Washington University's residential areas include 9 residential colleges on the part of campus we call the South 40, located at the southwest end of the Danforth Campus.  Each residential college, housing approximately 300 students, has social lounges, study rooms, personal computing labs, and recreation rooms.  The South 40 is a great place to begin your experience at Washington University and to meet people and get involved.  All first-year students are expected to reside on campus.  While local students are not required to live on campus, most choose to do so.  Living with roommates is very rewarding, and we work hard to make the best assignment we can by reviewing the choices that you make on your Housing Preferences Form.  All freshmen are guaranteed housing regardless of when the application is received.

Living on campus is so much more than sleeping and studying.  The South 40 is a "small town" with its own fitness center, dining facilities, technology center, meeting rooms, intramural fields, basketball and sand volleyball courts, recreation and game rooms, music practice rooms, and photographic darkroom.  In addition, Bear Necessities, a gift shop; Bear Mart, a convenience store; the mail room; and several student-run businesses are located on the South 40.

Residential College Resources

Our staff is here to help you pursue your personal and educational goals.  As you become more familiar with your residential college, you will find a dedicated group of people willing and able to help with your questions.  Resident Advisors (RAs) are highly trained upperclass students who live in the residence houses, providing service to their peers as leaders, confidants, resources, and friends.  In addition, each college has a Residential College Director (RCD), a professional staff member who manages the day-to-day operations.  The RCD works with the RAs and interacts with students in the colleges.  Each college also has its own dedicated housekeeping and maintenance personnel.

Faculty Involvement

All of our freshman communities on the South 40 have Faculty Associates.  These faculty members volunteer to work with Resident Advisors throughout the academic year to promote a sense of community on the floor.  The program allows residents to get to know a member of the faculty and allows faculty the opportunity to better understand and appreciate the student experience.  Several of our Residential Colleges also have Faculty Fellows who live in the residence halls with their families.  Faculty Fellows become active members of the community, contributing to the social and intellectual development of the students who reside there.  For more information about our faculty programs, click here .