HostelMS — Student Portal User Manual

Who this is for: Students applying for UR hostel accommodation online.
Website: https://hostel.ur.ac.rw/ 
What you need: Your registration number and your portal password.

How to read this manual

• Steps are numbered — do them in order on first use.
• Bold text matches buttons and menu labels on screen.
• Screenshot images for references

Part A — First-time access: create your password

Most students log in for the first time after their registration number exists in the system but before they have a password.

A1. Open the student login page

1. Open Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.
2. Go to the student portal URL (site root — example: https://hostel.ur.ac.rw/).
3. You see Student Login with Registration Number and Password fields.

A2. Create or reset your password

1. Click Create/Reset Password? .
2. Step 1 — Registration number: enter your reg number → Continue.
3. Step 2 — Verify identity: the system shows your imported details (name, campus, college, year, etc.) — read-only. Enter your full National ID → Verify.
4. Step 3 — New password: enter and confirm a password (at least 8 characters) → submit.
5. Return to the login page and sign in with your reg number and new password.

If your registration number is not found, or  National ID not Match contact contact for support .

 

A3. Log in

1. Enter Registration Number.
2. Enter Password.
3. Click Login.
4. On success you are sent to Student portal home page

Part B — Passport photo (required before anything else)

Immediately after login, if you have no passport photo on file, the system sends you to Passport photo for hostel card

 You cannot browse hostels, apply, or use other services until this is done.

B1. Upload and crop your photo

1. Read the Photo requirements (passport-style, plain background, JPG/PNG, max 2 MB).
2. Click Choose a photo to crop, select an image.
3. Crop your face in the tool → Save passport photo.
4. You are returned to Home.

You may replace the photo later from the same page if the menu link is available; the gate runs on every visit until a photo exists

Part C — Student menu (top navigation)

After photo upload, the top bar shows Student Portal and these items:

Menu label	When visible	Purpose
Home	Always	Applications and hostel booking
My Claims	Approved or paid application only	View/submit room claims
Hostel Card	Approved or paid only	View/print allocation card
Hostel Form	Approved or paid only	Official hostel form (PDF-style)
Upload Disability Proof	Only if your record has a disability	Upload proof PDF for welfare review
Announcements	Always	Campus notices
User Manual	Always	In-app help
Support Issues	Always	Your support tickets (badge if unread)
Raise Issue	Always	Open a new support ticket
Logout	Always	Sign out

Not available to students: editing name/campus/program, staff dashboards, approving applications, or choosing rooms outside the published list.

Part D — Home page: three situations

The Home page behaves differently depending on your application status.

D1. No application yet — Select a Hostel

You see:

• Your imported student summary card (name, reg number, campus, etc.).
• Academic year selector — pick the year marked active/open for new applications.
• Heading Select a Hostel — “Choose an open academic year, then click a hostel card to view available rooms.”
• Your Applications (all years) — history from other years, if any.
• Hostel cards for hostels you are eligible for.

If you see no hostels:

• Year not open — red message naming the closed year; switch to the active year if linked.
• No beds at your campus — fairness/capacity message.
• Blacklisted — red alert; you cannot book until welfare removes the block.
• Profile mismatch — detailed breakdown (gender, year, college, etc. vs hostel rules); contact welfare/registrar if data is wrong on the university side.

 

D2. You already have an application — My Application

If you applied for the selected year, Home shows your application view instead of hostel cards:

Status	Meaning
Pending	Room held; payment countdown running — upload receipt
Paid	Receipt uploaded; welfare may still review
Approved	Bed confirmed for that year
Rejected	Staff rejected (see message)

Pending applications show Payment Receipt section, countdown timer, and roommate list when applicable.

D3. Application deleted by the system

If your pending application expired (payment timeout), Home shows a deleted application page with the reason. You may apply again when beds are still available 

Staff may also reject applications — listed under Your Applications as Rejected by staff.

Part E — Apply for a room (step by step)

Only when: academic year is open, you have no current application for that year, you are not blacklisted, and eligible hostels exist.

E1. Select academic year

1. On Home, use the academic year control at the top.
2. Select the active year announced for hostel booking.

E2. Open rooms for a hostel

1. On a hostel card, click View rooms & apply.
2. A modal opens with the hostel name and room list.
3. Use Refresh Rooms if the list looks stale.

