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With over 35 majors and minor areas of concentration, Elmira College lays the foundation for a diverse, cross discipline education, encouraging you to both specialize and explore.
From incoming first-years and returning undergraduates to transfer students and graduate students, Elmira College's residence halls are where you form friendships and find support systems.
At Elmira, we believe student success is about being focused, engaged, and active on campus. Based on this, Elmira students live on campus for their four years. From getting to that early class on time to convenient access to everything you need — dining locations, student support services, tutoring, study groups, hangouts with friends, campus events, and athletics events — the perks of living in the heart of campus are endless. Did we mention that students who live on campus tend to have higher GPAs and graduate on time?
A residence hall is more than a place to rest your head. It's the place where you and your friends imagine what's possible. After all, your new home — your residence hall — was built specifically with you in mind. Our living spaces were created and designed to foster connections, to spark conversations, and to ignite your passions. Here, you will not only dream of what's possible but you will also have the support to make those dreams a reality.
When it's time to register for housing, you will have the option to request a specific roommate or fill out a questionnaire with your preferences. If you opt for the questionnaire, you will be asked several questions to help you find a potential roommate, ranging from your sleeping habits, personality, and what you are looking for in a roommate. If you have a specific roommate you want to live with, you can search for and confirm your roommate once you complete your application.
As a returning student, you have the added benefit of choosing where you would like to live on campus each year and selecting your roommates. Additionally, there are unique room types only available to upper-level students, including single rooms, suite-style rooms, and two-bedroom apartments.
Entering college sometimes comes with new changes. Whether it's sharing a room for the first time, getting involved, or starting college classes, the first year can be overwhelming. It's in the residence halls that you make friends and find support systems that can last a lifetime. Each floor has a Resident Assistant, a student staff member who helps answer your questions and help you find solutions to problems. Resident Assistants also plan activities and events that bring the hall together, creating a home away from home.
From lounges to rec rooms to outdoor patios, there is always a place to gather with friends. It's common to see students coming together for movie nights or playing video games together. The large outdoor areas around the buildings are great for bigger gatherings.
Each hall has unique amenities, warmth, and charm. It's more than a building with four walls; your residence hall is a place to relax, study, and connect with friends. Each hall has lounges for relaxing and connecting with other students, a pantry to store snacks, and a laundry room. Have a floor-wide ping-pong or pool tournament, play lawn games with your friends, relax in front of a fireplace, or practice piano with a picturesque view of campus.
It’s easier to adjust to college life when you have someone in your corner. That’s why Elmira makes sure that every residence hall is supervised by a professional staff member in addition to student staff. The Community Coordinator (CC) lives in the building and is responsible for making sure the hall runs smoothly. These are the people who you can go to for advice, for help with an issue, or just to have a talk.
Are students required to live on campus all four years?
Yes. Elmira College has plenty of rooms in their residence halls. Our feeling is that when undergraduate students live together, they can support each other while having a good time. The exception to living on campus is any undergraduate student who enrolled on or after Fall 2024 who lives with a legal guardian within 60 miles, is 23 years of age or older, or is married or living with biological children. Students enrolled before Fall 2024 may live off campus if they live within 30 miles from campus. This is subject to change prior to the Fall 2025 term.
What is the housing selection process?
Incoming first-year students start by completing a survey about their habits. Questions include study habits and living routines. Then, you will be matched with a roommate with similar interests. Upperclassmen will use the Housing Selection process for their residence hall options.
Who do I talk to if I have an issue or question as a resident?
We want to take good care of every student. So, each residence hall is supervised by a professional staff member, the Community Coordinator (CC). The CC lives in the building that they are supervising. Each floor has a student staff member who is a Resident Assistant or RA. Elmira College Residence Hall staff members are given extensive training to help meet the diverse needs of students.