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Members of Outdoor House pose for a photo during a beach excursion.

Pre-Assignment

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Students apply for university theme houses through the Pre-Assignment process. Some of Stanford's on-campus residences feature specialized academic, cultural, social, or leadership programs, while others operate as co-ops, where residents collectively manage cooking and cleaning responsibilities. A core tenet of the housing assignments process is supporting unique residential programs through Pre-Assignment. This allows students to join communities dedicated to exploring a shared topic, lifestyle, or culture within their residence.

Decorative Cardinal Red accent line.

 

2026 Application Timeline

  • Monday, March 30: Pre-Assignment application opens at 1:00 p.m. PT
  • Monday, March 30 - Tuesday, April 7: Theme houses may host open houses for interested students
  • Wednesday, April 8: Pre-Assignment application closes at 1:00 p.m. PT
  • Wednesday, May 13: Pre-Assignment placements announced

Application Process

Thank you for your interest in Pre-Assignment! Here you'll find information about the application process.

In order to apply for pre-assignment, a student:

  • Must be an enrolled undergraduate student — or an undergraduate student on an approved leave of absence — and be eligible for registration in the Autumn Quarter for which they are applying.  Students who will be studying abroad in Autumn Quarter are not eligible for pre-assignment.
  • Must be eligible to live in undergraduate housing and have at least 3 quarters of guaranteed undergraduate housing remaining.
  • Must not confer their undergraduate degree before Autumn Quarter.
    • Students with co-terminal status may apply for pre-assignment if they will not confer their undergraduate degree before Autumn Quarter and they meet all of the other criteria for pre-assignment, including having at least 3 quarters of guaranteed undergraduate housing remaining.
  • Must be free of any holds on their student record that would preclude them from being pre-assigned to the house.
  • Must apply for Pre-Assignment and provide any required supplemental documentation by the stated application deadline
  • Must be willing to forfeit participation in the House and Room Selection process.
  • Cannot accept a placement as a residential student leader for the upcoming academic year. Students who are not selected as residential student leaders are welcome and encouraged to apply to pre-assign, as residential student leader selection takes place before Pre-Assignment.
  • Students can simultaneously apply for pre-assignment and go through the OAE process to request housing accommodations due to a documented medical/disability need.  If accepted for pre-assignment, and your medical accommodation can be met in the house without undue hardship, you will be accommodated within the house.
  • By applying for Pre-Assignment, students acknowledge they will be placed in the house they applied for if selected. If a student is selected for a pre-assigned spot in a house, they are automatically assigned to that house, and they are not eligible to participate in the general housing assignments process.
  • Students who pre-assign to a house are not guaranteed any particular room type, for example single, one-room double, two-room double.
  • Each house designates the criteria they utilize for selecting their pre-assigned residents. You can learn more by reviewing individual house pages.
  • Living in a University Theme House typically requires a greater commitment than if applying through the general housing assignments process. These terms and expectations are available for students to read and agree to when they are applying for housing.
  • Students who are selected for pre-assignment are not eligible to live in a fraternity/sorority house for the following year, but they may join a fraternity/sorority if that fraternity/sorority allows newly recruited members to live outside their Greek house. Submitting your pre-assignment application is a binding commitment to live in that theme house for the following year if you are selected. So, if you wish to retain your eligibility to live in a fraternity/sorority house for the following year instead, you must withdraw your pre-assignment application by the submission deadline.
  1. Apply for housing for the 2026–27 academic year. Complete the standard housing application through Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) Student Housing Assignments by Tuesday, April 14.
  2. Review theme requirements and prepare your responses. Applicants should review the individual theme house pages and be prepared to respond to the following questions:
    • Why are you interested in pre-assigned housing, and what draws you to the residential community you selected? (250-word limit)
    • What perspectives, experiences, or strengths would you bring to a residential community, and how do you see yourself contributing to the community and/or theme? (250-word limit)
    • How do you anticipate engaging with and meeting the theme requirements while balancing your other commitments? (250-word limit)
    • What do you hope to gain from living in a pre-assigned residential community, both personally and academically? (250-word limit)
  3. Submit your Pre-Assignment application and ranked list. Your application and ranked list of the communities you are applying to must be submitted through the Student Affairs Application System (SAAS) by Wednesday, April 8, at 1:00 p.m. PT. 

