When you live at Rensselaer, you are part of a diverse campus community of artists, engineers, scientists, athletes, and entrepreneurs. The university encourages discovery, community, and learning — within and beyond the classroom.

	Residence Life

While some call college an ivory tower — removed from reality — any student will tell you that this is real life. Students have responsibilities, relationships, ups and downs, just like everyone else.

If you are like most students, your first priority is your academic success at Rensselaer. A close second may be your personal life — family, friends, activities, and so forth. To reach your goals and have the kind of college experience that you want, you need to have a living situation that meets your needs. For the majority of students, that means living on campus.

The campus residence program allows students to make success at Rensselaer their priority, by making sure that other needs are met.

Approximately 2,800 students live on campus. All freshmen and many upperclass students list some or all of these following reasons for their decision to be part of our residential community:

• Convenient to the academic campus
• Furnished with utilities included
• Local phone service included
• Wired for ethernet and cable television
• Close to computer facilities
• Close to recreational facilities
• Close to dining facilities
• Live-in staff for assistance and guidance
• Academic year and summer housing available
• Living in a community of Rensselaer students with similar priorities
• Opportunities to meet other students
• Allows desired level of privacy or involvement

Student rooms are furnished with a bed, dresser, desk, desk chair, and a closet or wardrobe for each resident. Facilities for laundry, storage, parking, and limited cooking are available in all residential areas. Most areas also have lounges.

Several different themed living options are available at Rensselaer including “Ground Zero,” a community for arts, music, and culture, “Vasudha,” centered around earth, energy, and the environment, and “Leadership House,” which provides student leader development.

Learn More About Campus Housing and Residence Life