Waterloo Residence Fees & Housing 2026–27
Waterloo, Ontario
Compare University of Waterloo Campus Housing and University College fees, meal-plan costs, and the residence guarantee deposit before you plan Waterloo housing.
The short answer
- Waterloo reports 4,400 first-year bed spaces across five Campus Housing residences for 2026–2027.
- Suite room fees run $8,668 to $10,984 for eight months; traditional rooms with a required meal plan run $15,134 to $19,292.
- The $500 housing deposit is non-refundable and due by 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time on June 8, 2027 for the Fall 2027 guarantee.
- The guarantee covers eligible first-year and transfer students who accept their offer and apply on time, and includes Renison, St. Jerome's, and United College.
- Conrad Grebel is on campus but needs a separate direct application, and its double room costs $16,130 for 2026–2027.
Reviewed August 13, 2026 · Official university sources · How we review guides
2026–2027 fees and Fall 2027 planning
University of Waterloo residence costs, guarantee, and application
For 2026–2027, eight months in a first-year Campus Housing suite costs $8,668 to $10,984 before food or an optional meal plan. Traditional Campus Housing rooms cost about $15,134 to $19,292 after adding one of the required meal plans. Waterloo's residence guarantee currently covers eligible first-year and transfer students who accept their admission offer, apply on time, and pay the $500 non-refundable housing deposit. Waterloo reports 4,400 first-year bed spaces across five Campus Housing residences. Four on-campus University Colleges add smaller communities with meals included.
Waterloo has published the Fall 2027 residence-guarantee dates. For most students, the admission-offer deadline is June 1, 2027, and the residence application and deposit are due June 8, 2027. The room and meal-plan amounts below remain the latest published 2026–2027 rates; Waterloo has not published the 2027–2028 fee schedule.
Suite housing, eight months
$8,668–$10,984
First-year UWP and MKV room fees before food. A suite meal plan is optional.
Traditional room plus food
$15,134–$19,292
The range combines current V1, REV, and CMH room fees with the lowest or highest mandatory meal-plan tier.
Current guarantee deposit
$500
Non-refundable and due with the application by 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time on June 8, 2027 for the Fall 2027 guarantee.
Waterloo Campus Housing fees for 2026–2027
The official fee schedule separates the room charge from food. The last column below uses Traditional B for traditional rooms and Advantage C for suites so the rows are comparable to Waterloo's published eight-month table. Traditional A or C and other optional suite plans change the final total.
| Residence | Room | Eight-month housing | Meal plan | With reference plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Village 1 | Single | $9,200 | Mandatory | $17,240 |
| Village 1 | Interconnecting double | $8,780 | Mandatory | $16,820 |
| Village 1 | Double | $8,254 | Mandatory | $16,294 |
| Ron Eydt Village | Double | $8,254 | Mandatory | $16,294 |
| Claudette Millar Hall | Single | $10,092 | Mandatory | $18,132 |
| Claudette Millar Hall | Semi-private double | $9,616 | Mandatory | $17,656 |
| Mackenzie King Village | Single in a four-bedroom suite | $10,984 | Optional | $17,864 |
| UW Place | Single in a two-bedroom suite | $9,924 | Optional | $16,804 |
| UW Place | Single in a three- or four-bedroom suite | $9,394 | Optional | $16,274 |
| UW Place | Double in a two-bedroom suite | $8,668 | Optional | $15,548 |
Waterloo updates residence fees each February. Room fees include utilities, high-speed internet, maintenance, Don support, Residence IT and front-desk help, and building amenities. Students without a suite meal plan should still budget for groceries and dining. Waterloo's current living-cost estimate allows $4,400 to $9,200 for a meal plan within its $16,950 to $24,480 first-year living-expense range.
Fall 2027 residence-guarantee dates
Fall 2027 · Published for this period
For Fall 2027, eligible first-year and transfer students must accept the Waterloo admission offer by its deadline (June 1, 2027 for most students). They must then complete the New Student Residence Application and pay the $500 non-refundable deposit by 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time on June 8, 2027.
Claim WatIAM and set up two-factor authentication early; Waterloo says the username can take up to 72 hours to sync with the residence application system.
