Getting ready for grad housing? If you have approved accommodations, the OAE Graduate Housing Lottery helps ensure your housing placement supports your access needs. Review the process, key deadlines, and how OAE works with Housing on your behalf.
The OAE Graduate Housing Lottery Timeline
- March 23, 2026: The Summer 2025-26 and Academic Year (AY) 2026-27 OAE Graduate Lottery Housing Accommodation Request Form (HARF) opens in OAE | CONNECT
- April 1, 2026: Summer 2025-26 and AY 2026-27 housing applications open in the myHousing portal
- April 6, 2026: Current Stanford students must register with the OAE by this date to be able to submit a HARF and have it reviewed in time for the Summer 25-26 and AY 2026-27 deadlines.
- April 13, 2026 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time: Graduate HARF closes
- April 20, 2026:
- Deadline: Housing applications for Summer 2025-26 and AY 2026-27 due in myHousing portal
- Rolling HARF for Graduate Students opens for Summer 2025-26 and AY 2026-27
- May 23, 2026: All Graduate Lottery results - including disability accommodation assignments - released by Housing Assignment Services
- Please note: HARFs and housing applications (in the myHousing portal) received after their respective deadlines may not be processed in time for OAE assignments. If you have an accommodation request that comes in after the deadline, or if your accommodation request is not substantiated by documentation in time for the deadline, your accommodations will not be implemented until the summer re-assignments round or thereafter on a rolling, as available, basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
R&DE Student Housing uses a lottery to assign housing to graduate students. You are assigned according to (1) your assignment priority level, (2) a random lottery number and (3) your housing choices.
It is known by a variety of names - The Grad Lottery, The Housing Lottery, The Lottery - and takes place each spring for assignments during Summer Quarter and the following academic year.
The OAE and R&DE Student Housing use a parallel process to assign housing to graduate students who need disability housing accommodations for themselves, their spouse, partner, or child. You are assigned according to (1) OAE-approved disability-related accommodations, (2) your assignment priority level, (3) a random lottery number, and (4) your housing choices.
You'll see this referred to as The OAE Grad Housing Lottery, The OAE Graduate Lottery, The OAE Grad Lottery, The OAE Lottery, etc.
- Be registered with the OAE
- Have documentation on file
- Submit an OAE Lottery Housing Accommodation Request Form (HARF) in OAE | CONNECT by the OAE Graduate Lottery deadline
- Submit a graduate housing application in the myHousing portal by the OAE Graduate Lottery deadline.
The OAE Graduate Lottery deadline changes annually, but is typically two weeks prior to the close of the standard First Round Lottery period. This is published in the Timeline above.
Since The Lottery and The OAE Lottery are parallel processes, you can participate one or the other - not both. Being a part of the OAE Lottery means relinquishing the right to participate in the standard First Round Lottery.
Your Disability Adviser at the OAE will send a notice of your approved housing accommodations via email, no later than five business days after the OAE Lottery Deadline. Any questions, concerns, or appeals for reconsideration should be articulated right away.
In order to ensure that facilities modifications, specific room configurations, and other disability-related needs are met, The OAE Graduate Lottery assignments are determined ahead of the standard First Round Lottery results.
After the published OAE Grad Lottery deadline, all disability-related housing accommodation requests are reviewed by the OAE on a rolling basis and implemented by Student Housing as space becomes available.