Choosing to live on campus during your college years is one of the best decisions you can make to support yourself while pursuing your dreams. You’ll enjoy the time you spend living on campus meeting new people and becoming a part of the GCU culture. The staff within the Residence Life Department is here to help you while you pursue your academic goals.
We encourage you to make the most of your time here on campus, making it your home-away-from-home, creating friendships and making memories that will last a lifetime! New Students
Moving onto campus for the first time can be a fun and exciting process, as well as a challenging one. The Residence Life staff exists to help make this transition to campus living as smooth as possible. Resident Assistants (RA) are student leaders who live on each residence hall floor and in each building in the campus apartments. Whether it’s helping you to find your way around campus, planning activities in the living areas, submitting work orders, responding to emergencies, offering a friendly listening ear or lifting you in prayer, your RAs are there to help!
Life Leaders (LL) are also student leaders assigned to various living areas throughout the halls and apartments who seek to assist the RAs with creating a supportive spiritual community.
The Resident Directors (RD) are professional staff members who reside on campus and provide leadership and support and accountability to RAs and student throughout the community.
How to Apply
In order to live on campus all students must complete two simple steps: - Submit an Application
To apply, complete the Housing Application (links below). - Submit a $250 Housing Application Fee
You may pay your Housing fee with your credit card through your Canyon Cruiser account or by contacting the Business Office at 602-639-6605. If you would prefer to pay by paper check, please make the check payable to GCU and write your ID number memo line. Mail the check to: Grand Canyon University
Office of Residence Life
3300 W. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85017 | - Note: Students without a completed application and the $250 fee on file will not receive a housing assignment.
Canceling an Application
The Housing Application fee is only refundable if you notify the Office of Residence Life 30 days before the move-in date that you will not be residing on campus. Students who move on campus forfeit their Housing Application fee.
To cancel an application, please send written notice to Laura Schaaf, the Director of Residence Life at lschaaf@gcu.edu. Hegel Hall Application | North Rim Apartments Application
Room Assignments
Living on campus is an amazing opportunity and it is the Office of Residence Life’s intention that all students’ experience is the best it can be. For this reason, the preferences that you indicate on your application are extremely important.
Applications are sorted by housing type and date of submission. Freshman and sophomores are given priority in Hegel Hall. Apartment assignments are based on a point system that includes your age, total number of semesters lived on campus, academic credits earned to date, as well as the date of submission.
Your chances of getting into one of your preferred housing locations will depend on its availability. Please bear in mind that preferences are not contractual and, while Residence Life wants to meet your preferences, this is not always feasible and final placement is at the discretion of Residence Life.
Housing assignments are generally made early in the summer (fall assignments) and mid-December (spring assignments). Once your housing assignment has been made you will receive notification of your assignments as well as contact information for your suitemates and roommates.
Roommate Matching Roommate assignments are merely guided by the preferences that you select on your Housing Application. We will seek to place you with someone who has marked similar interests and/or character traits. As such, it is very important that you be honest and answer the questions carefully*. The thought of living with someone that you do not know can be an intimidating one, however many students over the years have developed life-long friendships with their roommates who were randomly assigned. Experience has shown that at times the best of friends do not make the best of roommates, however if you have thought carefully through your roommate preferences, and would like to room with someone specific please make note of your roommate preference on your Housing Application. As long as the request is mutual, we’ll do our best to place you together, however we can make no guarantees. Although you and your roommate may be placed together because you match up well on paper, you should not expect those similarities to ensure a strong roommate relationship. Regardless of how well it may seem that you match up, or even if you choose your roommate, traits such as cooperation, honesty and open-communication make roommate relationships work. Coming into your new living situation with an open mind will contribute to developing a friendship that will last. *Note: roommate assignments are made without regard to disability, race, religion, creed or national origin. FAQs
Q: Where do new students live? A: Most new students live in Hegel Hall. Individuals who are 21 years of age, have 60+ credit hours, who are married or who have children living with them are eligible to live in the North Rim Apartments. Q: What are the rooms in Hegel Hall like? A: The rooms in Hegel are suite style. There are two bedrooms to every suite with a shared living room and bathroom. Q: Do you have coed housing? A: Cohabitation is not allowed on campus unless the students are married. However, Hegel is a co-ed residence hall. In Hegel, the men and women are housed in separate wings. Throughout the week there are designated open hall hours when people of the opposite gender may visit as long as they remain in the living room with the front door propped open. Q: What are room and board costs? A: Cost varies depending on the type of housing that you select. In Hegel, it is determined by the kind of room that you select (single or double, traditional suite or the larger corner suite). Apartment cost is determined by the type of floor plan and occupancy. For more information regarding cost, please see the Financial Information. Q: Why should I live on campus? A: Research indicates that students who reside on campus are more satisfied with their college experience, are stronger academically and are more likely to graduate within four years than their commuting classmates. In addition they have much more fun! Q: What kind of phone/internet access is there on campus? A: There is a local phone line and internet access available in each suite within Hegel Hall. Hegel students must provide their own telephones and have a calling card to make long distance calls. North Rim Apartment residents who wish to connect a land line or internet service may do so through Cox Communications by contacting them at 602-694-1940. Q: What should I bring when I move onto campus? A: Check out the What to Bring section. Q: What should I leave at home? A: Check out the What to Bring section. Q: When will I find out the name(s) of my roommate(s)? A: Housing assignments are generally made early in the summer (fall assignments) and mid-December (spring assignments). Once your housing assignment has been made you will receive notification of your assignments as well as contact information for your suitemates and roommates. Q: When can I move in? A: Fall move-in is approximately one week before classes begin, and Spring move-in is the Saturday before classes begin. Once you are assigned to a room, the Office of Residence Life will notify you regarding specific move-in dates and times. Q: What can I do to make my room my own space? A: Bring fun bedding, photos of friends and family, throw pillows, rugs, etc. You may hang posters using 3M hooks or staples. Q: What do students on campus do for fun? A: Students at Grand Canyon participate in a variety of activities including, but not limited to intramurals, Student Life planned events, hall programs, area concerts and sporting events, outdoor activities, and Bible studies. Plus, there are several shopping centers, restaurants, and movie theaters near campus. Q: What is an RA? A: RA stands for Resident Assistant. Resident Assistants are student leaders within each living area that serve as a resource and a support for residents. Resident Assistants apply for their position in January and are hired in March for the following academic year. Q: What is an RD? A: RD stands for Resident Director. The Resident Directors provide leadership and supervision for the Resident Assistants and are responsible for encouraging a sense of community through the development of personal responsibility, spiritual growth, basic living skills, self-discipline, and a lifestyle of personal excellence within Hegel Hall and North Rim Apartments. Returning Students |
