Overview
In this module, you'll learn how students experience housing cycles, how applications become residencies, and how the student journey unfolds through cycle phases. Understanding the student perspective helps you configure cycles with clarity and empathy.
What you'll learn:
How applications tie to cycles
How residencies are created within cycles
The student journey from applicant to resident
What students see in their portal at each phase
How one student interacts with multiple cycles over time
Time: 15 minutes
What is a Cycle to a Student?
From a student's perspective, a housing cycle is their pathway to securing housing for a specific term. It's what they see when they log into the resident portal and begin the housing process.
What Students See
When a student logs into the Housing.Cloud resident portal during an active application phase, they see:
Cycle name: "First-Year Housing 2025-26" (the public display name you configured)
Action items: "Apply for Housing" button or card
Status: Whether they've applied, been approved, or need to complete additional steps
Deadlines: When application closes, when room selection opens, etc.
Example: Sarah logs in on March 15 and sees "First-Year Housing 2025-26" with an "Apply Now" button. She clicks it and completes the application form assigned to that cycle.
Student Language: Students don't think in terms of "cycles" and "phases"—they think in terms of actions: "apply for housing," "find a roommate," "pick my room." Your cycle configuration creates this experience, but students experience it as a natural progression, not technical structures.
From Application to Residency
Understanding how a student moves from applicant to resident helps you see how cycles organize the housing journey.
The Lifecycle Stages
Stage 1: Profile Every student starts as a profile in the system—just basic information like name, student ID, email, class year.
Stage 2: Applicant When a student completes an application form during the application phase, they become an applicant for that cycle. An application record is created and tied to the cycle.
Application Statuses:
Submitted - Application received, awaiting review
Under Review - Admin is reviewing the application
Approved - Student can participate in cycle activities
Denied - Student cannot continue in this cycle
Stage 3: Approved Applicant Once approved, the student can participate in roommate selection and room selection phases. They're still an applicant, just an approved one.
Stage 4: Resident When a student is assigned a room (either through self-selection or admin assignment), a residency record is created. The student is now a resident for that cycle.
Residency Statuses:
Assigned - Room assigned, not yet checked in
Checked In - Student has physically moved in
Current - Actively living in housing
Checked Out - Student has moved out
Cancelled - Assignment was cancelled
Key Insight: One student can be an applicant to one cycle and a resident in another cycle simultaneously. For example, Sarah is a current resident in Spring 2025 while also being an applicant to Fall 2025.
The Student Journey Through a Cycle
Here's what the complete housing journey looks like from a student's perspective, mapped to cycle phases:
Phase 1: Application (Application Phase Active)
What students see:
Dashboard action item: "Apply for Housing"
Cycle name and description
Application deadline
What students do:
Click "Apply for Housing"
Complete application form questions
Review answers and submit
Receive confirmation message and email
What happens behind the scenes:
Application record created and tied to the cycle
Bio form responses stored and made available in roommate finder
Status set to "Submitted"
Tags applied based on form answers (if configured)
Admin receives notification to review application
Phase 2: Roommate Selection (Roommate Phase Active)
What students see:
Roommate Finder section appears
Prompt to complete roommate questionnaire
Browse other students' bios
What students do:
Complete bio form (sleep schedule, study habits, hobbies)
Browse other approved students' profiles
Filter by preferences
Send roommate requests
Accept incoming requests
Form a roommate group
What happens behind the scenes:
Bio responses stored and made searchable
Ruleset calculates compatibility scores
Roommate group record created
Group size validated against cycle settings
Phase 3: Room Selection (Room Selection Phase Active)
What students see:
Room Selection section appears
If lottery: Assigned selection time
If all-at-once: "Browse Rooms" immediately available
Available rooms filtered by tags and capacity
What students do:
Browse rooms by building, floor, features
View room photos, amenities, pricing
Select a room (group leader selects for entire group)
Receive assignment confirmation
What happens behind the scenes:
Residency record created for the cycle
Bed marked as occupied
All roommate group members assigned to same room
Financial transaction generated (if automated)
Student status changes from "Applicant" to "Resident"
Phase 4: Meal Plan Selection (Meal Plan Phase Active)
What students see:
Meal Plans section appears
Available meal plan options with pricing
Ability to select and confirm
What students do:
Review meal plan options
Select preferred plan
Confirm selection
What happens behind the scenes:
Meal plan assignment tied to residency
Financial transaction generated for meal plan charge
Default meal plan applied if student doesn't choose
Phase 5: Document Signing
What students see:
Notification: "Housing contract ready to sign"
Forms & Documents section with pending documents
Contract content and terms
What students do:
Review contract language
Provide electronic signature
Download signed copy
Phase 6: Move-In Scheduling (Move-In Phase Active)
What students see:
Move-In section appears
Available moving groups and time slots
Capacity indicators
Move-in instructions
What students do:
Select preferred move-in date and time
Receive QR code for check-in
View move-in day instructions
Phase 7: Check-In and Residency Begins
What students do:
Arrive at scheduled move-in time
Show QR code or provide ID
Staff checks them in
Receive keys and room assignment confirmation
What happens behind the scenes:
Residency status changes from "Assigned" to "Checked In"
Check-in timestamp recorded
Keys marked as distributed
Room marked as occupied
Complete Journey: From a student's first click on "Apply for Housing" to checking in on move-in day, every step happens within the housing cycle. The cycle orchestrates this entire experience through components (tags, forms, rulesets) and timing (phases).
