Living On Campus
Providence has two campuses that students from all colleges can choose to live on. The Downcity Campus is located in the heart of downtown Providence and our Harborside Campus overlooks the Narragansett Bay. Most of our residence halls are centrally located. Explore our res halls and related forms, requests, and processes.
Join our Res Life Team: Apply Here
Explore Our Res Halls | Pet-Friendly Community Guide (PDF) | Forms & Processes | On-Campus Living Guide (PDF) | Housing Selection Process | Medical & Other Accommodations | Move-In/Move-Out Dates | Housing Requirements & FAQ
Explore Our Residence Halls
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Pet & Animal-Friendly CommunitiesWe offer pet & animal-friendly communities for our students in select residence halls. Applying for a pet & animal is completed through the online housing application found in your jwuLink account. Please click below for additional information. |
FORMS & PROCESSES
Resources
- Wildcat Packing List
- Underage Guest Form (PDF):
- Guests Under 18 Years Old (16 and 17 year olds): Any guests under 18 must be approved by the Area Coordinator/Graduate Assistants at least one week in advance along with a parent/guardian note with a signature, emergency contact name and phone number, and valid government issued ID to spend the night or visit during the day.
Guide to On-Campus Living
View Residential Life’s policies and procedures, including:
- Room safety
- Approved Furniture
- Guest policy
- Room changes
- Holiday break
- End-of-year shut-down
- Mailing addresses
Wildcat Housing Selection
At JWU, each student selects their own on-campus home through an online application found in JWU Link. Room selection is split into two phases. Phase 1 is all about you — this is where you will answer profile questions and begin your search for potential roommates. Phase 2 is where you select your hall, room, and if desired, your roommate(s).
Medical Need Accommodations
If you have a disability and want to request any type of housing accommodation, you must submit adequate documentation to Accessibility Services. You will have the opportunity to indicate your need for an on-campus medical accommodation in the online housing application found through your jwuLink account, however, you will still need to work directly with Accessibility Services to receive that accommodation.
Move-in and Move-Out Dates
Fall Semester Move In Date
Our residence halls typically open on the Saturday before classes begin. To learn when the classes will begin for the fall, please check the academic calendar.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, our halls will open on Saturday, August 24. Your specific move-in time will be emailed to your JWU email address approximately one week before the move-in date. Information in regards to Fall 2025, will be posted at the start of the 2025 year.
Fall Semester Move-Out Date
Our residence halls close for the winter break at noon on the Friday of finals week. To learn when the finals week is for the semester, please check the Academic Calendar. Students are required to move out of their room within 24 hours of their last final exam or by the closing time, whichever comes first.
For the academic year 2024-2025, our halls will close for winter break on Friday, December 13, 2024, at noon.
Winter Break Housing
If you need to stay on campus during the winter break, you may do so by applying for winter break housing through our Wildcat Housing System. We send detailed information to all students through their JWU email mid to late October.
Winter break housing is offered at an additional cost. The cost is the same regardless of whether the student will remain on campus for one night or the entire break.
Spring 2025 Semester Move-In Date
Our residence halls typically open at 10 a.m. on the Sunday before classes begin. To learn when the classes will begin for the spring, please check the Academic Calendar.
For the academic year 2024-2025, our halls will open on Sunday, January 5th, 2025 at 10 am.
Spring 2025 Year-End Move-Out Date
Our residence halls close for the year the day after the last day of exams at noon. To learn when the finals week is for the semester, please check the Academic Calendar.
Students are required to move out of their room within 24 hours of their last final exam or by the closing time, whichever comes first.
For the academic year 2024-2025, our halls will close on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025 at noon.
If you are a student who is graduating or participating in graduation in an official university role, your move-out day is Sunday after graduation by 10 a.m. For the academic year 2024-2025, your move-out date is Sunday, May 4th, 2025, by 10 am.
Mid-Semester Breaks
Thanksgiving Break (Fall Semester)
Our halls are open during the Thanksgiving break and students may remain in their rooms at no additional cost and with limited services (front desk, mail delivery, meals, transportation, etc.).
