York Keele Residences Compared: All Eight Buildings

These are York's 2026-27 rates for the eight-month Fall/Winter term. Spaces, floors and features come from each building's York Housing page. Where a feature isn't listed on the building page, the table says so rather than guessing. Two York pages disagree on Tatham Hall: the rates page lists a $9,572 double, while the Tatham page starts its range at $9,752. The table uses the rates page, so confirm the charge in your offer. York hasn't published 2027-28 rates yet.

York groups its buildings into two residence complexes. Complex 1 is Tatham Hall, Vanier, Founders and Winters. It's near York Lanes, the Student Centre and the teaching spaces for the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design. Complex 2 is Bethune, Stong and Calumet. It's near the sports and recreation facilities and the engineering and science buildings.

Pond Road Residence and Atkinson Suites are on the south side of campus. York prioritizes both for upper-year students. First-year students can't list either as a preference unless Housing and Student Accessibility Services approve an accommodation-based exception.

Traditional rooms are singles or doubles with communal washrooms and lounges on each floor. There's no kitchen, so a dining plan is required. York calls this its most affordable option and cleans the common areas and washrooms. Most first-year students share a double with a roommate of the same gender.

Winters is the only Keele building with hybrid rooms. These are two- to four-person clusters with a bathroom only the cluster uses, but no kitchen, so the dining plan is still required.

Suites have their own kitchen and bathroom, and the dining plan is optional. Kitchens differ. Bethune suites have a fridge/freezer, stove and microwave. Calumet suites have a fridge, freezer, toaster oven, microwave and hotplate. You bring your own small appliances, cookware, utensils and cleaning supplies. York says suites suit upper-year students and encourages first years to live in traditional rooms.

The average room is about 110 square feet, with a twin bed, desk, chair, dresser, closet, lamp and garbage bin. Linens aren't included. Winters and Calumet have no elevator, so raise mobility needs through Student Accessibility Services before Room Selection.

Traditional and hybrid rooms need one of three dining plans for 2026-27: Entry at $6,450, Standard at $7,180 or Premium at $7,930. York says the Entry plan isn't designed to cover three meals a day, every day. The totals below pair each room with a plan, then add York's $80 Residence Life Activity and Administration Fee. York's own FAQ suggests budgeting $15,522 to $21,606 for room and food over eight months.

You also pay a $250 application fee, of which $150 is credited after move-in, and a $750 room deposit when you accept an offer, which is credited to your fees after move-in. Residence fees go on your student account, with halves due September 10 and January 10.

You apply for residence separately from admission. A residence offer doesn't name a building or room. After you accept the offer and pay the deposit, you choose a room yourself in York's Room Selection module. Building preferences on your application aren't guaranteed, and York asks students to be ready to accept any space offered.

First-year students who apply by the guaranteed deadline and are assigned double rooms can choose a roommate. The application also asks lifestyle questions to match roommates, so answer them honestly. Buildings are mixed-gender, with limited single-gender communities you can request on the application.

For Fall 2026, York guaranteed a residence space to first-year students coming directly from high school who applied for housing by their deadline and accepted admission on time. Ontario high school students had until June 1, 2026. Out-of-province and international high school students had until May 1, 2026. Ontario high school students with an average of 90% or higher also got a single room if they preferred one.

International students and out-of-province Canadian students also received a four-year housing guarantee. Keeping it means reapplying by May 1 each year and living in residence continuously through Fall and Winter. Canadian students from Ontario high schools don't get the four-year guarantee.

York's housing dates tool lists terms only up to 2026-27, and the Fall 2027 guarantee deadlines aren't posted yet. Don't assume the June 1 and May 1 dates will repeat. Check York Housing once 2027-28 dates appear. Cancelling after July 15 costs $250 if you stay enrolled at York, and not showing up without telling Housing costs $500.