room is under occupied and there is enough availability of specific room types during the semester to offer this as an option, the Office of Campus Life will reach out to students via their AU email to inform them of available options and associated costs.

Any student wanting to cancel their housing contract should fill out the Housing Cancellation form on their eRezLife account.

For detailed housing cancellation information and cancellation fees, students should read their Housing Contract terms and conditions. These terms and conditions can be found in the Resources section of eRezLife.

The Office of Campus Life typically communicates directly with students for day-to-day operations. In the event of an emergency, Campus Life will attempt to contact the emergency contact listed on file for a student.

The cost of laundry is built into the cost of room and board, allowing students unlimited use of the laundry machines in the residence halls.

Students looking for information on what to bring and what to leave at home should visit Campus Life’s What to Bring page. Additional information regarding policies restricting what students can bring can be found in the A-Book.

Students are permitted to have pet fish on campus in a tank no larger than 10 gallons. Please note that emotional support animals and/or service animals must be approved by the Disability Resource Office to live in the residence halls.

All residence halls have free printing, high-speed internet, including WiFi and ethernet, fitness room, vending area, laundry room, lounge with TV, and study room. Information regarding amenities of specific residence halls can be found online.

All residence hall rooms are equipped with a closet or wardrobe, chair, desk, dresser, and twin XL bed frame and mattress. Items that come with the rooms cannot be removed, however, permitted items may be added to the space, such as a personal desk chair, if a student desires.

All students are required to register their vehicle with Campus Public Safety. There is no cost to register a vehicle. Overnight parking is located in the parking garage. View additional parking information.