    Access the Pre-Assignment application here

Participating Houses

Residential Education supports pre-assignment programs and themes in residence. Each house is responsible for crafting and managing an integrated residential learning experience for its residents. Theme houses generally fall into five engagement models: cooperative labor, cultural and identity engagement, arts and humanities participation, public service and academic programming, and lifestyle commitment. Activities in each house align with its focus area.

  • 576 Alvarado exterior. Credit: Residential and Dining Enterprises
    576 Alvarado, a co-op located in the Row, is more than a place to live — it’s a student-run community where traditions, friendships, and late-night conversations come together.
  • Exterior of Burbank house.
    Burbank is located in the Stern Hall housing complex, close to Green Library, Stanford Bookstore, Main Quad, Wilbur Field, Meyer Green, and outdoor space (including basketball and sand volleyball courts).
  • Exterior of Casa Zapata house.
    Casa Zapata, located in the Stern Hall housing complex, is a four-class house focusing on the Latine experience through educational and cultural programs.
  • Columbae exterior: Credit: Residential and Dining Enterprises
    Columbae, located at 549 Lasuen, is Stanford’s first co-op, founded during the anti-war movement in 1970 as a home for students committed to social and environmental justice.
  • Florence Moore exterior entrance. Credit: Residential and Dining Enterprises
    Centrally located on Mayfield Avenue, two minutes from Tresidder Memorial Union and five minutes from the Quad, East Florence Moore Hall consists of three houses—Alondra, Cardenal, and Faisan—and is part of the Florence Moore housing complex.
  • Exterior of Hammarskjöld house.
    Hammarskjöld, located at 592 Alvarado, the “house with the large front porch and tall columns,” is Stanford’s international-themed co-op. Hammarskjöld is one of the smallest of the co-ops, with 33 total residents, including student leaders.
  • Exterior of Muwekma-Tah-Ruk.
    Muwekma-Tah-Ruk, located at 516 O'Connor Lane, was established in 1988 and celebrates the diversity of indigenous peoples throughout the Americas and Pacific Islands.
  • Ng exterior. Credit: Residential and Dining Enterprises
    Ng House, located in the Gerhard Casper Quad housing complex, is a living-learning community dedicated to the humanities as ways of thinking, making, and connecting.
  • Exterior of Okada House.
    The Asian American theme house, located in the Wilbur Hall complex, was established at Stanford in 1971 to create community and center the experiences of a very small and primarily first-generation Asian American student population.
  • Exterior shot of Potter/Sterling Quad during autumn. Credit: Holmes Hummel
    Potter, featuring the Explore Energy theme, is located on the beautiful western edge of campus within the Governor's Corner housing complex.
  • Exterior of The Well House.
    Robert Moore North, home to The Well House and located at 562 Mayfield Avenue, is a substance-free undergraduate residential community and experience-based on the theme of wellness.
  • Synergy exterior. Credit: Residential and Dining Enterprises
    Synergy+Terra, located at 550 San Juan Street, is a co-op on the Stanford campus, tucked just above the Row.
  • Exterior of Trancos House.
    Trancos is home to Stanford's Outdoor House and is one of the eight houses in the Wilbur Hall housing complex, located on the east side of campus.
  • Exterior photo of Ujamaa.
    Ujamaa House, located in the Lagunita Court housing complex, was created as a concept in 1970 with a concentration of Black first-year and upperclass students living on east campus, and moved to its current location in 1976.

