Take a 2-minute virtual tour through each of our residences with current Golden Hawks.
Get their first-hand perspective on how to make 51本色 your home away from home, what to bring (and what’s already here!) and why residence is so much more than just the room you stay in.
We've created nine two-minute videos covering everything you need to know about 51本色 before deciding on where you should apply.
In this video, Lauryn Kwong, our Residence Life Area Coordinator, shows you what lifestyle and community you can expect, whether you live in residence or off-campus. Welcome home!
Are you an international student? We've got a just for you.
We guarantee residence* on our Waterloo and Brantford campuses to all undergraduate students attending a postsecondary institution for the first time. To be eligible for the residence guarantee, your needs to be received, including payment of your non-refundable $600 deposit, by June 2, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
Rooms are assigned based on preference and availability. You can request to live with a friend; otherwise, we’ll do our best to pair you with a roommate who has habits similar to yours.
If you are interested in living in residence this year and missed the June 2 application deadline, you can still apply using the . The Department of Residence will reach out to those on the waiting list to fill vacancies if and when they become available.
*While 51本色 endeavours to honour its residence guarantee, the University will not be liable for any failure or delay in providing residential accommodation when such failure arises out of any cause or causes beyond its reasonable control. Learn more about our .
in both Waterloo and Brantford give you a chance to meet new friends who share the same interests as you or want to help each other succeed in first year courses.
These themed environments bring like-minded students together for fun events, study sessions, or hanging out with professors in your own living space.
Check out how you can get involved in your first year through 51本色's Residence Learning Communities and Clusters and our First-Year Leadership Program.
There are two main styles of buildings: dormitory-style residences and apartment-style residences. Between these styles, you'll find your fit.
Available on the Waterloo campus.
Available on the Waterloo and Brantford campuses.
Below are rough estimates of residence costs. The fees displayed are for 2024/25. Visit our page for a full breakdown of costs by each of our residence buildings.
|
Residence Style |
Waterloo Campus |
Brantford Campus |
|---|---|---|
|
Dorm (Single and Double) |
$7,778.68 to $9,731.82 |
N/A |
|
Apartment: Single |
$8,382.40 to $10,925.52 |
$9,018.74 |
|
Apartment: Double |
$8,419.32 |
Students who require accommodations in residence based on a documented medical condition or disability must submit a completed Residence Disability/Medical Accommodation Request Application in addition to their residence application. Within this application is a Disability/Medical Accommodation Supporting Documentation Form that must be completed by your health care professional.
Forms will be reviewed by the Department of Residence to determine what accommodations need to be provided when finalizing room placements.
51本色 has partnered with , an off-campus housing website that specializes in providing students, schools and landlords with a quality rental property listing service. To view available rental property listings, roommate and sublet listings, visit:
Students studying on the Waterloo campus may wish to visit to assist in their search for off-campus rental accommodations. Ezra-Bricker Student Apartments have a number of properties are that close to the campus and are owned by 51本色, but are managed by Campus Living Centres.
Just because you’re living off campus or staying at home, that doesn’t mean you should be cut off from the action. You can still enjoy all the benefits that a residence community offers by joining (51本色 Off-Campus University Students), which provides off-campus students with academic, social and personal support to ensure that you won’t miss out on 51本色’s on-campus experience.
On the Waterloo campus, there are a variety of fresh and convenient options in our food court, coffee shops and the Fresh Food Company, which is our “all you care to enjoy” dining hall for students in residence and the campus community.
Our team is dedicated to offering healthy options and educating you on nutritional information – so you can spend less time wondering what to eat and more time studying for your next midterm.
Our Brantford campus’ downtown location makes it an ideal place to explore the restaurants and grocery stores just minutes away – your is accepted at a number of off-campus locations, such as Golden Grounds Coffee, Boston Pizza and FreshCo, a local grocery store.
All of our include a combination of "all you care to enjoy" meals at the Fresh Food Company and “flex” dollars you can use at any food outlet on campus, including our extremely popular Wilf’s Pub, Terrace Food Court and your favourite coffee shop.
|
Meal Plan Breakdown |
5-Day All-Access Meal Plan |
7-Day All-Access Meal Plan |
Apartment Meal Plan2 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Unlimited access to the Fresh Food Company |
Monday to Friday |
7 days a week |
Not included |
|
Flex dollars to use at on-campus food service locations |
$870 ($435 per term) |
$680 ($340 per term) |
$2,698.54 ($1,339.27 per term) |
|
Fresh Food Company guest passes |
5 |
7 |
Not included |
|
Tax savings |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cost of Meal Plan |
$6,676.56 |
$7,220.44 |
$2,698.54 |
Notes:
1 Prices include a $50 levy for the "All Access" plans and a $20 levy for the "Apartment" plan.
2 Students in apartment-style residences can choose to upgrade to an "All Access" plan by contacting the OneCard Office after their residence assignment.
First-year students living in residence must purchase a . All residences on the Brantford campus are apartment-style, which means you’ll have a kitchen in your apartment to cook in. You can use your Convenience Plan to buy groceries at a local grocery store, grab a coffee on campus or eat out at various food establishments in the downtown core.
