UVM Prism Center

Gender Inclusive Housing

Gender Inclusive Housing (GIH) at UVM gives students the opportunity to choose a roommates(s) of any gender; not limited by legal gender. GIH is open to any student who opts-in and is available in all Learning Communities. GIH is assigned by room, not by suite or by floor. UVM Residential Life does not consider bathroom needs for GIH. If your housing needs include a gender-inclusive restroom, please see below for more information about the room selection process and bathroom types.

This means if you opt into GIH, you can select a roommate whose gender preferences for a roommate align with yours. This process is outlined below in five steps. If you have questions or need more information about this process, please email reslife@uvm.edu.

Gender Inclusive Housing Process in 5 Steps

Select Gender Inclusive Housing on your Housing & Meal Plan Contract. This will allow you to search for other students in the housing portal who have also selected GIH. Indicate which gender(s) you are seeking for a roommate(s) from the drop-down menu.
Form a roommate group with student(s) you want to live with. You can “search by profile” and use the lifestyle and gender filters and short bios provided to learn about potential roommates. Click “suggested roommates” to see a list of students who also selected GIH. Use the short bios provided to learn more and contact potential roommates. You can also “search by netid” if you have that information.

You can find roommates through the housing portal or through other means such as ZeeMee or Instagram, but you must add each other on your Housing and Meal Plan Contracts to be considered GIH roommates in the housing system. If a potential roommate requests you, you will receive an email in your UVM email and will need to go back in your Housing Contract and “Accept” their request.

Students in the Honors College and LASP are required to live in Honors College buildings in UHeights North and South and are encouraged to choose a roommate from within the Honors College.

PLEASE NOTE: The only way to ensure you get a roommate who also wants GIH is to form a roommate group or ask Res Life to make your housing assignment for you. If you choose not to select a roommate, you will select a room during the designated room selection, and the student(s) who pick the same room will be your roommate(s). The other students who selected the space may not have opted into GIH. If you do not want to pick your room, or want to be assigned a roommate, please reach out to Residential Life and ask to be assigned to a space with another student in GIH within your Learning Community.
Prepare for room selection by viewing hall options available to you. Your roommate group will be assigned a time to select a room within your Learning Community. Room selection typically takes place in June-July. This Room Types Table (PDF) outlines and defines room types and bathroom types in each residential hall for each Learning Community. Talk to everyone in your roommate group about what their needs are. Room selection tutorial on the Residential Life website.
Select your room during your room selection date. If you and your preferred roommate(s) added each other to your Housing & Meal Plan Contracts during step 2, you can select your room as a roommate group at this time.

PLEASE NOTE: Res Life may manually assign rooms for some roommate groups in GIH. If you do not receive a room selection appointment, please email reslife@uvm.edu to ask if they are assigning your group to a room manually.

To ensure your GIH needs are met, choose your roommate(s) and select your room during your appointment time. If you do not choose a roommate(s), you will select a room during the designated room selection, and the student(s) who pick the same room will be your roommate(s). The other students who selected the space may or may not have opted into gender-inclusive housing.

If you don’t want to choose and want to be assigned a roommate and a room in gender-inclusive housing, please contact Residential Life, and they will make the assignment for you.
Contact Prism if your needs are not being met. The fastest way to contact us is to stop into our Center if you're on campus, or email prism@uvm.edu for assistance.