Applies to: All applicants
Waterloo Undergraduate Admissions: First-year and transfer residence guarantee · Verified September 13, 2026
New residence building opening in 2027
2026–27 · Latest published information; newer cycle not yet confirmed
The 2026–27 fee schedule lists a new residence building opening in 2027. Its eight-month room rates are $10,832 for traditional singles, $10,096 for traditional doubles and $11,817 for singles in two-bedroom suites. Meal plans are optional.
Recheck availability, opening timing, and Fall 2027 assignment rules before counting on this building.
Applies to: All applicants
Waterloo Campus Housing: Campus Housing 2026–27 residence fee schedule · Verified August 13, 2026
Is first-year residence guaranteed at Waterloo?
Yes, when a student meets the published conditions. For Fall 2027, eligible first-year and transfer students must accept their Waterloo admission offer by its deadline—June 1, 2027 for most students. They must complete the New Student Residence Application and pay the $500 deposit by 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time on June 8, 2027.
The guarantee is for an on-campus residence space, not a specific building or room. It includes Campus Housing, Renison, St. Jerome's, and United College. Conrad Grebel is on campus but requires a separate direct application. Missing the guarantee deadline moves the student to vacancy and waitlist processes where an offer is not guaranteed.
Account setup comes before Housing Hub. After Waterloo emails the student ID, claim the WatIAM username and set up two-factor authentication. Waterloo says WatIAM can take up to 72 hours to sync with the residence application system, so do not leave setup until June 8. Sign in using the WatIAM username followed by @uwaterloo.ca and the WatIAM password.
Waterloo dorms: traditional vs. suite-style residence
Traditional-style dorms
Village 1 (1,381 beds), Ron Eydt Village (960), and Claudette Millar Hall (539) provide a furnished single, double, interconnecting, or semi-private room with shared floor facilities and access to an on-site eatery. Meal plans are mandatory. Waterloo currently says 64% of its first-year Campus Housing students live in traditional-style buildings, and 43% live in shared double rooms.
Suite-style residence
UW Place (1,650 beds) and Mackenzie King Village (320) use apartment-style layouts with bedrooms plus a shared kitchen, living area, and bathroom. Meal plans are optional because students can cook. Only Claudette Millar Hall and Mackenzie King Village have air conditioning, so compare the room fee plus groceries, kitchen setup, number of suitemates, and distance—not just the headline residence price.
Compare Waterloo's first-year Campus Housing buildings
Building and room details reviewed September 11, 2026
Use the official room label as a starting point, then open the building page and tour before ranking a room style. Amenities shown as on-site are in that building; Waterloo says Campus Housing residents can also use amenities across its residence buildings.
| Building | Current first-year ranking options | On-site daily-use spaces | Air conditioning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Village 1 (V1) | Traditional single, double, or interconnecting | Eatery, multi-faith room, music room | No |
| Ron Eydt Village (REV) | Traditional double | Eatery, workout room, music room | No |
| Claudette Millar Hall (CMH) | Traditional double | Eatery, workout room, multi-faith room, music room | Yes |
| UW Place (UWP) | Suite single or double; see the room-label note below | No on-site eatery, workout, multi-faith, or music room | No |
| Mackenzie King Village (MKV) | Single bedroom in a 4-bedroom suite | No on-site eatery, workout, multi-faith, or music room | Yes |
Ranking options are not the same as a building's full physical room inventory. For example, the 2026–2027 fee table above lists CMH single and semi-private double rooms, while Waterloo's current comparison lists Traditional Double for incoming first-year ranking and a single room for upper-year students. The ranking form groups 3- and 4-bedroom suites, but Waterloo's comparison notes that all MKV suites are 4-bedroom units.
Decode two room labels
- V1 interconnecting: two students each have a bedroom, but the resident in the back room passes through the front bedroom to enter or leave.
- UWP 2-bedroom suite: three students live in the suite—one in a single bedroom and two sharing the double bedroom. Suitemates share a kitchen, common area, and single-occupancy lockable washroom or washrooms.
Check Waterloo's official residence comparison and official residence tours before ranking a room style, then confirm the assigned building and room details in the housing offer.
