By now, you’ve received your housing assignment. We can’t wait to welcome you to your new home!
Columbia Housing provides undergraduate residential students with safe and comfortable accommodations and a friendly face whenever they have questions or concerns. Housing is responsible for maintaining the physical integrity, cleanliness, and operations of Columbia's 30+ undergraduate residence halls.
You can find details about your new home, learn what to bring, and familiarize yourself with the list of prohibited items. Only pack or ship the essentials for Check-In day! Space in your room is limited. You can always shop for items after you've arrived and settled in.
Get to know the buildings where you and your new classmates will be living! You can also check out these video tours to see your building and a sample room.
All students living in residence halls must sign their Occupancy Agreement via the Housing Portal by August 1, 2023. You will not be eligible to move in without a signed agreement. You should have received an email communication from Columbia Housing with instructions for signing the Occupancy Agreement by email in late June.
The Guide to Living contains everything you need to know about life as a residential student. From information about hosting guests to the do’s and don'ts of room decorations, the Guide to Living is a collection of policies, procedures and services created by Columbia Housing and Residential Life in collaboration with other campus partners.
It is important to understand and comply with the policies and procedures in The Guide to Living in order to retain your guaranteed housing status. Here are some helpful links to get you started:
Columbia's Residence Hall Leadership Organization (RHLO) and National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) are working with SwakU, a trusted vendor offering customized bedding packages designed for the twin XL beds in Columbia’s residence halls.
See the information below for ordering options and deadlines, our discount code, and more information on shipping:
Your experience with your new residential hall community will depend in part on what you bring to it, so we recommend an open mind and an eagerness to connect. You'll also receive support from your resident adviser (RA), who will help everyone on your floor get to know one another and set agreements to create the ideal shared space. In the meantime, here are some tips for a successful transition to community living.
Get to know your neighbors. You need to know more than just the names and hometowns of the folks living in your hall. Ask questions. Learn about everyone in the hall, not just folks with whom you connect immediately. It helps to know about their experiences prior to Columbia to understand the perspective someone brings. Also, it's much easier to make a request of someone with whom you have developed a relationship.
Talk directly about your needs. While you may be tempted to keep your expectations or needs to yourself, thinking you don't want to “start off on the wrong foot,” we encourage you to speak up for your needs. Bothersome behavior won't change if your floormates are not aware of the impact it's having. Reach out to your neighbor directly if you have a conflict, but allow yourself some time to calm down so you are not interacting at the height of your emotional reaction.
Be reasonable with your requests. Living in a community is about shared expectations, not just your individual needs. Prior to living at Columbia, you may have experienced absolute silence at bedtime or a bathroom in impeccable condition at all times. In a residence hall, you may be among peers who aren’t as sensitive to noise as you are. If issues persist after connecting with your neighbor, you can consult your RA for additional assistance.
For urgent issues, the resident adviser on-duty is able to bring in other campus resources and professional staff to address individual and community issues as necessary.
Undergraduate mail is coordinated by Columbia Mail and is available to undergraduate residents of Columbia Housing only.
Your mailbox number is your UNI. Instructions for shipping mail and packages to campus will be provided to you by Columbia Mail and Housing in mid-July. Items will be delivered to the Student Mail Center in Wien Hall.
Shipping Mail and Packages
Before Check-In, Columbia Housing will provide instructions for shipping mail and packages to campus. All mail will be delivered to the Student Mail Center in Wien Hall.
Items received by Columbia Mail between August 1 and August 15 will be eligible for delivery directly to students' rooms. Please do not send items before August 1. Items received after August 15 may be delivered or may be available for pick-up at the Student Mail Center or a satellite location. Students will be notified via email when a package is ready for pick-up.
Please note that students must be available to receive special deliveries in-person as residence hall front desks cannot accept deliveries on their behalf. If you plan on sending a surprise (such as flowers or a birthday cake), please let your student know ahead of time.
For complete information on shipping items to campus in advance of check-in, please visit the Columbia Housing site.
Residence halls are open throughout the academic year, including all University holiday breaks. See the Academic Calendar for upcoming dates, but note that some services during breaks are reduced. Students continuing their studies at Columbia during the summer may also register for summer housing.
A number of staff and offices at Columbia University work together 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure your safety on campus and in your residence hall. The safety team includes the dean on-call, the resident adviser on duty, staff at residence hall welcome desks, Columbia Public Safety, and Columbia University Emergency Medical Service (CU-EMS).
You can contact Columbia Public Safety for emergencies at any time by dialing 212-854-5555. We recommend that you add this number to your contacts in your mobile phone. Public Safety will contact CU-EMS or another ambulance service when necessary as well as the appropriate residential adviser and Residential Life staff.
For less urgent situations, residents may contact Public Safety or their RA directly. Except for holidays and intersession periods, an RA will be on duty in the residence halls each night between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. RA on-duty contact information is posted at building security desks or in the lobbies of the residence halls. RA on-duty phone numbers are also posted here on the Columbia Housing website. Public Safety is available 24/7/365, and its non-emergency phone number is 212-854-2797.
Learn more about Campus Safety
Columbia's Off-Campus Housing Assistance (OCHA) office assists Columbia students and affiliates in their search for rental housing in the metropolitan area.
OCHA manages a database known as the Housing Registry, which includes available rooms and apartments in non-Columbia-owned buildings and sublets of units in Columbia-managed housing. Prospective roommates can also post and search profiles on this site.
In addition, OCHA offers housing search counseling and is supported in these efforts by our cooperative relationships with two New York City real estate/relocation agencies.