Greek Houses

Stanford's fraternity and sorority communities provide a lively and diverse experience that dates back to the university's founding. Greek houses do not have a pre-assignment application and instead assign their residents through a separate process managed by Fraternity and Sorority Life

  • Exterior photo of 1018 Campus Drive.
    alpha Kappa Delta Phi is Stanford's first and the nation's largest and most established Asian American interest sorority and is located on the Row at 1018 Campus Drive.
  • Exterior of 702 Bowdoin/Alpha Phi.
    Alpha Phi upholds the values of sisterhood, generosity, innovation, and character most highly, and in 2026-27 will be located at 702 Bowdoin on the Row in the Cowell Cluster.
  • Exterior of 664 Lomita.
    Kappa Alpha, located within the Row at 664 Lomita, has six values outlined in our Stanford KA constitution: leadership, community, service, diversity, knowledge, and growth.
  • Kappa Alpha Theta Exterior. Credit: Residential and Dining Enterprises
    Kappa Alpha Theta (ΚΑΘ) is a University-owned sorority house, located at 585 Cowell in the back of the Cowell Cluster, and its relaxed atmosphere makes it an amazing place to call home.
  • ZAP exterior. Credit: Residential and Dining Enterprises
    The Beta Eta Deuteron chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma was established at Stanford on June 10, 1892, as the second female fraternity at the school, and in 2026-27, it will be at 710 Bowdoin in the Cowell Cluster.
  • Kappa Sigma exterior. Credit: Residential and Dining Enterprises
    Kappa Sigma, located at 1035 Campus on The Row, is focused on the four pillars of fellowship, leadership, scholarship, and service.
  • Exterior of 592 Mayfield.
    Phi Kappa Psi, located at 592 Mayfield Avenue on The Row, is a diverse community that celebrates its uniqueness and is just the right amount of weird.
  • Pi Beta Phi exterior. Credit: Residential and Dining Enterprises
    Pi Beta Phi, located at 517 Cowell Lane within the Cowell Cluster, and for our members, “the 517” is more than a house.
  • 550 Lasuen. Credit: Sean McKibbon-Ray
    Chartered at Stanford University in 1891, Sigma Chi has been on campus for over 126 years as one of Stanford University’s oldest fraternities, and in 2026-27, Sigma Chi will be located at 550 Lasuen, near Tresidder Memorial Union.
  • Exterior of 557 Mayfield.
    Sigma Nu (ΣN) at 557 Mayfield Avenue on The Row offers a social space for campus through major events like Moonsplash and Sunsplash, an arts and poetry slam called S.N.A.P.S., and community service activities.
  • Sigma Phi Epsilon exterior. Credit: Residential and Dining Enterprises
    SigEp, located at 1047 Campus Drive on The Row, strives to challenge the traditional fraternity stereotype, and through our Balanced Man Program, we provide our members with an unparalleled experience of personal development.

Pre-Assignment Open House Information

Theme HouseOpen House Date(s)Start TimeEnd TimeLocation
ColumbaeApril 3, 202610:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.Co-Op Crawl Order: Hammarskjöld > 576 Alvarado > Columbae > Synergy+Terra
Explore Energy (Potter): Session 1March 31, 20265:00 p.m.6:00 p.m.Potter
Explore Energy (Potter): Session 2April 7, 20265:00 p.m.6:00 p.m.Potter
HammarskjöldApril 3, 20269:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.Co-Op Crawl Order: Hammarskjöld > 576 Alvarado > Columbae > Synergy+Terra
Humanities (Ng)April 2, 20267:00 p.m.8:15 p.m.Ng House Lounge
OkadaApril 1, 20266:00 p.m.7:00 p.m.

Okada Lounge

  • Note: Enter through the Wilbur East Courtyard, near Wilbur Dining
Public Service & Civic Engagement (Otero)April 4, 202610:00 a.m.11:30 a.m.Otero Lounge & Courtyard
Outdoor House: Session 1April 3, 2026
 
9:00 p.m.12:00 a.m.Outdoor House (Trancos) outside dining area
Outdoor House: Session 2April 6, 20266:00 p.m.8:00 p.m.Outdoor House (Trancos) outside dining area
Synergy+TerraApril 3, 202610:30 p.m.11:00 p.m.Co-Op Crawl Order: Hammarskjöld > 576 Alvarado > Columbae > Synergy+Terra
UjamaaMarch 31, 20266:30 p.m.8:30 p.m.Drake Lounge in Ujamaa House
Well House (Robert Moore North)April 1, 20267:00 p.m.9:00 p.m.Well House (Robert Moore North)
576 AlvaradoApril 3, 20269:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.Co-Op Crawl Order: Hammarskjöld > 576 Alvarado > Columbae > Synergy+Terra

Pre-Assignment FAQ

Here you will find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the pre-assignment process. If you have a question about an application or the residential requirements of a specific house, we recommend contacting the house leadership or Resident Fellow(s) directly through our house pages. If you do not see an answer to your question, please feel free to contact us directly. 

