At 3:17 p.m. May 11, the University Housing Office announced that rent will increase across the board, amounting to an average of $339 more per bed for on-campus housing options each semester.
On-campus residents will face an average increase in rent of 7.3% across all nine available housing options. The four one-bed one-bath options are the most impacted by this year’s cost surge, with each of them seeing a semesterly increase well over $400. The 650-square-foot one-bed one-bath layout D received the single largest bump at $480.
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy 
UTD offers residents nine different on-campus housing options: efficiency housing, four different one-bed one-bath layouts, two different two-bed two-bath layouts, a four-bed two-bath layout and, for freshmen exclusively, a three-bed one-bath unit in University Commons. UTD | Courtesy
In an email to residents signed up for on-campus housing next year, Matthew Grief, associate vice president of University Housing, said that because of the “later than anticipated approval” of the price hikes, residents will have until June 1 to opt out of fall housing without penalty.
“Each year, the University evaluates potential rate increases for on-campus housing, taking into consideration such factors as labor expenses, utility rates and material supply costs,” Grief said in the email.
For off-campus residents looking to move on-campus, such as political science sophomore Anshu Zutshi, the change may incentivize off-campus living. Layout 1×1 D, currently $5,325 for a five-month semester, will become $5,805 a semester and cost students $1,161 each month.
“It makes UTD housing less competitive,” Zutshi said. “For example, there’s [Mid-America Apartments] near Walmart and one of their bedrooms are about $1,100. A $500 increase to UV would bring that near MAA’s rates. The things near campus just become more attractive.”
In the surrounding Richardson neighborhood, Zillow estimates that yearly rent in the area has decreased by $150 in the past year on average. The Florida Times-Union’s aggregated data estimates that rent costs overall in the area have decreased by 2.58% in the past year.
The local rent decreases stand in stark contrast to Housing’s continued price hikes year after year. On-campus housing costs have increased each year since 2021, with the sole exception of academic year 2025-2026. Since 2021, average campus housing costs have gone up by over $1,000.
Despite concerns from students like Zutshi, residents have continued to live on-campus despite these historic increases. As of publication, none of the University Village or Canyon Creek Heights on-campus housing options are available for Academic Year 2026-27.
The announcement arrives as students finish finals week and outgoing residents prepare to move out after finals.
On April 21, The Retrograde reported on plans for a housing complex with an additional 1,000 beds. As of publication, that plan has since been dropped due to issues with the cost of the project.
“I think they should at least tell residents if [the increases] are for general funds or for a specific cause,” Zutshi said. “There’s no reason to not tell them why it’s happening.”
As of publication, University Housing has not responded to request for comment.