🏠 The University of Tampa — Parent Guide

🏠 How housing selection works at The University of Tampa

The University of Tampa does not require any class year to live on campus — housing is voluntary for all students. However, on-campus living is strongly recommended for first-year students to build community and ease the transition to college life.

Application Timeline: Students apply for housing through the StarRez portal (accessible via MyUTampa) after paying the $500 enrollment deposit. Priority is determined by application completion date — not the deposit date. New first-year fall students receive the highest priority, followed by continuing students, then transfer students on a space-available basis.

Room Assignments: Notifications go out by mid-July for fall and late December for spring. Approximately 50% of first-year students are placed in triple rooms due to demand. Roommate requests can be submitted through the housing portal by May 1.

First-Year Halls: Austin Hall, Grand Center, McKay Hall, Morsani Hall, Smiley Hall, and Vaughn Center are the primary first-year buildings. Grand Center (opened 2024) is the newest and largest. McKay Hall is home to the Honors Living-Learning Community; Smiley Hall hosts the LiveWell and First Year Wellness LLCs.

Upper-Class Options: Brevard Hall (suite-style), Jenkins Hall (4-bedroom suites, LEED Gold), Palm Apartments (full kitchen, LEED Silver), Straz Hall (apartment-style), and Urso Hall (studio apartments with private baths) serve returning students. The Barrymore Hotel — a full-service hotel 4 blocks away on the Tampa Riverwalk — serves as overflow housing with a free shuttle.

Meal Plans: All on-campus residents are required to participate in a university meal plan. Students in apartment-style halls (Palm, Straz, Urso) may choose the reduced 7-meal/week Apartment Plan. Students in Barrymore Hotel and Jenkins Hall must select the 12-meal/week plan or higher. Dining is provided by Sodexo with 29 venues campus-wide.

Overflow Housing: When on-campus beds are full, students are housed at The Barrymore Hotel (111 W. Fortune St.), a 4-block walk from campus on the Tampa Riverwalk. Barrymore residents have queen beds, private bathrooms, pool access, free parking, and twice-weekly housekeeping — and RAs on every student floor.