University guides
On this page
UWindsor First-Year Residences: Cartier, Laurier and Rodzik Compared
First-year students at UWindsor live in Cartier Hall, Laurier Hall or Rodzik Hall, the newest, which opened in fall 2025. You choose a room style, single or double, but not the building. Residence is guaranteed to first-year students who apply and pay the $475 deposit by the June guarantee date. Every date and fee here is from the 2026-27 cycle; Windsor hasn't published 2027-28 residence dates or fees yet.
Sources checked September 30, 2026. View sources
Compare the three first-year halls
Windsor runs four residence buildings, with communities of 150 to 440 students. Alumni Hall is for students beyond first year, so it isn't in this table. All three first-year halls are all-gender buildings with living learning communities, and only that hall's residents can get in.
The biggest differences are the bathroom set-up and whether you can have a roommate. Only Cartier offers double rooms.
| Hall | Rooms | Bathroom | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cartier Hall | Single (no roommate) or double (with roommate); about 29.27 m²; twin bed | Full bathroom shared by up to four students of the same gender | Four floors, one resident assistant per floor, kitchen, main-floor laundry, study rooms and fully accessible rooms with a roll-in shower |
| Laurier Hall | Single rooms only; about 13.30 m² | Shared with your floor; floors are female, male or all-gender depending on the level | Houses first-year and upper-year students. Bed type depends on the floor: one twin, two twins or a full bed. Kitchen, microwaves and laundry |
| Rodzik Hall | Single rooms only; about 13.1 m²; twin XL bed | Full bathroom shared with one adjoining single room | Opened in fall 2025. Six floors, a lounge on each floor and the main residence dining hall on the first floor |
2026-27 room fees
Windsor charges residence by term. When we checked, its fee page said these rates hadn't yet been approved by the Board of Governors and could change, so confirm the final charge on your student account.
| Room | Fall 2026 | Winter 2027 | Both terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurier Hall single | $4,521 | $4,479 | $9,000 |
| Cartier Hall double | $4,772 | $4,728 | $9,500 |
| Cartier Hall single | $5,526 | $5,474 | $11,000 |
| Rodzik Hall single | $5,912 | $5,856 | $11,768 |
- Fall fees were due August 15, 2026 and winter fees are due December 15, 2026.
- A meal plan is mandatory in every residence hall. It adds $3,635 or $3,790 a semester, so about $7,270 to $7,580 for the year.
- If you don't pick a meal plan on your application, Windsor gives you the largest one.
Who's guaranteed a room
Windsor guarantees residence to domestic and international undergraduates entering first year who apply and pay the deposit by the guarantee date. After that date you can still apply, but rooms go by availability. Windsor sets the date on or a few days after the earliest date OUAC lets Ontario universities require a response to an offer.
For 2026-27 the application page gave June 5, 2026 as the guarantee date. Windsor's international guarantee policy lists June 1 for fall entry. If you're an international student, apply by June 1 to be safe. If a guaranteed international applicant can't be housed, Windsor says it'll help you find off-campus housing.
Rooms are assigned by a modified lottery. Spaces for returning residents, living learning communities, varsity athletes, exchange students and accommodation requests are placed first. Guaranteed first-year students are then assigned at random based on the room style they asked for.
How to apply, step by step
Plan for two waiting periods of 24 to 48 hours. Leave at least a week before the guarantee date.
- Accept your offer of admission, then wait 24 to 48 hours.
- Extend and activate your UWin Account. You can't open the residence application until it's active, and it can take another 24 to 48 hours.
- Complete the housing application in the residence portal and pay the $475 non-refundable deposit by credit card.
- Choose your room style, single or double. Windsor tries to match it but doesn't promise it, and you can't pick your building.
- Opt into a living learning community if one fits you.
- Watch your email for roommate and meal plan selection. In 2026, roommate selection ran June 1 to June 8. If you didn't pick one, Windsor assigned one.
Living learning communities
A living learning community (LLC) places you near students who share your program or identity. LLCs can span more than one building.
| Community for | Who can join |
|---|---|
| Engineering | First-year students admitted to the Faculty of Engineering |
| Nursing | First-year students admitted to the Faculty of Nursing |
| Science | First-year students admitted to the Faculty of Science |
| Education | Students registered full-time in the Faculty of Education, not concurrent students in their non-education years |
| Law | Students registered in the Faculty of Law |
| Black students | Students who self-identify as Black, of African descent, Caribbean or of the African diaspora |
| 2SLGBTQIA+ students and allies | Students who self-identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ or as allies |
What happens if you cancel
Read this before you pay, especially if you're still waiting on other offers.
- You can cancel up to five days after you receive your Notification of Room Assignment, using the Cancellation Request Form. You won't get the $475 deposit back, but you're released from the residence and meal plan agreement.
- If you don't submit the form, the full residence and meal plan fees are charged to your account.
- After those five days the agreement is binding. You'd have to qualify under the separate withdrawal policy.
Move-in and living there
In 2026, first-year move-in was Sunday, September 6. Check-in was drive-through at the Centre for Engineering Innovation lot, 700 California Avenue, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a booked time slot and up to two helpers. Pets aren't allowed.
You don't have to move out over reading week, and there's no extra fee to stay. For the December break, submit a Holiday Recess Stayover request by the deadline; if it's approved there's no extra charge. You can keep living in residence for as long as you're a registered student.
For parents: under privacy law, residence staff won't discuss a student's room, fees or conduct with family unless the student gives written permission from their UWindsor email. The exceptions are serious safety or health concerns.
Keep exploring
Sources and updates
This independent guide summarizes the official information linked below. Availability, access rules and application cycles can change; check the relevant university page before making a decision.
- UWindsor Residence: residence halls
- UWindsor Residence: Cartier Hall
- UWindsor Residence: Laurier Hall
- UWindsor Residence: Rodzik Hall
- UWindsor Residence: Fall/Winter 2026-2027 fees
- UWindsor Residence: Fall/Winter 2026-2027 residence application
- UWindsor Residence: housing policies (guarantee, assignment, cancellation, meal plan, privacy)
- UWindsor Student Accounts: fees, charges and deposits
- UWindsor Residence: living learning communities
- UWindsor Residence: fall move-in
- UWindsor Residence: FAQs
- UWindsor Food Services: residence meal plan