Housing and Dining

Brown isn’t just a place where students study and learn. It's home.

Brown is a place where students gather in dorm common rooms, in on-campus cafes and in their favorite lounges to talk passionately about what they've learned, what they've experienced and what they love. We know that life outside the classroom is just as important for a full and rich educational experience as what our students learn in seminar rooms and labs.

On campus, students are immersed in a classic New England college experience among brick quadrangles, scenic greens, soaring modern architecture and centuries-old structures. Many faculty and staff live near campus, often in historic residences updated and sold through the Brown-to-Brown home ownership program. All of this is located within the heart of historic Providence, Rhode Island’s vibrant capital — known for its innovative arts scene, exceptional culinary offerings and unpretentious vibe.

Residential Life for Undergraduates

Brown’s housing system reflects the vibrant, diverse community you'll find on campus. All first-year students — and 74 percent of all undergraduates — live on campus. First-year undergrads live with roommates in close-knit residence hall communities of 50 to 60 students. Returning students choose housing assignments, which range from private single rooms to suites and apartments for friends and groups, through a lottery system.

A network of program houses — with options like Casa Machado (Spanish language, Hispanic culture), Environmental House (sustainability, social action) and St. Anthony Hall (literary society — offer the chance to live and learn with others who share your interests.

And some of the University’s Greek letter organizations — in which more than 1,100 students participate — also offer on-campus housing.

Brown provides a residential learning environment that supports students' academic endeavors and fosters students' personal development.
Visit Page
Undergraduate students desiring to live off campus must apply for and receive permission from the Office of Residential Life.
Visit Page
A vibrant community made of up 11 residential Greek organizations, 3 non-residential Greek organizations, and 8 residential Program Houses throughout campus.
Visit Page

Additional Housing Services

Beyond on-campus undergraduate housing, Brown offers a variety of programs, services and resources for graduate and medical students, visiting scholars and University faculty and staff. 

Dining at Brown

A focus on fresh, sustainable foods. Serving stations offering made-to-order dishes. An expanding array of green dining initiatives. Brown Dining offers more than just nourishment — its team provides a student-first approach to campus dining with a range of eateries to relax, meet with friends, study and socialize.

Flexible meal plans are available. Students can choose from two all-you-care-to-eat dining halls — the venerable Sharpe Refectory (aka “the Ratty”) or the alluring Verney-Woolley (or “V-Dub”) — as well as four campus restaurants, three coffee carts and two convenience markets.

Plans include options for students who live on campus and off campus, including graduate and medical students. Faculty, staff and visitors are frequent customers at many of Brown Dining's cafes and retail locations, like the ever-popular Blue Room at the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center.

Brown Speak

Ask students at Brown about campus housing and dining, and you're likely to hear some of the following:

The Ratty:
Brown's main dining hall, formally named the Sharpe Refectory.
RPC:
Residential peer counselors live in and advise students in first-year residence halls.
Spicy With:
A popular late-night special at Brown eatery Josiah’s.