By: Adebayo Balqees Folayemi
For many undergraduates at the University of Ibadan (UI), securing a room in one of the campus undergraduate halls has always been a mix of anticipation, competition, and, at times, uncertainty. For the 2025/2026 academic session, UI introduced an online accommodation application process, aiming to make room allocation fairer, faster, and more transparent for students. Students are now sharing how this new system has reshaped their experience.
Following a revision of the initial schedule, fresh students were the first to apply, with their window open from February 26 to March 4. Final-year students applied from March 4 to March 11, while other returning students, known as Staylites, had their application period from March 12 to March 16. All applications submitted during the initial announcement window were cleared, requiring every student to submit a fresh application via the portal.
Applicants were required to log in to the student portal, provide next-of-kin details, upload a recent passport photograph with a white background, and provide information about previous accommodation and any health challenges. Returning students also had to confirm their Jaja registration, which was verified against the university database, while freshers were exempt from this step.
Upon submission, the portal does not immediately show whether an applicant has been accepted or rejected. Instead, a student from Idia Hall explained that the process depends on the hall warden. According to her, after she filled out and submitted her application, she had to wait until evening. It was then that the hall warden worked on the portal and updated statuses. Once the warden approved her application, she saw that she had been accepted. “Even if you are to pay that evening, you will get your room number,” she said.
If accepted, students then paid their hall fees and basic dues, after which a room was allocated to them. Students were then expected to print their accommodation slips and ID cards for presentation upon arrival at the halls.
A student from Idia Hall described the system as faster and less stressful than the traditional method. “It’s easy. The only thing is that you submit your form physically, and they will print out your ID card for you and laminate it. Freshers and finalists are almost guaranteed accommodation, but for 200, 300, and 400-level students on the five-year course, it’s competitive. After registering online, some were accepted while others were rejected.”
From Independence Hall, a student reflected on the difference from the old system: “Before, batch one might have ten names, batch two might have ten. You would be waiting and wondering if your name was on the list. Now, once you have paid and completed all necessary steps, the outcome is visible on the portal. It is faster, less stressful, and you do not have to wait for lists.”
A student from Ransome Kuti Hall shared how the process worked on arrival. After printing his forms and ID card, he collected the pre-printed ID card from the hall, which already had the hall name, spaces for his name, room number, and other details, as well as a place to attach his passport. He filled in the required information, and the hall staff laminated it for him.
A student from Obafemi Awolowo Hall praised the fairness of the system. “The process is very good. From what I have seen, there is no such thing as bias anymore. Before, some students got hostels because they knew people in high places, but now it is open to everyone. The only challenge is for smaller hostels that are not as big as Obafemi Awolowo Hall. It can be competitive for them. I feel it is fair in some parts and less fair in others.”
Another student from the same hall shared her experience with the process. She explained that once you pay online, a room is allocated immediately, and any issues can be reported online. When submitting your documents, you are given a pre-printed ID card with the hall name, which you fill in, attach your passport, and have laminated.
Her application initially showed as rejected on the portal. But after submitting her details and following up with the hall chairperson, her matric number was forwarded to the hall warden. Since rooms were still available, she was allocated a room, and her portal status was updated to “accepted.” She emphasised that despite the online system, physical appearance at the hall still matters when registering.
However, not all students share the same positive view. A student from Queen Elizabeth II Hall expressed strong dissatisfaction with the system. She said the process is not effective at all. According to her, the idea of first-come, first-served is not true. She argued that accommodation allocation is still based on whether you know people in high places. She noted that only freshers and final year students are sure of getting rooms. For everyone else, she said, “It is on God.” She added that you may be the first to pay and still get rejected without any clear explanation.
Some students also noted challenges for specific groups. One student, who has never stayed in a hostel, observed how the process affected her faculty mates who had resit exams. “Their portals were not updated because their results were not released yet, so they could not apply for accommodation even as late as the second week. I felt that was not right because whether I failed or passed, I should still have the right to apply and pay for a room in the hostel. After all, I am still a student. Just my perspective, anyway.”
Overall, students agree that the online accommodation system has reduced stress, improved transparency, and minimised favouritism.
While there are still challenges, particularly for non-final-year students facing competition in smaller halls and minor physical steps like submitting forms and ID cards, the system reflects UI’s commitment to modernising student accommodation. For undergraduates, it has transformed a once anxious, slow process into one that is more predictable, efficient, and equitable, though the human touch and occasional follow-ups remain a part of the experience.
Editor’s notes: Names were withheld at the request of those interviewed.
