McMaster residence is reserved for first-year students coming directly from high school.

The application for residence is for the core academic year, from early September 2023 to end of April 2024. Students approved to live in residence must be prepared to live in residence for the full eight months.

Please see our International Student page for more details about the eligibility criteria and guaranteed residence offers.

If you do not submit your residence application by 4 PM EDT on June 1, 2023, you will need to apply for the waitlist, however you will not have a guaranteed offer.

You can still apply for residence and will be added to the residence waitlist. As spaces in residence become available throughout the year, applicants to the residence waitlist, available on the Residence Portal, will be contacted to their McMaster email.

Students will be required to pay a deposit once they receive an offer to reserve their space in residence. All deposits must be made via the online residence portal. Deposits paid to your Mosaic student account will not be accepted.

If you do not pay your residence deposit by the time listed in your offer email, or 4 PM EDT on June 1, 2023, you will lose your offered place in residence.

You can still re-apply and will be added to the residence waitlist on the Residence Portal. As spaces in residence become available throughout the year, applicants to the residence waitlist will be contacted.

Residence fees are split by Fall term and Winter term and charged to your Mosaic student account. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are checking their account regularly and meeting the financial dates and deadlines to avoid penalties. For more information, please visit Student Services fee dates page.

To support your transition, you will have a Community Advisor and Residence Life Area Coordinator who are there to answer your questions, and will help you build a memorable residence community through planned activities and events.

The Student Wellness Centre provides counselling to students.

The Residence Case Manager is also available to listen to concerns or questions students have. They will directly connect students with the resources and services at McMaster that give them the tools they need to succeed.

Students exploring off-campus options can visit the McMaster Off-Campus Housing website for rental properties in the Hamilton and surrounding community.

For students looking for off-campus housemates in advance, learn more about the McMatch, McMaster’s Student Housemate Connector.