How Applications Tie to Cycles
Every application is permanently linked to the cycle it was submitted for. This connection is crucial for tracking and reporting.
One Student, Multiple Applications
A student can have applications in multiple cycles:
Example: Sarah Martinez
Fall 2024 Application (status: Approved, became a resident)
Spring 2025 Application (status: Approved, became a resident)
Fall 2025 Application (status: Submitted, pending review)
Each application is a separate record tied to its respective cycle. When you view Sarah's profile, you see all her applications across all cycles.
Application Data and Cycle Settings
The application form assigned to a cycle determines:
What questions students answer
What information is collected
Which tags are applied based on responses
Whether additional forms are required
Different cycles can use different application forms to collect different information.
How Residencies Belong to Cycles
A residency is a student's room assignment within a specific housing cycle. The cycle defines the residency's characteristics.
What the Cycle Provides to Residencies
Dates: The residency inherits start and end dates from the cycle If cycle runs August 15 - May 15, all residencies in that cycle have those dates
Billing: The cycle's financial settings determine when charges are generated Charge codes, transaction timing, proration rules
Move-In/Out: The cycle's moving groups control check-in/check-out options Available time slots, capacity, instructions
Meal Plans: The cycle's meal plan settings determine what students can choose Available plans, defaults, change limits
Documents: The cycle's required documents control what students must sign Housing contracts, waivers, agreements
One Room, Multiple Residencies Over Time
The same physical bed can have different residencies across different cycles:
East Hall, Room 201, Bed A:
Fall 2024 cycle: Sarah Martinez (Aug 2024 - May 2025)
Summer 2025 cycle: Alex Johnson (May 2025 - Aug 2025)
Fall 2025 cycle: Sarah Martinez (Aug 2025 - May 2026)
Each is a separate residency record tied to its respective cycle.
Why This Matters: When you view occupancy reports filtered by cycle, you see only the residencies for that cycle. This allows you to track occupancy separately for fall vs. spring vs. summer even though the same rooms are used.
The Complete Student Lifecycle
Here's how one student might interact with housing cycles throughout their college career:
Sarah Martinez: Four-Year Journey
Freshman Year (2024-25):
Spring 2024: Applies to "Fall 2024 First-Year Housing" cycle
Status: Applicant → Approved → Resident (East Hall 201A, Fall 2024 cycle)
Fall 2024: Applies to "Spring 2025 First-Year Housing" cycle
Status: Rollover option selected → Resident (East Hall 201A, Spring 2025 cycle)
Sophomore Year (2025-26):
Spring 2025: Applies to "Fall 2025 Returning Student Housing" cycle
Status: Applicant → Approved → Resident (West Hall 305B, Fall 2025 cycle)
Fall 2025: Applies to "Spring 2026 Returning Student Housing" cycle
Status: Rollover option selected → Resident (West Hall 305B, Spring 2026 cycle)
Junior Year (2026-27):
Spring 2026: Applies to "Fall 2026 Returning Student Housing" cycle
Status: Applicant → Approved → Resident (North Apartments 12C, Fall 2026 cycle)
Sarah's Profile Shows:
6 different applications across 6 cycles
6 residency records (one per cycle)
Complete housing history throughout college career
Historical Tracking: Cycles create a complete historical record of each student's housing journey. You can see every application they submitted, every room they lived in, and every cycle they participated in.
