Frequently Asked Questions

Visit our Apply for Housing page for instructions on applying for each community. 

Housing at Pontchartrain Hall is on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is no deadline, but it is recommended that you submit your application as soon as possible. Applications cancelled after July 24 will incur an additional late cancellation fee of $50. 

Spring 2021 Move In Dates:

Due to the physical distancing requirements in place on campus and the need to minimize crowds in lobbies and elevators in Pontchartrain Halls, move in will occur at scheduled times between January 15- February 5. Check your email for additional instructions on how to schedule your move-in through the Residential Life app. 

Please email your request to cancel your application via your UNO email account to residentiallife@uno.edu. We encourage you to include your name, student number and application term you wish to cancel. 

Financial Aid will not pay for your application security deposit. The application fee and security deposit are out of pocket expenses. As a incentive, security deposits for the Fall 2020 term have been waived. Financial Aid may be used towards the cost of your housing and meal plan; please note: tuition costs are paid from your Financial Aid awards first, the remainder may be applied to your housing and meal costs. Students are encouraged to complete the Title IV Authorization Form on the Bursar's Office website to authorize payments via Financial Aid. 

Housing rates include the following: 

Room Rent
Internet Service (both wired and wifi)
Use of Laundry Facilities
All unities: electricity, water, trash removal from designated trash pick up areas
Community Kitchens
Community lounge and activity spaces
Enhanced programming conducted by Resident Assistants
Safety and Security Measures
Routine Maintenance
Residential Parking Decal

We have three different types of housing agreements.

1. The semester-only agreement obligates you to move in at the beginning of a semester and move out at the end of the semester. This agreement is billed in one installment prior to move in.
2. Our next type of housing agreement is an academic year agreement. With the academic year agreement, you would move into the hall in August and move out in May. You would not be required to vacate the hall over the holidays. You may even come and go as you please over any holiday break. This agreement is billed in installments at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters.
3. The third type of housing agreement is a full-year agreement confirming your housing for a full calendar year and is billed in installments at the beginning of the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. You are not required to vacate the hall during this full year agreement term, however you may be required to move rooms due to summer camps and facilities projects. 

Students who have an academic year or semester-only lease may incur an additional $250 holdover fee if staying past their assigned checkout date at the end of their housing term. 

Students are assigned with roommates of the same biologically assigned gender disclosed on their university application in their suite. Students may choose to opt in to "Gender Inclusive Housing" in which is discussed in the question below. Each floor is coed, but each suite is gender specific. Bathroom facilities are provided in each suite.

Gender Inclusive Housing suites in Pontchartrain Hall are designed to provide a comfortable housing option for students whose needs are not met by traditional housing options. Students must opt into gender inclusive housing in order to participate or be assigned to a gender inclusive suite. Assignments may include a 2 bedroom unit with a shared bath or a 4 bedroom unit with two shared baths. Suite assignment is based on space availability. The university and staff do not condone the use of this housing option for romantic couples. Students considering gender inclusive housing are encouraged to discuss the program with their family/ guardians prior to selecting the option. Students are not released from housing agreements due to changes in housing preferences.

You may choose your roommate by participating in the Roommate Matching process. Please note: dates for the roommate matching process will be published within the Residential Life app. Students who apply close to the start of the semester may not be able to participate in roommate matching if the process has closed. The Office of Residential Life staff will try to accommodate requests, however roommate requests are not guaranteed if space is not available to complete the request.

  Also, please be sure to complete the supplemental questions on the application about living preferences so that we can better place you in the event we need to assign a roommate.

Essentials include:

• Bed sheets
  Twin extra-long sized bedding. No bed linens, blankets, or pillows are provided.
• Blanket
• Pillow
• Electrical outlet converters/adapters
  For both voltage and size conversion
• Alarm clock
• Towel
• Toiletries
  For a complete list of recommended items to bring, visit our Packing List Page. 

Students should bring enough of these basic necessities to last until they can get to a local retail store (toiletries are readily available at the Walgreen's Pharmacy adjacent to campus on Elysian Fields Avenue and Robert E. Lee Boulevard -- see map).

Your Resident Assistant will assist you and your roommate(s) in a mediation session and it is expected of each resident to respect the community living aspect of Pontchartrain Hall. If mediation is not successful, then a re-assignment may be considered. Your Area Coordinator will review your request for re-assignment after the mediation session is completed. 

Yes, housing is available for both Honors students and students pursing a graduate degree. 

Pontchartrain Hall North is home to our Honors community, Visual and Performing Arts Community and Science, Technology, Engingeering and Mathematics Community. Graduate students may reside in either Pontchartrain Hall or Lafitte Village. 

For Fall and Spring semesters, students will be invited to participate in room self- selection within the Residential Life app where the student reviews available suites within the Residential Life app and select their space. If the student is in a confirmed roommate group, one member of the roommate group may make the assignment for the group. Summer semester room assignments are posted within the Residential Life app in early May.  