E3. Apply to a room

1. Each row shows room code, beds, Available, and Pending counts.
2. Click green Apply on a row with available space.
3. Confirm in the dialog.
4. On success you return to My Application with status Pending and the countdown starts.

You can only have one application per academic year at a time.

Part F — Payment and receipt upload

While status is Pending:

F1. Pay at the bank

Pay hostel fees using the method announced by UR (keep receipt / reference number). system will automaticaly approve your application after same time but you will have to upload your receipt (bank sleep) paid on urubuto pay on appropriate account given. 

F2. Upload on the portal

On My Application → Payment Receipt:

1. Enter Receipt Number (bank reference).
2. Choose Receipt file (PDF, max 2MB).
3. Tick the declaration checkbox (information is true).
4. Click Upload Receipt (or Update Receipt if replacing).

After upload, status may show receipt uploaded; welfare staff approve after review. Status can become Paid then Approved.

F3. Payment countdown

A timer shows time left from application time (duration set by admin in System Settings by default it is 48 days). If it reaches zero, the system deletes the pending application automatically. You must apply again if beds remain.

Part G — After approval or payment: card, form, claims

These menu items unlock only when you have an application with status approved or paid (studentCanUseHostelServices).

G1. Hostel Card

1. Click Hostel Card.
2. View hostel name, room code, academic year, and your photo.
3. Print from the browser if needed for check-in.

G2. Hostel Form

1. Click Hostel Form.
2. Open/generate the official UR hostel form (uses your imported data and allocation).

G3. My Claims (maintenance / room issues)

1. Click My Claims (includes submit-claim UI).
2. For an approved/paid room, click Submit Claim.
3. Fill Claim Category (Water, Toilets, Room Accessories, Electricity, Cleanliness, Other).
4. Enter Claim Message.
5. Upload Image (required — JPG/PNG/GIF, max 5 MB).
6. Click Submit Claim.
7. Track status on My Claims; you may edit or delete your own claims while pending.

Note: You cannot submit claims while application is still pending only.

G4. Upload Disability Proof

Only if your imported record includes a disability (not “None”). Upload PDF proof for welfare approval.

Part H — Announcements, manual, and support

H1. Announcements

Announcements — read official notices from welfare/admin.

H2. User Manual

User Manual — in-app copy of this guide (when initialized by admin).

H3. Support Issues

1. Raise Issue — subject, category, description, optional attachment.
2. Support Issues — read admin replies; unread count shows on the menu.

Use this for technical problems, payment disputes, or questions you cannot solve with welfare in person.