What Students Experience During Each Phase
Let's walk through what a student sees and does during a typical housing cycle:
Phase 1: Application (March 1 - April 15)
Student portal shows:
"Apply for Housing" action item
Application deadline countdown
Link to housing FAQs
Student actions:
Click "Apply for Housing"
Complete 15-20 application questions across multiple sections
Complete roommate questionnaire (bio form) as part of submission
Upload documents if required
Review answers and submit
After submission: Portal shows "Application Submitted" with status updates
Phase 2: Roommate Selection (April 1 - May 1)
Student portal shows:
Their bio already completed during application submission
Roommate Finder section
Pending roommate requests
Student actions:
Browse other approved students' bios
Filter by preferences (sleep schedule, study habits, etc.)
Send roommate requests
Accept or decline incoming requests
Form roommate group
After grouping: Portal shows roommate group members and status
Phase 3: Room Selection (April 20 - May 10)
Student portal shows:
"Select Your Room" action item
Selection time (if lottery-based)
Available rooms filtered by eligibility
Student actions:
Browses available buildings and rooms
Views room photos, floor plans, amenities
Sees room pricing
Selects preferred room
If in group: Group leader selects for everyone
Receives assignment confirmation
After selection: Portal shows room assignment details (building, room number, roommates)
Phase 4: Meal Plan Selection (April 1 - May 15)
Student portal shows:
"Select Meal Plan" action item
Available meal plan options with pricing
Comparison of plans
Student actions:
Reviews meal plan options
Selects preferred plan
Confirms selection
After selection: Portal shows selected meal plan and pricing
Phase 5: Document Signing
Student portal shows:
"Sign Housing Contract" action item
Number of pending documents
Document preview
Student actions:
Reviews contract terms
Provides electronic signature
Downloads signed copy
After signing: Action item marked complete, signed document available for download
Phase 6: Move-In Scheduling (July 15 - August 12)
Student portal shows:
"Schedule Move-In" action item
Available moving groups and time slots
Capacity per slot
Move-in instructions
Student actions:
Selects preferred date and time
Receives QR code
Views what to bring and where to go
After scheduling: Portal shows move-in appointment details and QR code for check-in
Phase 7: Check-In Day (August 14)
Student experience:
Arrives at scheduled time
Shows QR code or student ID
Staff checks them in
Receives keys and room directions
Moves into room
Portal updates: Residency status changes to "Checked In," keys shown as received
Action Items Drive Experience: Students primarily interact with their portal through action items—clear tasks they need to complete. Your cycle configuration determines which action items appear and when.
One Student, Multiple Cycles
Throughout their college career, a student interacts with many housing cycles. Understanding this longitudinal view helps you see the bigger picture.
Concurrent Cycle Participation
A student can be involved in multiple cycles simultaneously:
Example: October 2025
Fall 2025 cycle: Sarah is a current resident (status: Checked In)
Spring 2026 cycle: Sarah is an applicant (status: Submitted, awaiting review)
Her portal shows both cycles with different statuses and action items for each.
Historical Cycle Records
Past cycles remain in the system as historical records:
Example: Sarah's Profile in 2026
Fall 2024 (past): Resident - East Hall 201A
Spring 2025 (past): Resident - East Hall 201A
Fall 2025 (current): Resident - West Hall 305B
Spring 2026 (future): Applicant - Under Review
This complete history helps staff understand each student's housing background and preferences.
Key Takeaways
To students, cycles are the pathway to housing for a specific term
Applications tie to cycles and create applicant records
Residencies belong to cycles and track room assignments
Students move from profile → applicant → approved applicant → resident
Phases control what students see and can do at each stage
Action items drive the student experience based on cycle configuration
One student, many cycles - Complete housing history over college career
Concurrent participation is possible - Current resident in one cycle, applicant in another
PLS-3 Complete!
You've completed all four modules of PLS-3. You now have a comprehensive conceptual understanding of housing cycles:
PLS-3A: What cycles are and why they matter
PLS-3B: What components go into cycles
PLS-3C: How phases control timing
PLS-3D: How students experience cycles
Foundation Complete: You now understand housing cycles conceptually. You're ready to start building the components (tags, forms, rulesets) that power cycles in PLS-4 and PLS-5.
What's Next: PLS-4
Now that you understand housing cycles conceptually, you're ready to start building the first component: tags and rulesets.
In PLS-4: Tags & Rulesets, you'll build:
Tag categories to organize students and inventory
Individual tags for class year, preferences, and eligibility
Roommate matching rulesets that use your tags
These tags will become the foundation for controlling cycle access and automating roommate matching.
Additional Resources
Product Learning Homework: Try It Yourself Exercises - Complete PLS-3 practice activities
Product Learning Session Framework - Full PLS roadmap
Housing Cycle FAQs and Best Practices - Common questions