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Returning Student Housing

2025-2026 Housing Process

The housing process will start on February 21 and continue through April 14. 

We offer a variety of different housing options for you to choose from for next year.  Before deciding where you would like to live, we invite you to learn more about each building.  Please pay attention to the timelines and instructions detailed below. We will email more details as each process starts and they will also be posted to the Returning Student Housing website and noted on fliers in your residence halls. Please note that failure to complete the steps on time will most likely result in your missing that opportunity.      

Accepting Your Housing License (Your Housing "Lease"). Once you accept the housing license on BearPAWS or participate in any process, you have essentially signed a "lease" agreeing to live on campus for the 2025-2026 academic year. Please do not go into BearPAWs until you are instructed to do so. 

**Please note that if you apply and are approved to move off campus after accepting the housing license you will be charged a $400 termination fee. Also, please note that if you are successful in the Townhouse or Apartment Process, you will not be released from campus housing for the entire 2025-2026 academic year. SUNY Potsdam requires students who enter as new first year students to live on campus for the first 2 years, or 4 semesters, with guaranteed housing for all four years.

Priority Numbers

Each student is assigned a housing priority number which is based on the number of credits you have earned and the number of semesters you have lived on campus. Students who have been here longest will have a low priority number, thus giving them “first” choice on their housing preference. During each of the 5 processes below, they will be used to determine who get placed first based on availability.

  • For Individual Assignments (Single/Doubles), the selection order is based on the best (lowest) individual priority number.
  • For Group Assignments (Townhouse/Apartment/Suite) the awarding order is based on the group average. Those groups with the best (lower) group averages will be awarded first until all spaces are filled.

Process Dates:

Additional Housing Info

  • Co-Ed Housing Across Campus: With the exception of a few locations on campus, your assigned sex at birth will no longer restrict where you can live or who you can live with—the choice will be yours.
  • Gender Inclusive Housing: located in Bowman East, Gender Inclusive Housing is a living option for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies to foster a strong community connection.
  • Pet Friendly Housing: located on the Ground floor of Bowman East and Bowman West, Pet Friendly Housing allows you to bring your furry friend to campus with you.  Restrictions apply.  Animal must be approved in advance.
  • Changes for 2025-2026:
    • Bowman East Blockhouse will be all singles, to include the 3rd floor.
    • Bowman West Blockhouse will be all doubles, to include the 3rd floor.
    • Van Housen is not going to be open.

More information will be emailed out for each process with specific instructions shared before the start of each process, so please check your Potsdam email regularly.

If you have any questions throughout this process email or call the Office of Residence Life.

Thank you, 

Residence Life
reslife@potsdam.edu
(315) 267-2350


Do you want to know what the different accommodations look like? We now have quick videos of each space available on campus as part of the returning student housing process, just click below!

If you have any questions throughout this process, please speak to your Residence Hall Director, or come over to the Residence Life Office in Draime Hall.