Every first-year student lives in a "neighborhood," a community that includes 40 to 60 first-year students and several peer counselors called Community Coordinators (CCs) who help to create engaging and respectful residential environments that enhance the student experience.

A neighborhood may be two adjacent hallways or the whole building, depending on size. 

Area Coordinators provide direct supervision and guidance to the peer counselors of several neighborhood. Some first year areas may also include upper-division students living in singles or suites.

You will be asked to complete the New Student Housing Application. You will receive an email when it goes live.

To aid in your placement, we have developed a Lifestyle Questionnaire, allowing you to share your preferences related to your living environment. Our housing system is designed to match you with roommates, based on the answers provided. 

There is also an opportunity to express interest in specialized housing - single sex, single gender, substance-free or quiet.

Roommate assignments are made through a computerized process based on your responses to this questionnaire (e.g., sleep and study habits).

No room changes will be allowed from the beginning of classes for approximately two weeks. Following this housing freeze, room change requests may be made and will be vetted by your Area Coordinator. You will receive notification of your roommates and residence-hall assignment by early-to-mid August.

Students who have concerns about their housing, roommate(s), or residential community can start by talking with their Community Coordinators.

Students are also encouraged to meet with their Area Coordinator (AC). Area Coordinators are professional staff members who live in the residence halls and have a daytime office in Residential Life (Grad Center E, 4thFloor). Students may call or stop by Residential Life (401-863-3500) to connect with the AC for their area of campus.

Transfer and visiting students are assigned to either live within a community of transfer students or be placed in available housing throughout campus.

Most transfer students can expect to be placed in traditional style residence hall rooms with other students which also utilize shared bathroom facilities located in each hallway. All buildings are co-ed and assignments are made to co-ed floors unless you opt into a Single Sex specialized community via the specialized housing option in this application.

Housing assignments will include contact information of assigned roommate(s). We strongly encourage students to connect with their roommate(s) before arriving on campus.

Traditional undergraduates are required to live on-campus for a six (6) semester minimum. However, Resumed Undergraduate Education (RUE) Students and students who have formally applied through the Veteran’s Application and matriculated through the Veterans Initiative are exempted from this requirement. These students are welcome to live in residence halls but they are eligible to live off campus beginning their 1st semester at Brown.

These students are required to communicate with the Office of Residential Life on an annual basis about their housing intentions. Students who will be living off campus must complete complete the Off-Campus and Commuter Form annually.