Waterloo University College residence costs
Waterloo students in any program can also live at an on-campus University College. These are smaller communities with all-you-care-to-eat meal plans included in the published price. The current guarantee process includes Renison, St. Jerome's, and United; Conrad Grebel uses its own application.
| Residence | Room | 2026–2027 total | Application route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renison University College | Double / single | $15,700 / $17,300 | Included in Waterloo's current guarantee |
| St. Jerome's University | Double / single | $17,380 / $18,970 | Included in Waterloo's current guarantee |
| United College | Double | $15,740 | Included in Waterloo's current guarantee |
| Conrad Grebel University College | Double | $16,130 | Separate direct application |
Waterloo residence preferences and roommates
The first application ranks Campus Housing and the participating University Colleges. Students assigned to Campus Housing complete a second step in mid-June to rank traditional or suite style and room type; Waterloo says it does not collect preferences for a specific Campus Housing building. A new undergraduate can request one roommate when both students request each other, use the same application period, and report the same gender identity.
Preferences and a roommate request are not placement guarantees. Waterloo says it cannot change an assignment after the offer is issued. Students who need disability-, medical-, or creed-based housing support should use the official accommodation process by the published process rather than relying on a room preference. The guarantee page asks for accessible-housing documentation by June 8; students considering Conrad Grebel should contact the college by early May. For creed-based requests at a University College, contact that college directly.
Waterloo residence meal plans
Traditional A, B, and C currently cost $4,600, $4,020, and $3,440 per four-month term. One is mandatory in V1, REV, and CMH. Suite-style and off-campus students can choose among five optional Advantage plans (A–E) currently ranging from $2,220 to $4,600 per term. Every plan includes $100 in Flex Dollars and a $120 administrative fee, so compare the plan funds and how often the student expects to cook before choosing by sticker price.
Waterloo residence move-in 2026
Fall 2026 Campus Housing move-in runs Thursday, September 3 through Sunday, September 6. Students book a 30-minute key-pickup and unloading slot through the Housing Hub portal once booking opens on August 5, and Village 1 residents can drop belongings early on August 20 or 22. These dates do not establish the Fall 2027 schedule; use the building assignment and Waterloo email for the next cycle's instructions.
Waterloo off-campus housing
Residence is optional. Waterloo's official off-campus site provides a regional housing map plus guidance on searching, renter rights, leases, safety, maintenance, and fraud. Start early, verify the landlord and unit, calculate utilities and commuting, and do not treat a private listing as university-approved without confirmation.
Budget residence with tuition and financial aid
A room quote is only one part of the first-year budget. Add tuition, compulsory fees, books, travel, personal expenses, insurance, groceries where applicable, and costs between residence contracts or co-op terms. Use the Waterloo scholarships and financial aid guide with the current OSAP guide before deciding what is affordable.
Official University of Waterloo residence sources
- Residence overview, capacity, and University College costs
- First-year and transfer residence guarantee
- Campus Housing 2026–27 residence fee schedule
- First-year application, assignment, and roommate process
- Housing Hub application routes and eligibility
- Residence styles, capacity, and comparison
- Fall 2026 move-in guide
- Official Waterloo off-campus housing resources
- 2026–2027 traditional residence meal plans
- 2026–2027 suite-style residence meal plans
Residence guarantee and application workflow reviewed September 13, 2026 · Housing inventory, prices, contracts, and dates can change; verify on the official pages before acting
Housing and Location Questions
| Campus Setting | Regional university city with a defined campus community |
|---|---|
| Residence | Check residence guarantee rules, first-year room styles, meal plans, deposit deadlines, and off-campus housing pressure. |
| City Fit | Students should compare transit, weather, cost of living, safety, and community feel in Waterloo. |
| Commuting | If living off campus, map commute time to classes, labs, placements, and evening activities before committing. |
Official Sources and Next Steps
Stellar keeps this guide structured for comparison, but official university pages remain the source of truth for program requirements, tuition, residence, scholarships, deadlines, and policy changes.
Prepared by Stellar Advisers Editorial Team · Reviewed August 13, 2026 · Editorial, corrections, and source methodology