How To Indicate Housing Preferences through eLiving

Incoming first-year students can update their housing preferences until noon, June 15

24 steps
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2 minutes

Psu

Navigate to www.eLiving.psu.edu; login with your Penn State Access Account and password <https://www.absecom.psu.edu/eliving_student/student-pages/dashboard.cfm>

Click the "Contracts" icon, then "Summary / Update Preferences" link

screenshot of eLiving system showing the Contracts Menu Item, with the drop-down menu showing the select "Summary / Update Preferences"

Click "Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract FY student" link to open the HFS Contract. Summer Admits: there will be 2 separate HFS Contracts with two deadlines, one for summer and one for academic year. Summer options are limited; all students will be assigned to a double room, renovated residence hall in East Halls, and there is only 1 level for the Campus Meal Plan. You can indicate different roommate preferences for each HFS Contract.

eLiving system page which shows the student's HFS Contract. You can click the Contract name that is a hyperlink to access the screens to update housing preferences

This screen is for entering your HOUSING AREA / ROOM TYPE preferences. You can indicate **none**, 1, or 2 choices. Click the dropdown for "Area" and select your 1st housing area preference.

on this eLiving screen, you can enter up to 2 housing area preferences and room types from the drop-down menus

You can then select your preferred Room Type. This is not required. The room types that appear are based on the housing area selected. Note: some room types are not available for incoming first-year students, but still appear in drop-down menu. For example, first-year students are NOT assigned to a double room, renovated residence halls in South Halls - those rooms are reserved exclusively for upper-class students.

this screen is demonstrating where to click for the room type drop-down menu

Indicate your 2nd choice if interested. **\*\*\*Do not enter** the same housing area that you indicated for your 1st choice - enter a different housing area. Indicating the same housing area does not improve your chances of being assigned to that area.

showing the 2nd choice drop-down menu for housing area

Indicate your 2nd choice of Room Type.

showing drop-down menu for 2nd choice room type

Click "Next"

at the bottom of this page, you will click the 'next' button to advance to the next screen

Roommate Preferences: You do not need to have a roommate preference. The University will randomly assign your roommate(s). If you know a student whom you wish to live with, you can enter their Penn State Access Account ID (example, abs1855). Hit "enter" to confirm the student is found.

this screen is for entering Roommate preferences

If the Access ID is correct, the student's name will appear. To remove the student, click on the red X button.

up to 3 roommate requests can be entered by typing in the student's Penn State Access Account ID. When you hit the enter button, the system will confirm student's name

Review the statements regarding HOUSING PREFERENCES and Gender-Inclusive Housing. If you are interested in Gender-Inclusive Housing, select the "yes" button - a staff member will reach out to during the summer to discuss available housing options.

This page displays 2 statements: 1st statement is about housing preferences, which are not guaranteed and processed in random order. 2nd statement is about gender inclusive housing - change the radial button to "yes" if you need gender inclusive housing

Click "Next"

click the "next" button to advance to the next screen

Living Learning Communities (LLCs)<https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/living-learning-communities> You can select 1-2 LLCs - simply click the drop-down menu for Choice 1, select the LLC, and then Choice 2 will appear. If you are not interested in an LLC, leave the selection as "No Preference" and you will not be considered for an LLC. If you need Break Access/Holiday Housing, select that as a LLC preference.\ <https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/manage-your-hfs-contract#breakhousing>

this screen allows you to enter up to 2 selections for a Living Learning Community. A drop-down menu for choice 1 and choice 2 have the list of LLCs available to select. LLC information is available at liveon.psu.edu/up-llcs

The drop-down menu shows the list of available LLCs. Additional information is available at <https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/living-learning-communities>

the drop-down menu showing the list of LLCs available to select

Click "Next"

Campus Meal Plan: for the academic year, 3 levels are available. The HFS Contract defaults to level 2. Recommendation: select level 2 - you will be able to modify your CMP level until the last day of finals. There is only 1 level for summer session. Learn More about CMP:<https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/meal-plans>

you can indicate your Campus Meal Plan level on this screen; the drop-down menu shows the 3 levels available, which are 1, 2, 3. System will default to level 2

Click "Next"

The screen will display the selections that you indicated. Summer students: You can update your summer preferences until **noon June 1** and fall preferences until **noon June 15**. Requests to make changes/additions will NOT be accepted after this time. Click "Next"

After entering the meal plan level, the next screen shows an overview of the preferences that were entered

The screen will display this information: Contract Legal Signing Statements <https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/contract-signing-statements> Terms, Conditions, and Regulations <https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/tcrs-2025-2026> You already accepted the HFS Contract when you accepted the offer of admission - therefore, the next 3 steps will show a checkmark indicating your acknowledgment and will not be selectable.

this screen highlights the additional statements that you agreed to when you accepted the HFS Contract. the first statement is for students who are under the age of 18

This statement is regarding Housing Preferences, preferences are not guaranteed and room assignments are processed in random order

This statement is the acknowledgement that you have read and agreed to abide by the Terms, Conditions, and Regulations

This confirms when you accepted the HFS Contract.

This section confirms the date and time that you accepted the HFS Contract

Click "Finish"

You will return to the Contract Summary screen.

system will take you back to the "Summary / Update Preferences" screen