Eligibility

No, only students who will be on campus in Autumn Quarter can be pre-assigned.

Theme houses generally prefer that applicants commit to living on-campus and in the house for the entire academic year. This ensures they benefit from the year-long programs organized by house leadership. The application includes a question regarding applicants' intent to stay for the full year, which assists in decision-making. 

However, students may choose to take a leave or study abroad in Winter or Spring after living in a theme house in previous quarters. Those returning from Winter study abroad are not guaranteed re-placement in their previous house, as it depends on availability. Theme houses will not reserve spaces for students who are abroad.

Yes, you are more than welcome to apply for Pre-Assignment and go through fraternity/sorority recruitment. However, submitting your Pre-Assignment application is a binding commitment to live in that theme house for the following year if you are selected. So, if you wish to retain your eligibility to live in a fraternity/sorority house for the following year instead, you must withdraw your Pre-Assignment application by the submission deadline. 

Students who are selected for pre-assignment to a theme house are not eligible to live in a fraternity/sorority house for the following year, but they may join a fraternity/sorority if that fraternity/sorority allows newly recruited members to live outside their Greek house. 

You will need to confirm with R&DE Housing Assignments that you are eligible to live in undergraduate housing and have at least 3 quarters of guaranteed undergraduate housing remaining. 

No, all Pre-Assignment applications are individual with no group applications or assignments as a group. 

No, you must be eligible to live in undergraduate housing and have at least 3 quarters of guaranteed undergraduate housing remaining. 

The residential student leader selection process occurs before pre-assignment.  If you are selected as a student leader, you cannot pre-assign.  If you are not selected as a student leader then you are welcome to apply to pre-assign.

Students who have special housing needs due to a disability or documented medical condition can apply for a housing accommodation through the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). Any student needing an accommodation who has not registered with the OAE previously should do so immediately. Registration and submission of the Housing Accommodation Request Form will be online through OAE Connect. If your pre-assignment application is accepted and your medical needs can be accommodated in your chosen residence, OAE will facilitate a medical accommodation for that residence.  If you cannot be accommodated in that particular residence, OAE will contact you about obtaining an assignment through the OAE assignment process.  Please make sure you are aware of all OAE deadlines and processes; you can find those here.

Yes, you need to submit both a Housing Application and a Pre-Assignment application if applying for Pre-Assignment.

All pre-assignment placements are binding, and once a student has applied and been accepted to a pre-assignment placement, they become ineligible to participate in the regular housing assignments process. If you would like to withdraw from the Pre-Assignment process, you must do so before the application deadline by visiting the Submit Application page and clicking “Withdraw Application.” 

Application Process

Please review the Confirm Your Eligibility section of the Pre-Assignment website.

Yes, you may rank multiple theme houses and submit resonses for each of the houses you wish to be considered for. We will run a centralized match process, attempting to place students in their highest-ranked house where space is available. If students’ first choice is unavailable, we will match students to alternate ranked houses with availability. This process aims to balance student preference with house recommendation and available capacity.

No - the pre-assignment process requires each person to submit an application separately, and applicants are considered as individuals. Group applications are not supported and will not be considered. 

Unfortunately, applications cannot be edited after submission. If you've already submitted the application, you'll have to withdraw the application, make your edits, and submit again.  As long as you do this by the deadline, your application will be counted. 

If you would like to withdraw from the Pre-Assignment process, you must do so before the application deadline by visiting the Submit Application page and clicking “Withdraw Application.”   Applications cannot be withdrawn after the application deadline.  All pre-assignment placements are binding, and once a student has applied and been accepted to a pre-assignment placement, they become ineligible to participate in the regular housing assignments process.

To preserve equity among all applicants and in fairness to those who submitted by the published deadline, we cannot accept late applications.

Casa Zapata staff welcome residents to their home.