First-Year Freshman Timeline for Room Selection
How to Read This Timeline
This page is for first-year freshman students and incoming freshman transfer students.
Your housing process is divided into 3 phases—Apply, Room Selection, and Swaps/Changes. Start with Phase 1 and follow along in order. Each table shows the dates, what’s happening, and a quick “What to do now” so you always know your next step.
There will be waiting periods between completion of phases. After you apply, it may be weeks before you hear about your room selection timeslot. That’s normal. Just keep an eye on the dates and check your UofL email for updates.
If you’re in a Living-Learning or Themed Community (LLC/TC), check the LLC/TC Quick Reference box at the bottom for your specific deadlines.
Please note that all dates are tentative at this time and may be subject to change.
Application & Room Selection Phases
Nov 3, 2025 – May 22, 2026
Date | Time | Event | What This Means |
---|---|---|---|
11/3/2025 | 10 a.m. EST | Housing Application and LLC/TC Application Launch | The housing application for the 2026–2027 academic year is now live! If you're an incoming freshman, you can log into Cards Nest to apply for housing. Applying early gives you the best chance at getting your top-choice hall and room type. First-year students may log in, submit the GDPR/FERPA consent form, complete the application and fee, and create a roommate group. First-year students may apply to join an LLC or TC for the upcoming academic year. If a student is accepted into an LLC or TC, they will be assigned into their LLC or TC by the Housing Assignments team. |
4/1/2026 | 11:59 p.m. EST | Priority Deadline for FYF Room Selection | If you're an incoming freshman, you must complete your housing application by this deadline to be eligible for the first round of room selection. Applying after this date means you'll still get housing, but you'll choose after those who met the priority deadline—and may have fewer options. Applications completed after this deadline will have to wait until non-priority room selection which opens on May 28th - May 30th. |
5/8/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | LLC/TC Application closes for every LLC/TC | This is the last day to apply for a Living-Learning (LLC) or Themed Community (TC). If you're interested, make sure to submit your application in Cards Nest before the deadline. No late applications will be accepted. |
5/22/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | LLC/TC Cancellation Deadline | This is the final day to cancel your placement in a Living-Learning (LLC) or Themed Community (TC). If you no longer wish to participate, email housing@louisville.edu before the deadline. After this date, you'll be expected to remain in your assigned community. |
What to do now:
- Log in to Cards Nest and complete your Housing application early.
- Decide whether you want to apply for an LLC/TC—the deadline is earlier than general housing.
- Mark Apr 1 as the big priority deadline for your housing application.
- After applying, keep an eye on your UofL email, but know you may not hear back until May.
LLC/TC Assignments: Jan 5 - May 12, 2026
Priority General Selection: May 18 - May 22, 2026
General Selection: May 28 - May 30, 2026
Date | Time | Event | What This Means |
---|---|---|---|
1/5/2026 | 3 p.m. EST | LLC/TC FYF Assignments Begin | First-year students who applied and were accepted into an LLC or TC will begin receiving their room assignments. These are manually assigned by the Housing team based on your application, preferences, and space availability. Watch your UofL email for updates. |
5/6/2026 | 6 p.m. EST | Room Selection Times Emailed for Priority First-Year Students | If you’re an incoming freshman who applied by the priority deadline and aren’t in an LLC/TC, you’ll receive an email today with your assigned date and time to log into Cards Nest and choose your room. Room selection times are based on when you submitted your application. Check your UofL email and be ready to log in at your scheduled time. |
5/12/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | LLC/TC Assignments End for First-Year Students | This is the final day for first-year students to be placed in an LLC or TC. If you haven’t received your assignment, check your UofL email or contact housing@louisville.edu for more information. |
5/18/2026 | 10 a.m. EST | Room Selection Opens for Priority First-Year General Population | If you're an incoming freshman who applied by the priority deadline and you're not in an LLC or TC, you can now log into Cards Nest at your assigned time to select your room. Your selection time was sent to your UofL email on May 6. Make sure to log in during your assigned time for the best choice of spaces. |
5/22/2026 | 3 p.m. EST | Priority Room Selection Closes for First-Year Students | This is the last chance for incoming freshmen who applied by the priority deadline to select their room during the early access period. If you didn’t select a space by this time, don’t worry—you’ll be able to choose from remaining options during general room selection later this summer. |
5/26/2026 | 9:00 AM | Room Selection Times Emailed for Non-Priority First-Year Students | If you're a first-year freshman student who applied after the priority deadline, you’ll receive an email with your date and time to log into Cards Nest and select your room. Assignments are still made in application order, so check your UofL email and be ready to log in on time. |
5/28/2026 | 3 p.m. EST | General Room Selection Opens for Non-Priority First-Year Students | If you're an incoming freshman who applied after the priority deadline, you can now log into Cards Nest to choose your room. No timeslots are assigned—it's open access, so the sooner you log in, the more options you'll have. Selection will remain open until later in the summer. |
5/30/2026 | 3 p.m. EST | General Room Selection Closes for Non-Priority First-Year Students | This is the last chance for incoming freshmen who applied after the priority deadline to select a room during this round. If you don’t choose a space by this time, you’ll need to wait until general population room selection reopens later in the summer. |
6/1/2026 | 10 a.m. EST | General Room Selection Opens for First-Year Students | If you’re an incoming freshman who hasn’t selected a room yet, you can now log into Cards Nest and choose from available spaces. There are no assigned times; selection is first-come, first-served. |
6/26/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | Room Selection Closes for First-Year Students | This is the final day for incoming freshmen to select a room in Cards Nest. If you haven’t selected a space by this deadline, Housing will assign you to a space based on availability later in the summer. |
6/29/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | Manual Assignments Begins | If you haven’t selected a room, Housing will now begin assigning you to a space based on availability. Assignments are made in the order applications were received. Check your UofL email regularly for updates. |
What to do now:
- Check your email on May 6 for your selection timeslot if you applied by Apr 1.
