🏠 American University — Parent Guide

🏠 How housing selection works at American University

Two-year residency requirement.Most first- and second-year undergraduates at American University are required to live on campus. Local students with a verified DC-area home address may petition for a commuter exemption.

First-year placement.New students complete a housing application and roommate-matching survey in the spring before arrival. Housing assigns first-years primarily to the complex (Anderson, Letts, Centennial, McDowell) and to Cassell, Hughes, Leonard, and Roper halls. Specific roommate are confirmed by midsummer.

Sophomore room selection.Returning students participate in an online room-selection process in the spring semester. Class year, application timing, and Living-Learning Community (LLC) participation factor into the selection order. Sophomores may also apply to LLCs (Honors, SIS, SPA, Kogod, etc.) which place participants in a specific .

Upper-class options.Juniors and seniors who choose to remain on campus typically live in apartment-style housing on campus (Constitution, Federal) or in all of which feature private bathrooms, full kitchens, and air conditioning.

Greek life.AU's fraternities and sororities are organizationally active but largely non-residential — most chapters meet in shared spaces and do not have on-campus chapter houses.