Roommate Selection

Tips for Selecting A Roommate

The process of applying for housing and selecting a roommate can be daunting for students who are leaving home for the first time. We have compiled a list of tips to help you understand and navigate the roommate selection process at Oregon State University - Cascades.

You and your roommate will share the same residence hall room. You and your suitemate(s) will share a bathroom if you are living in a room with a suite shared bath. These roommate selection tips can be used to find both a roommate and/or suitemate(s).

1. Set up your personal profile. As part of the housing application process you will answer questions that will be used in the roommate search process.

  • First year and transfer students, applying for Fall 2023 (Academic Year 2023-2024):  You will be able to search for a roommate a few different ways through the myHousing portal beginning on May 2, 2023. The myHousing portal has a roommate matching system we use to help you find potential roommates. Filling out the personal profile and roommate matching questionnaire will help you find someone in our online roommate matching system if you want to choose your own roommate. If you do not want to choose your own roommate, our staff match you using your personal profile. Know that if you participate in the roommate search process, others will be able to see your profile information including gender identity. Starting in July 2023, you will be able to choose a room assignment with your roommate. 
  • Current OSU students and graduate students, applying for Fall 2023 (Academic Year 2023-2024): You will be able to search for a roommate a few different ways through the myHousing portal beginning on May 2, 2023 with roommate matching system we use to help you find potential roommates. Filling out the personal profile and roommate matching questionnaire will help you find someone in the roommate matching system if you want to choose your own roommate, and will help our staff match you if you do not choose your own roommate. Know that if you participate in the roommate search process, others will be able to see your profile information including gender identity. Starting in June 2023, you will be able to choose a room assignment with your roommate. 

2. How to search for a roommate. You can search for potential roommates in three ways.  (1) If you know who you want to live with and know that they have applied for housing, you will be able to find them using their OSU email. (2) You will be able to find other students the system identifies as a potential match. (3) You can use the questions to filter potential roommates with similar answers. Specific instructions can be found here

3. Push yourself outside your comfort zone. We understand the process of looking for a roommate can be challenging, and even a little uncomfortable. We encourage you to embrace this process for all that it represents about your transition to life in college. Don’t just accept the first roommate request you receive; actively engage in conversations with multiple roommates to see who will be the best fit for you. Also, once you have found a roommate, let others you have been talking with know you have found someone else. Hot tip: don’t live with a friend. We won’t stop you from doing this, but we would encourage you to trust our experience when we say that it can be hard to live with someone you know but have never shared a space with long term.

4. Be patient with the process. Roommate matching is open from May to early August for students. Every day more students are completing their housing applications who will be potential roommate matches for you. Take your time to find someone you are truly compatible with.

5. Roommate matches must be completely mutual to be valid. Anyone you request as a roommate must confirm this request to be valid, and vice versa. You can see all requests you have sent or received and the status of that match in the myHousing portal.

6. Talk to potential roommates about where you want to live. If you want to be in a two bedroom apartment, and your potential roommate wants to be in a double with a shared bath, that is a sign of a roommate match that may not work out.