Spring Break (Spring Semester)
Our halls are open during the Spring break and students may remain in their rooms at no additional cost and with limited services (front desk, mail delivery, meals, transportation, etc.).
Summer Housing
Students needing to stay on campus during summer may do so by applying for summer housing. You can expect to get an email from housing (to your JWU email address) between mid-March and mid-April of every year with details on the application, location, costs, etc.
FAQs
Do I have to live on campus?
To provide our undergraduate students with the best experience possible and help them be academically and personally successful, Johnson & Wales has a live-on-campus requirement for all full-time day students.
Current Students
Students currently in attendance at the university are required to live on campus during their first and second years unless the student meets one or more of the following criteria:
- is married or has dependent(s)
- is at least 21 years of age
- is living at home with a parent or legal guardian within a 50-mile radius of JWU’s campus
- has a disability requiring off-campus housing
- is not eligible to live on campus
New Students (Accepted for 2024-25)
Students starting their college experience at JWU with the 2024-25 academic year are required to live in the residence halls for their first three years at the university. This policy includes students entering as a first-time college student as well as transfer students, whether they enter in the fall or spring semesters.
Exemptions to this requirement may be granted based on one of the following reasons:
- Student will be living at home with parent(s) or legal guardian(s) within 35 miles of JWU’s campus.
- Student is married or has dependent(s).
- Student has a disability requiring off-campus housing
- Student turns 24 years old before the first day of classes of their first enrolled semester.
- Student is not eligible to live on campus.
Note that not all requests for exemptions are approved and most will require documentation.
Students who have been convicted of certain felonies (or have had certain felony-type charges sustained in a juvenile proceeding), such as crimes of violence, serious drug offenses, and sex offenses, are not eligible to live in university housing.
Students must maintain active day student enrollment status to remain in university housing.
Can I change my room?
We offer room change requests a couple of times per year. The first opportunity will be during week 3 when the application opens and will begin being processed at the start of week 4. During the room change window, you can put in a request for a room change and we’ll do our best to fulfill your request.
Can I move in early for fall?
You can request to move in up to 2 days prior to the official move-in day at an additional $50 a day fee. The application to request early arrival typically opens in mid-July on the Wildcat Housing System.
I am in a triple, but there are only 2 people assigned to my room. Does that mean I will have extra space in my room?
If you have a space in your room please keep it available for a potential new roommate to move in. (This includes leaving the extra bed, closet, dresser, and desk free of personal items and ready for a new occupant.)
How do I get a micro-fridge for my room?
Students who want a micro-fridge must pre-order a unit. Units will be delivered to rooms in August only for those students who have rented it before the August 5th, deadline. More information regarding deadlines will be emailed to students during the summer. To obtain pricing information and make rental arrangements, please contact My MicroFridge or call them at 1-800-637-7567. Please remember you may only have one fridge per room.
What’s in my room?
The university provides each resident with a bed, a desk and chair, a dresser, and closet space.
What’s in my hall?
Each hall conveniently provides study rooms, TV lounges, game rooms, laundry, a printing station for coursework, and vending machines.
Do you offer housing for graduate, doctoral, and post-traditional students?
Yes, we have a limited number of beds dedicated to graduate, doctoral, and post-traditional students.
Where can I do laundry?
Laundry facilities are located in each residence hall. The cost is $1.65 to wash and $1.65 to dry. Washing machines and dryers are paid for through the mobile pay system.
How do I use the laundry system?
Can I have pets?
Freshwater fish in 5-gallon tanks or smaller are allowed in all residence halls. We do have pet-friendly communities. Students must submit and have their pet application approved before bringing their pet to campus (no application is needed for freshwater fish).
How are residence halls secured?
All residence halls require ID card access to enter. All of our traditional halls have a front desk that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week when the halls are open.
Can I ship items ahead?
We do not staff the residence halls until students arrive, so mail will not be accepted before move-in weekend. If packages or mail are sent ahead of time, they will be returned. Please plan for all shipments to arrive after your student has moved into a residence hall.