- Log in to Cards Nest promptly at your timeslot—availability is best at the start.
- If you missed the Apr 1 deadline, you can still participate in the general selection (May 28–30).
- Confirm your room and save your confirmation email.
Apr 7 – Jun 26, 2026
Date | Time | Event | What This Means |
---|---|---|---|
4/7/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | LLC/TC Room Changes & Swaps Open for First-Year Students | If you’ve been accepted into an LLC or TC, you can now log into Cards Nest to change your room or swap with another student—but only within your assigned community. If you no longer want to live in an LLC/TC, email housing@louisville.edu. You’ll be moved to a temporary space and can join general room changes starting June 1. |
5/22/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | LLC/TC FYF Room Swap and Room Changes End | This is the final day for first-year students in an LLC or TC to make a room change or swap within their community in Cards Nest. After this deadline, no additional changes will be allowed. |
6/1/2026 | 10 a.m. EST | Room Changes and Room Swaps Opens for First-Year Students | If you've already selected a room and want to switch to a different available space—or trade rooms with another student—you can now log into Cards Nest to request a room change or initiate a swap. All changes depend on space availability. |
6/1/2026 | 3 p.m. EST | Room Changes Open for Students Who Declined LLC/TC | If you're a first-year student who canceled your LLC or TC placement after being assigned, you can now log into Cards Nest to select a new room from available options. You’ll be choosing from general housing spaces and must have already received confirmation of your removal from the LLC/TC. |
6/26/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | Room Swaps and Room Changes Closes for First-Year Students | This is also the last day for incoming freshmen to request a room change or complete a room swap in Cards Nest. After this deadline, your room assignment is final unless an exception is approved by Housing. |
What to do now:
- If you’re in an LLC/TC, you can start swaps as early as Apr 7.
- Make sure to cancel or swap by May 22 if you no longer want your LLC/TC placement.
- From Jun 1 onward, you can swap with other students or request changes in Cards Nest.
- Remember: all changes must be finalized by Jun 26.
Nov 3, 2025 - Jun 1, 2026
If you’re applying to or are already placed in a Living-Learning (LLC) or Themed Community (TC), these are your most important deadlines. You’ll still see these dates in the main timeline, but this list pulls them together so you don’t have to hunt for them.
Date | Time | Event | What This Means |
11/3/2025 | 10 a.m. EST | Housing Application and LLC/TC Application Launch | The housing application for the 2026–2027 academic year is now live! If you're an incoming freshman, you can log into Cards Nest to apply for housing. Applying early gives you the best chance at getting your top-choice hall and room type. First-year students may log in, submit the GDPR/FERPA consent form, complete the application and fee, and create a roommate group. First-year students may apply to join an LLC or TC for the upcoming academic year. If a student is accepted into an LLC or TC, this student will be able to log back into Cards Nest in order to select an LLC or TC space during the appropriate room selection period. |
1/5/2026 | 3 p.m. EST | LLC/TC FYF Assignments Begin | First-year students who applied and were accepted into an LLC or TC will begin receiving their room assignments. These are manually assigned by the Housing team based on your application, preferences, and space availability. Watch your UofL email for updates. |
4/7/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | LLC/TC Room Changes & Swaps Open for First-Year Students | If you’ve been accepted into an LLC or TC, you can now log into Cards Nest to change your room or swap with another student—but only within your assigned community. If you no longer want to live in an LLC/TC, email housing@louisville.edu. You’ll be moved to a temporary space and can join general room changes starting June 1. |
5/8/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | LLC/TC Application closes for every LLC/TC | This is the last day to apply for a Living-Learning (LLC) or Themed Community (TC). If you're interested, make sure to submit your application in Cards Nest before the deadline. No late applications will be accepted. |
5/12/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | LLC/TC Assignments End for First-Year Students | This is the final day for first-year students to be placed in an LLC or TC. If you haven’t received your assignment, check your UofL email or contact housing@louisville.edu for more information. |
5/22/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | LLC/TC Cancellation Deadline | This is the final day to cancel your placement in a Living-Learning (LLC) or Themed Community (TC). If you no longer wish to participate, email housing@louisville.edu before the deadline. After this date, you'll be expected to remain in your assigned community. |
5/22/2026 | 9 a.m. EST | LLC/TC FYF Room Swap and Room Changes End | This is the final day for first-year students in an LLC or TC to make a room change or swap within their community in Cards Nest. After this deadline, no additional changes will be allowed. |
6/1/2026 | 3 p.m. EST | Room Changes Open for Students Who Declined LLC/TC | If you're a first-year student who canceled your LLC or TC placement after being assigned, you can now log into Cards Nest to select a new room from available options. You’ll be choosing from general housing spaces and must have already received confirmation of your removal from the LLC/TC. |