Stanford University has been a residential teaching and research university from its beginning, and its residence system is among the largest and most diverse in the nation.

More than 6,000 undergraduate students (96 percent) call Stanford Student Housing home.

Stanford’s vibrant residence communities give students the opportunity to extend learning beyond the classroom, make lifelong friends, relax and hang out, and develop a deeper understanding of the world beyond the University.

Stanford considers the residential experience such an integral part of university education that freshmen and first-year transfer students are required to live on campus.

The Residential Education (Res Ed) program is based on Stanford’s belief that formal teaching, informal learning, and personal support in residences are fundamental components of a Stanford education – essential for preparing students for a life of leadership, intellectual engagement, citizenship, and service.

Res Ed programs complement the academic curriculum with activities and experiences that build strong, pluralistic communities. They give students opportunities to learn from each other, from faculty and staff members, and from visiting diplomats, artists, and scholars. Popular house activities include:

• Faculty dinners
• Lectures, mini-courses, and study groups
• International holiday celebrations
• Weekly current events discussions
• Poetry readings
• House drama productions
• Outings to community events
• Film screenings
• Intramural athletics
• Trips to San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and other locations

Residential Education begins with the Resident Fellows, faculty or senior staff members who live in residence halls with their families and help provide a warm and intellectually stimulating environment.

Residence staff also includes Stanford sophomores, juniors, and seniors who offer personal and academic counseling. These staff roles include Resident Assistants (RAs), Peer Academic Advisors (PAAs), Peer Health Educators (PHEs), Residence Computer Consultants, and others depending on the type of house.

But much education in the residences is informal and occurs as naturally as conversations at home over the dinner table or in front of the TV. The difference in living at Stanford is that students with widely-ranging interests, backgrounds, talents, and perspectives are living together, making all kinds of activities and conversations possible. How would you handle North Korea? What do you think of quantum dots? Have you ever built a block-long sand castle? What’s on your iPod?

First-year students who accept their offer of admission receive information and preference forms for housing, academics, and student services in the “Approaching Stanford” guidebook. Stanford sends the guidebook in May; preference forms for housing, meal plan, required classes, and advising are due by mid-June.

Student Housing makes assignments in random order – not on a first-come, first-served basis – after the deadline for returning forms has passed.

Housing Assignments announces assignments in early August. Though Stanford can’t guarantee a particular housing assignment, about 60 percent of freshmen are assigned to their first-choice housing type.