Benefits of Living On Campus

Flexibility, convenience, resources, opportunities, better outcomes: there's lots of reasons to live on campus!

A residence room is more than just a place to sleep, it can increase your academic success by giving you access to all the best resources the campus has to offer while also introducing you to potential friends and lots of fun experiences!

Living in residence is a popular option for many incoming first-year students because it's a convenient and a great experience. At the University of Waterloo, first-year students are guaranteed a room in residence, so there's no additional worries about finding somewhere to live. Also, it's a great way to meet new people and have a comfortable transition into university.

Fast facts about living in residence

• have a higher retention rate from first to second year
• have a higher graduation rate
• have a higher first-year GPA
• make lifelong friendships

Sounds great! But what are the benefits of living in residence?

1. Flexibility

Waterloo has many residence options, which means you can live in a building that best fits your wants and needs. Want to cook instead of purchasing a meal plan? Live in a suite-style residence. Want to have a roommate? Live in a residence that has double rooms. Want a private room for yourself? There are single occupancy rooms available. Want to live in a smaller community? Live in a University College.

You have many options to choose from, so take the time to discover which one suits your needs best.

2. Convenience

Living in residence is easy as it's guaranteed for all incoming first-year students if you submit your Residence Community Ranking Form before the deadline. This is much easier than finding off-campus housing, especially if you're not familiar with the city. You can also choose your roommate yourself if you know someone who will also be attending Waterloo.

Your fees include all costs: hydro, heat, cleaning fees, and standard furniture. In some residences, the meal plan is separate. If you love residence, you can even live there after first year as certain buildings are set aside for upper-year communities.

3. Resources

The first resource is your residence life don, which is an upper-year student who supports the first-year community by building community, providing support, and ensuring the residence policies are followed.

Another service in residence is drop-in tutoring, a free resource that gives you access to upper-year students who have taken the courses.

If you're interested in entrepreneurship, then living in residence can be very beneficial. There are entrepreneurs in residence who work as live-in mentors, inspiring students to find their specific interests within entrepreneurship.

Finally, you can live in Living Learning Communities which allows you to live with a group of students from the same program or faculty as you.

4. Opportunities

There are also many opportunities for students to get involved in residence. Each building or floor in residence has a representative on the University's Residence Council. This team works to create a greater sense of community by facilitating social and educational events. You'll get to make new friends and participate in fun residence events.

There are also opportunities to be a residence ambassador and provide tours of residence to prospective students and their families — a great way to build your resumé and work where you live.Living in residence has many benefits. Choosing to live in residence during your first year at Waterloo is one benefit that many students should not miss out on experiencing.

Are you still trying to figure out which residence is right for you? Hear from real students about their experiences living on campus!