Kennesaw State University Student Housing: A Comprehensive Guide

Choosing where to live is a crucial part of the college experience. For students attending Kennesaw State University (KSU), a variety of housing options are available, each offering unique benefits and catering to different needs. This article provides a detailed overview of student housing at KSU, covering everything from traditional residence halls to apartment-style living, roommate selection, and important policies.

On-Campus Housing Options

KSU offers a diverse range of on-campus housing to suit different preferences and needs. These options include traditional residence halls and apartment-style communities. On-campus living provides opportunities for academic and social engagement, fostering a sense of community and belonging.

Residence Halls

The Summit: This is the newest residence hall on the Kennesaw Campus. It is located near the R10 Housing Office, Norton Hall, and the Atrium building.
Austin Residence Complex: Situated on the south side of the Kennesaw Campus, across from the Bailey Athletic Complex.

Living-Learning Communities

KSU offers various Living-Learning Communities (LLCs) that cater to students with similar academic, personal, or lifestyle interests. These communities provide a focused living environment that enhances the college experience. Room Selection for The Academy, Ascend, and The Outfit is managed by the programs or departments overseeing these housing types. Eligibility for these accommodations is determined solely by each program's specific criteria.

Applying for Housing

The First-Year Housing Application consists of three steps. It’s crucial to complete each step of the application as soon as it opens.

Key Dates

The application typically opens well in advance of the academic year. For instance, applications for upcoming terms might open as early as December 1, 2025, at 10:00 AM EST.

Application Process

Before applying, students must be admitted to the University.
Complete all required fields in the application and submit it. Completing the application early increases the likelihood of receiving housing.

Roommate Selection Process

Roommate Selection is a significant step of the Housing Application process. After completing Step 1 of the application, students can select one preferred roommate once their time ticket opens. Time tickets are assigned based on when students complete Step 1 of the application.

Time Tickets: Students can find their time ticket for Roommate Selection in the Housing Portal starting Monday, March 16, 2026.

Creating a Roommate Pair

To create a Roommate Pair, one person must begin this step by selecting "create the group,” giving the group a name and setting a password. This person becomes the Roommate Pair Leader.
The Roommate Pair Leader can then invite potential roommates to join the pair. Roommate Pairs are limited to a maximum of two people.
It’s important for potential roommates to communicate early and often with one another.

Room Selection

The Room Selection process is similar for all students living on campus. You can find your Room Selection time ticket in the Housing Portal starting Monday, April 20, 2026. Time tickets for First-Year students typically begin on April 13 and extend into May. Time tickets open in 20-minute intervals during business hours, Monday through Friday. Time tickets are determined based on when students signed their License Agreement during the first step of the Housing Application. Each student is assigned a specific time when they may begin Room Selection.

First-Year and Upper-Class students cannot live in the same communities and will only be able to see the available units for their classification when their time ticket begins.
If a student's Room Selection time ticket doesn’t open until later, they should review community floor plans to familiarize themselves with each option. Also, ensure that the group member with the earliest time ticket is selected as the Roommate Pair Leader. This information is located in two places on the Housing Portal: the main "Term Selector” page and the "Roommate Pairs" page.

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Only Roommate Pair Leaders can select beds for the group.

What to do if a Roommate Pair Leader forgot to place you in a bed

Contact the Housing Portal.

Students will not receive a notification when other students select beds within their unit after they do, but they may log in to the Housing Portal at any time to check.

What to do if you were not able to pick a roommate before Roommate Selection ended.

Let the authorities know. Housing and Residence Life will try to accommodate requests to be placed in rooms in the same unit or on the same hallway, depending on what is available.

Roommate Selection is not a mandatory step.

Important Considerations

Since housing options are limited and space fills quickly, prioritize finding a room on campus above attempting to live with others outside your Roommate Pair. KSU cannot guarantee that there will be units available for groups of 3 to 4 people when your time tickets open.
Floor plans are representative of the layout but they are not exact, depending on the orientation of the rooms.

Read also: Applying to Kennesaw State
Some rooms are double occupancy bedrooms, which means there are two beds in one bedroom.
If you don’t select a bed and KSU runs out of available rooms, you will need to place yourself on the waitlist. Housing and Residence Life does not place students on a waitlist automatically; you must add yourself to the waitlist.