Yes, you may change rooms, however; room change requests are not taken until 2 weeks after the start of each semester and are not guaranteed. Room change requests must be submitted via email to residentiallife@uno.edu.

Our physical address is:

UNO Office of Residential Life, Pontchartrain Hall, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA 70148. 

Regular mail is not delivered to Pontchartrain Hall. All residents must apply for a postal box at our Campus Mail services. Spring 2019 rental rates for post office boxes are: $20 for 3 months, $30 for 6 months, $40 for 9 months and $50 for 12 months. Check with the Campus Mail Center in the University Center for additional information and to register for your post office box. 

All entry access points to Pontchartrain Halls are card access only. Front desks are staffed 24 hours to provide additional support and screening of guest access to the halls. Students IDs are programmed to provide entry to their suite and individual keys are used to access their bedrooms. Students are encouraged to keep their doors locked at all times as a safety precaution. University of New Orleans Police frequently patrol the exterior of Pontchartrain Halls and Resident Assistants conduct regular inspections of the halls. Security cameras are featured in all parking lots, common areas and elevators. 

Until further notice, residents are restricted from hosting guests in Pontchartrain Halls. The only exception to this policy is if a student needs assistance during move-in, the student may have 1-2 helpers to assist with move-in needs. 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Who is defined as a guest within Pontchartrain Halls? Any individual who does not live in the suite in which they are trying to enter. This includes fellow residents of Pontchartrain Halls who do not live in the suite. 

Why are guests limited at this time? Due to the widespread Covid-19 positive cases in the United States and our geographic region, guests are restricted within Pontchartrain Halls to minimize the risk of spreading infection in the residence halls. By minimizing the opportunities for the spread of Covid-19, the risk of exposure and transmission is greatly diminished. We want our residents to feel confident that  their suite is as clean and healthy as possible. 

I need assistance connecting with others in my community. Our Resident Assistant staff will announce virtual community-building programs and tools in the upcoming week. Please check your email for ways to connect with other residents virtually. 

I want to see my friends in person, how can I do so safely? Students are encouraged to use a larger space outside of Pontchartrain Halls to physically meet with others while maintaining at least a six (6) foot distance. Take a blanket and sit on the lawn, six feet away from your friends.

First year students who live more than 50 road miles from campus are required to reside on campus in either Privateer Place or Pontchartrain Hall for their first year. Review the full policy at http://new.uno.edu/housing/residency-requirement

Pontchartrain Hall does feature accessible rooms with roll in showers and additional handles around bathroom features for students needing wheelchair accommodations. Students are encouraged to coordinate needed requests for disability accommodations with the Office of Disability Services. Additional information about emotional support animal and service animal policies are available thru Office of Disability Services. 

Yes to both! Microwaves can be no larger than 1000 watts and refrigerators must be less than 5 cubic feet in order to be allowed in the halls. 

Pets are not allowed in Pontchartrain Halls or Lafitte Village. Students requesting approved emotional support animals due to a documented medical need must follow the Office of Disability Services protocol for registration and approval prior to bringing their animal to campus. 

Residential students are required to register their vehicles with the Office of Residential Life EACH semester they live in Pontchartrain Hall. Students who fail to register their vehicle or who fail to post their decal will receive parking tickets for parking in residential areas. Students may submit the request for their parking decal through the Residential Life app. 

All bicycles must be registered with the Office of Residential Life. The decal must be placed in a visible location on the bike. Staff conduct regular audits of the Residential Life bicycle racks and remove unauthorized bikes to allow for proper bike storage of resident's bikes. Residents are encouraged to purchase a bike lock. Approved storage for your bike in the bike racks located outside your hall. Students may submit the request for their bicycle decal through the Residential Life app. 

All residents on Pontchartrain Hall are required to have a residential meal plan. Meal plan options are available at Dining Services.

The Office of Residential Life hires for a variety of student positions semesterly including: Resident Assistants, Office Assistants and Desk Assistants. Visit our Resident Assistant page for more details. 

Students are encouraged to purchase renters insurance for their personal property. The University of New Orleans and the Office of Residential Life is not responsible for potential damage to students' personal property. Multiple insurance providers offer low cost renter's insurance; students are also encouraged to speak with their parents/ guardians as some homeowners policies may cover residence hall rooms.

ResNet is a free high-speed network service available to the residential community of UNO’s main campus. ResNet uses dedicated Ethernet wiring and WiFi connectivity to provide each resident an individual connection to the University network and internet. You can use many devices to connect to the resnet secure network, by simply using our instructions to configure your device’s network settings and entering your UNO student credentials, for gaining ResNet access.

If you have any issues accessing the form or completing your request, feel free to contact the UNO IT Help Desk at (504) 280-4357 or email resnet@uno.edu for inquries.