2026 Graduate Medical Education (GME) Housing Lottery Information
This page is intended for those participating in the 2026 Graduate Medical Education (GME) housing lottery.
Please see the following information and guidelines below:
- This housing lottery is for the benefit of the incoming GME house staff who submitted their lottery application form with GME no later than May 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM PDT to be eligible to rent an apartment at Welch Road Apartments. Eligibility is subject to review by the GME office.
- Eligible lottery applicants will be registered in the lottery and will be assigned a Lottery Identification Number via email prior to the lottery drawing.
- Entry into the lottery does not guarantee an apartment. Welch Road Apartments will offer a limited number of apartments, subject to availability.
- The listing order of the lottery is determined via a third-party draw service.
- Results will be posted on the Welch Road Apartments website some time after May 11, 2026 once all lottery applicants have been sent a Lottery Identification Number via email.
- The apartments available to the lottery are based on currently vacant apartments or occupied apartments that are coming available.
- Winner(s) will be contacted by the Leasing Team at Welch Road Apartments via email for further instructions on completing the rental process.
- Welch Road Apartments will contact winner(s) after all eligible lottery applicants have received their Lottery Identification Number. Winners will be required to turn in all requested documents by any set deadlines provided via email.
- Winner(s) must make a decision on an apartment within 24 hours of the apartment offering and must send their response to the Welch Road Apartments Leasing Team as soon as possible.
- If no response is received after 24 hours has lapsed, the next winner on the list will be contacted.
- If the apartment is accepted, the winner has an additional 48 hours from the time of acceptance to turn in all paperwork and deposits.
- The GME Housing Lottery will close when no more apartments are available, or by June 8, 2026, whichever occurs earlier.
- Other Stanford housing opportunities may be available outside of Welch Road Apartments. Those who are interested in other Stanford Rental Communities and/or Welch Road Apartments can join the regular waiting list at any time here. While most apartments at Welch Road Apartments are held exclusively for the GME lottery between April to June of each year, Welch Road Apartments will resume regular leasing from the general waiting list after June 8, 2026. All other Stanford rental communities lease units to names on the regular waiting list year-round. For more information regarding other Stanford rental communities, please visit the property(s)' website(s) here: Stanford Rental Communities
- PLEASE NOTE: As of February 1, 2026, all new GME House Staff/Residents/Fellows moving into Welch Road Apartments are only eligible to stay at Welch Road Apartments for a maximum of two years, subject to their continued full-time employment as a resident or fellow in the SHC GME programs. Starting a new position outside of a full-time residency or fellowship in the SHC GME programs is not sufficient to extend eligibility at Welch Road Apartments. Eligibility is reassessed annually by Stanford Health Care (SHC) Graduate Medical Education (GME) and Welch Road Apartments.
Results of the 2026 GME Housing Lottery will be posted here after the drawing has been completed. Please use your Lottery Identification Number to determine your position in the lottery.
For questions regarding the lottery, its results, the waiting list, or leasing at Welch Road Apartments, please contact welchroadapartments@stanford.edu.
For eligibility information, please visit the GME website here or contact the GME Operations Manager, Farishta (Farah) Yawary, at fyawary@stanfordhealthcare.org. Additionally, consult your program regarding any housing verification letters required for housing waitlist until contracts become available.
SHC GME Housing FAQs
Lottery
Who is eligible for the housing lottery at Welch Road Apartments?
All new and incoming SHC GME Residents and Fellows starting 6/25, 7/1, and 7/7.
When does the lottery application for Welch Road Apartments become available?
Lottery applications are included with the Resident’s/Fellows MedHub onboarding packet in late Spring. GME recommends identifying secondary housing options as a backup, as units are limited.
Where can I find lottery results?
Results of the lottery draw are posted here each year: https://welchroadapartments.stanford.edu/living-here/gme-lottery. Use the unique Lottery Identification Number sent to you prior to the draw to check your position and status.
How can I improve my chances if I am not selected in the lottery?
Consider the following alternatives:
- Join one or more waitlists. Please note that while all other Stanford rental communities lease directly through the waiting list year-round, Welch Road Apartments only leases Hospital-designated apartments to lottery winners between April to June of each year. Regular leasing on the waiting list resumes after the lottery period. Eligible residents and fellows can join both the lottery and the waiting list. If vacant apartments still remain after the lottery concludes, they will be offered out to those on the waiting list.
- Check with your Stanford training program
- Explore private, offsite rental opportunities.
Who selects the lottery winners?
Lottery selections are managed by Welch Road Apartments. The listing order of the lottery is determined via a third-party draw service.
Waiting List
Where can I learn more about housing options and waitlists?
Visit the GME website: https://med.stanford.edu/gme/housestaff/current/housing.html
Where am I on the waitlist?
As the waiting list for Stanford Rental Communities is nonlinear, your position on the waiting list can change at any time due to higher-priority applicants joining the list. For this reason, and because availability of a specific unit cannot be predicted more than 30 days in advance, we cannot tell you specifically what your position is on the list, or when you will be offered housing. If you have any questions about the process, please reach out to fshrentals@stanford.edu.
What are the tier categories for housing priority?
Each community has a different housing priority order for the waiting list. For more information, visit the individual community’s website for more information or reach out to the property management team https://med.stanford.edu/gme/housestaff/current/housing.html.
I do not have my SHC contract yet. How can I join a waitlist?
Contact your Stanford Program Coordinator to request a GME Housing Verification Letter.
- Requests must be submitted by the program (not the trainee).
- Processing time is approximately 10 business days.
- The housing letter may be used for one or multiple housing waitlists posted on the GME website https://med.stanford.edu/gme/housestaff/current/housing.html.
General Housing Information
How long can I stay in a HOSPITAL apartment at Welch Road Apartments?
Beginning February 2026, Residents/Fellows may lease HOSPITAL apartments for up to two (2) years during their SHC appointment, regardless of their training duration.
Residents/Fellows leasing from prior to February 2026 are grandfathered under the previous policy. View the Welch Road Apartments Eligibility page for more information: https://welchroadapartments.stanford.edu/living-here/eligibility
I’d like to visit and tour a housing site. Who should I contact?
Contact the leasing office for the community you are interested in via phone or email: https://med.stanford.edu/gme/housestaff/current/housing.html. For Welch Road Apartments, contact us here: https://welchroadapartments.stanford.edu/contact-us
Can my family live with me in SHC housing?
Yes, family members are welcomed. However, maximum occupancy guidelines are two people per room and one person per living room.
Maximum Occupancy Examples:
- Studio - 2 people
- 1 Bedroom - 3 people
- 2 Bedroom - 5 people
How soon can I move in?
Residents/Fellows may move up to 60 days prior to their SHC contract start date.
How do I secure an apartment?
We recommend Residents and Fellows to join the waiting list as early as possible and/or join the lottery if eligible. The GME Housing Verification Letter allows Residents/Fellows to secure their waiting list sign-up date/time on the wait list even without uploading the house staff contract. However, the official house staff contract is required to be uploaded or sent to fshrentals@stanford.edu before any apartment offers can be made. Please note as there is typically higher demand than availability within our communities, apartment offers cannot be guaranteed through the waiting list or the lottery.