Changing Your Room Selection

If you have not paid the Room Booking Fee, you are able to change your room selection in the Housing Portal. Students who have a Roommate Pair Leader place them into a room, and students who are not in a Roommate Pair have 48 hours after selecting or being placed into a room to pay their $75 Room Booking Fee. If you do not pay this fee within 48 hours, your reservation will be dropped, and your room will go back into the available room pool.

Canceling Your Booking

If you added a room to your cart and confirmed your booking, you will be asked to complete a form indicating your acceptance of the terms for canceling your existing booking. If you are part of a Roommate Pair, making this request will dissolve your Roommate Pair, and you will NOT be able to join or create another one.

American Campus Communities (ACC)

American Campus Communities (ACC) has been a leading provider of academically oriented student communities since 1993. ACC properties offer several benefits:

Mental Wellness Support: Staff is trained in peer-to-peer mental wellness support and offers programs in partnership with the Hi, How Are You Project.
Roommate Matching: ACC uses RoomSync, a roommate matching app, to help students find compatible roommates.
Individual Leases: Each resident has their own separate lease agreement and is responsible for their rental installments and applicable utility and parking charges. You're only responsible for your student's rent - never someone else's!
Furnished Units: Nearly all ACC properties offer fully furnished units at no extra fee, so no moving truck is needed!
Recurring Payments: Residents can set up recurring payments online through the Resident Portal using credit cards, debit cards, or ACH payments.

Lease Details

Eligibility: All residents must be enrolled in an institution of higher learning, regardless of full or part-time status.
Guarantor: The guarantor will need to sign the guaranty agreement.
Lease Term: The typical lease term is approximately 11.5 months of occupancy, coinciding with the university's academic calendar.
Rent: The resident is charged a total rent amount for the contracted occupancy period. The lease agreement will reflect the total rent amount, typically divided into 12 equal installments due August 1 - July 1.

Insurance Requirements

All residents are required to obtain minimum coverage of $100,000 in Legal Liability to Landlord (LLL) insurance.

Option 1: Residents can purchase the policy of their choosing as long as it satisfies the minimum insurance requirements.
Option 2: If you do not provide proof of insurance with the requisite coverage, American Campus Communities may satisfy the insurance requirement for you by placing coverage for your unit under a LLL policy.

Roommate Matching with RoomSync

You can list your preferences on your housing application, and KSU will do its best to place you in the unit that fits those requests.
You can search for and match with specific roommates in the RoomSync app. You can modify your matches if your preferences change up until the matching period close date.
The RoomSync app allows you to create a personal profile, search, filter, chat, and match with other residents who will be living in the community.
You control your search and matching criteria to find the perfect roommate. You can search for a roommate with the same major, someone who goes to bed early, or someone who enjoys college football.

Additional Housing Information

Renter's Insurance

Renter’s insurance is optional but highly encouraged, as it protects you from paying out-of-pocket costs if there is damage to your personal property or Housing and Residence Life’s property while living on campus. Housing and Residence Life has a partnership with GradGuard to provide renter’s insurance to on-campus residents for $139 per year. Students can indicate interest in this service in Step 1 of the Housing Application, and GradGuard will communicate directly with students when it is time to enroll.

Conduct Expectations

Students are expected to adhere to the University’s policies and regulations. Any disruptive or threatening behaviors from students during the Room Selection process will be reported to the Department of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity.

Changing Your Declared Major

Your housing options are based on the major you declared when you applied to attend KSU. If you want to change your major, you can do so in Owl Express.

Living on the Marietta Campus

Kennesaw State University encourages First-Year students in their academic pursuits and beyond. There is a live-on requirement for students pursuing majors based on the Marietta Campus. For specific information on majors based in Marietta, use resources to find your campus by your degree. Some students may qualify for an exemption to the Live-On Requirement.

Coordinating with Friends

If you were not able to pick a roommate before Roommate Selection ended and want to live near your friends, you will need to communicate early and often with one another to ask them to cancel their room booking to accommodate your friends.

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