Part I — What students can do

Student Action / Feature	How to Access / How It Works	Description
Create or Reset Password	On the Student Login page, click Create/Reset Password, enter your Registration Number, verify your National ID, then create a new password.	This feature allows first-time users to create a password and existing users to reset a forgotten password. Your student information is automatically verified before a password can be created. If your registration number is not found or your National ID does not match, you must contact the Welfare Office or ICT Support for assistance.
Log In to the Student Portal	Enter your Registration Number and Password on the login page, then click Login.	Logging in gives you access to all available hostel services based on your application status. After successful login, you are redirected to the Student Portal dashboard where you can manage your accommodation activities.
Upload Passport Photo	After your first login, or by opening Passport Photo from the menu (when available).	A passport-size photo is mandatory before you can use hostel services. Upload a clear passport-style photograph, crop it correctly, and save it. This photo will appear on your Hostel Card. If the photo does not meet the required standards, your Hostel Card may be rejected until you upload a valid replacement.
View Personal Information	Open the Home page after logging in.	The Home page displays your imported personal information, including your full name, registration number, gender, profile photo, campus, college, school, programme, level of study, and academic year. This information is synchronized from the University's student records and cannot be edited by students.
Select Academic Year	On the Home page, use the Academic Year selector at the top of the page.	Students can choose the academic year they want to view or apply for. Only academic years that are open for hostel applications allow new applications. Previous years remain available for viewing application history.
Browse Available Hostels	From Home, select an active academic year to display available hostel cards.	The system automatically displays hostels that match your eligibility, such as campus, gender, level of study, and available capacity. If no hostel is displayed, the system explains whether the academic year is closed, no rooms are available, you are blacklisted, or your academic information does not match the hostel requirements.
View Available Rooms	Click View Rooms & Apply on any hostel card.	A list of rooms within the selected hostel is displayed, showing room numbers, total beds, available beds, and pending reservations. Students can refresh the room list to view the latest availability before submitting an application.
Apply for a Hostel Room	From the room list, click Apply on an available room and confirm your selection.	Applying for a room creates a temporary reservation while waiting for payment. Only one application is allowed per academic year. Once the application is submitted successfully, the Home page changes to display your application information, payment instructions, and countdown timer.
View Application Status	Open the Home page or My Application section.	Students can monitor the progress of their hostel application throughout the accommodation process. The system displays statuses such as Pending, Paid, Approved, Rejected, or Deleted. Each status indicates the current stage of the application and the next action required by the student.
Pay Accommodation Fees	Follow the payment instructions shown on the My Application page.	After applying for a room, students must pay the accommodation fees using the official Urubuto Pay account provided by the University. Payment should be completed before the countdown timer expires to avoid automatic cancellation of the reservation.
Upload Bank Payment Slip	On Home → My Application → Payment Receipt, complete the upload form and click Upload Receipt.	After paying accommodation fees, students must upload their bank payment receipt together with the receipt/reference number. The uploaded receipt is reviewed by the Welfare Office before payment is confirmed. Students may replace the uploaded receipt if necessary before verification is completed.
Track Payment Countdown	The countdown timer appears automatically on the My Application page after submitting an application.	The system continuously displays the remaining time allowed for completing payment. If payment is not completed and verified before the deadline, the pending application is automatically deleted, allowing other students to reserve the room.
View Room Allocation	After your application is approved, open the Home page or Hostel Card.	Once approved, students can view their allocated hostel, room number, bed number, academic year, and other accommodation details. These details remain available throughout the accommodation period.
Access Hostel Card	Click Hostel Card from the top navigation menu. (Available after payment or approval.)	The Hostel Card contains your passport photo, hostel name, room number, academic year, and student information. Students can view, download, or print the card for identification during hostel check-in and accommodation services.
Access Hostel Form	Click Hostel Form from the menu. (Available after payment or approval.)	The system automatically generates the official Hostel Form using your approved accommodation information. Students can open, review, and download the form whenever required without completing any additional forms manually.
Submit Hostel Claims	Click My Claims, then select Submit Claim.	Students whose applications are paid or approved can report accommodation-related problems such as water shortages, electricity failures, damaged room accessories, sanitation issues, or other hostel concerns. Claims may include descriptions and supporting images for faster resolution.
Track Claims	Open My Claims from the navigation menu.	Students can monitor the status of every submitted claim, read replies from hostel administrators, provide additional information if requested, edit pending claims, or view the final resolution once the issue has been addressed.
Raise Support Issues	Click Raise Issue from the menu.	Students can report technical problems related to the Hostel Management System, including login problems, payment disputes, application errors, or other system-related issues. Supporting documents or screenshots may be attached to assist administrators in resolving the issue.
View Support Tickets	Open Support Issues from the top navigation menu.	Students can review all submitted support requests, monitor their progress, read responses from administrators, and continue communication until the issue is resolved. The menu also displays unread replies for quick reference.
Upload Disability Proof	Click Upload Disability Proof if the menu is available.	Students whose records indicate a disability can upload supporting PDF documents for review by the Welfare Office. This feature is available only to eligible students whose disability information exists in the University records.
Read Announcements	Click Announcements from the navigation menu.	Students can read official notices published by the University regarding hostel applications, payment deadlines, accommodation policies, maintenance schedules, important updates, and other announcements related to student accommodation services.
Access the User Manual	Click User Manual from the navigation menu.	The User Manual provides detailed instructions for using every feature of the Student Portal. Students can consult the guide whenever they need assistance with hostel applications, payments, claims, or other available services.
View Dashboard Information	Open the Home page after logging in.	The Home dashboard changes automatically according to your application status. Before applying, it displays available hostels. After application, it displays your application details, payment instructions, receipt upload section, countdown timer, allocation information, and other important accommodation details.
Download Generated Documents	Use the Hostel Card, Hostel Form, or other document pages where download options are available.	Students can download automatically generated documents such as the Hostel Card, Hostel Form, and uploaded payment receipts for printing or future reference whenever needed.
Log Out Securely	Click Logout from the top navigation menu.	Logging out ends your current session and protects your personal information. Students should always log out after using the system, especially when accessing the portal from public or shared computers.

Keep your registration number and bank receipts safe.