Residence Life FAQs

GENERAL QUESTIONS
::How do I apply for Housing?
::What kind of rooms are available in Columbia College on-campus housing?
::Are there any single occupancy rooms available in Columbia College Chicago's on-campus housing?
::Will I choose my roommates or will they be chosen for me?
::Do freshmen have their own residence facility on campus or do all ages live together in the four residence life facilities?
::Are all of the rooms in CCC on-campus housing furnished?
::Are utilities included in the cost of the on-campus rooms?
::What meal plans are available for CCC students and how do they work?
::What methods can I use to pay my Housing prepayment?
::Can I waive the payment of the $500.00 housing prepayment?
::Are pets allowed in any of the residence facilities?
::Does Columbia College Chicago provide on-campus housing for married couples or for families?

UNIVERSITY CENTER
::Will I be rooming with students who are not Columbia College students at the University Center?
::Can I share an apartment at the University Center with a friend of mine from Depaul or Roosevelt?
::How do I apply for a Resident Assistant position at the University Center?
::Can students work in the game room or fitness center?
::Do I have to use the furniture provided by the UC or can I bring my own furniture?
::At the UC, is kitchen equipment included (i.e.. pots, pans, etc.) in either the floor lounge or for individual apartment kitchens?
::Will there be storage units for the students to rent out at the UC?
::Will there be designated smoking areas or designated smoking suites/apartments in the UC?
::May I stay at University Center during the summer even if I am not enrolled in any summer classes?
::Will UC residents be issued a phone number when they move in or will it be the responsibility of the residents to get their phone connected?
::Will cable and Internet be ready at the UC when residents move in or will it be the responsibility of the residents?

Fill out the application and mail it in to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 600 S.Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60605. It is recommended that you do this as soon as possible as housing is assigned to students on a first-come first-served basis.

Currently enrolled students at Columbia College, who would like on-campus housing for the next academic year, should visit the Residence Life office at 731 S. Plymouth Ct. to sign a contract for a room during Contract Campaign that takes place around March. Remember to bring a check or money order for $500.00 and your medical insurance information with you to the contract signing. There will be postings around the four facilities stating when this will take place.

Once Contract Campaign has ended, continuing students will need to submit a housing application.

What kind of rooms are available in Columbia College on-campus housing?
Columbia College Chicago currently has five residence facilities on campus and within those five buildings there are multiple room type/building combinations.

Plymouth Court Shared bedroom in a shared apartment. (see a video walk through by clicking here)

18 E. Congress Shared bedroom in a shared apartment and Private bedroom in a shared apartment. (see a video walk through by clicking here)

2 E. 8th Street Building Shared bedroom in a shared apartment. (see a video walk through by clicking here)

University Center Shared bedroom in a shared apartment, Private bedroom in a shared apartment and Traditional suite. The semi-suites exhibit a more traditional residence hall style of room: one large room containing two beds, two desks, two closets w/o a kitchen or separate living space with either their own private bathroom or a bathroom shared with another semi-suite.

Buckingham Shared bedroom in a shared apartment and Private bedroom in a shared apartment. This facility is primarily to house upperclassmen; Sophmores, Juniors and Seniors.

Will I choose my roommates or will they be chosen for me?
There is a space on the housing application to request a roommate and you may enter a name and along with that person's social security number. If you do not request a roommate, you will be assigned a roommate(s) randomly from our pool of applicants.

Important to note: when requesting a roommate that individual(s) you choose, must in turn request you on their applications. Though we cannot promise that your request will be fulfilled, your chances of being placed together will be greatly improved if you mail your housing applications together.

Do freshmen have their own residence facility on campus or do all ages live together in the four residence life facilities?
No, freshmen do not have their own separate residence facility. Students of all ages are housed in the five residence facilities.* However, you may request on the application to be placed in a "20 and older floor" or a "21 and older" floor, depending on your preference.

*Buckingham residence hall is primarily for upperclassmen; Sophmore, Junior and Seniors and transfer students.

Are all of the rooms in CCC on-campus housing furnished?
Yes, all of the rooms are furnished.

Semi-suites are furnished with a desk, a desk chair, a bed, and a divided closet for each resident, plus a sizeable shared set of shelves.

Apartments come with beds, desks, desk chairs, a set of drawers and a closet for each occupant, plus a dining room table and chairs, and basic living room furniture. All apartment kitchens have a full-sized refrigerator, oven/stove and dishwasher. Kitchens in the University Center also contain a microwave oven.

Are utilities included in the cost of the on-campus rooms?
Plymouth Court and 18 E. --heat, air-conditioning, electric and water are all included in the cost of the room. Phone lines, internet access and basic cable are now included for 731 Plymouth Court. In late Spring 2007 18 E. Congress will also include cable, phone and internet.

2 East Eighth Street--basic cable, internet access, heat, air-conditioning, electric and water are all included in the cost of the room. Phone lines must be set up separately by the residents.

The University Center--local phone, basic cable, internet access (T-1 lines), heat, air-conditioning, electric and water are all included in the cost of the room.

Buckingham--heat, air-conditioning, electric and water are all included in the cost of the room. Plus high speed internet access in each bedroom, basic cable in living area and in-unit washer/dryer!

Are there any single occupancy rooms available in Columbia College Chicago's on-campus housing?
There is one type of single-occupancy living available in the University Center. Please note that this 1-bedroom 1-person semi-suite offers no sepaparte bedroom area and no kitchen. Students assigned to the space will be charged for a mandatory meal plan.

In addition to the single-occupancy semi-suites there are a large number of apartment-style units--both at 18 E. Congress and the University Center--that provide students with their own private bedrooms within a 4-person living space.

These spaces, however, are most often filled by continuing students, thus freshmen should not expect to be placed in one of these in their first year on campus.

Our new Buckingham facility offers single-occupancy bedrooms within a shared apartment. Please note that this facility is primarily for upperclassman; Sophmores, Juniors and Seniors.

What meal plans are available to CCC students and how do they work?

University Center residents living in a semi-suite are assigned a mandatory meal plan, which is included in the cost of suite-style living.  This is due to the fact that semi-suites do not include kitchens for individual cooking.  This meal plan covers 15 meals per week for the entire academic year and costs approximately $2,900, which includes $660 in flex to be used as the student chooses.  Additional meals may be purchased on an individual basis, or the student may choose to upgrade to a larger plan that offers more meals at additional cost. To do this they must go to the management office located next to the dinning center at the University Center.

University Center residents living in apartments have full kitchen access and thus are not required to have a meal plan.  If UC apartment residents choose, they may purchase the same meal plan as semi-suite residents.  Additional meals may be purchased on an individual basis, or the student may choose to upgrade to a larger plan that offers more meals at additional cost. UC apartment residents also have the option of purchasing individual meals without a meal plan.

18 East Congress, 731 South Plymouth Court, Buckingham and 2 East Eighth Street residents have full kitchens in their apartments where students can do their own cooking. Residents of these halls now have the option of purchasing a meal plan through the University Center. The cost for the Non-UC Resident Board Plan is approximately $1,500.  This plan allows for any 150 meals that Center Dining serves throughout the course of the academic year, along with $250 in flex.  At this time, this is the only meal plan that may be purchased by residents of these buildings with no option to upgrade and no option to purchase meals on an individual basis.  This plan also places certain restrictions on dining hours.

*This is also offered to those living in an apartment style room at the University Center.

To sign up for the 150 Meal Plan please stop by the 731 Plymouth Court main office.

How can I make the $500.00 prepayment that accompanies my housing contract?