Oberlin College offers a wide variety of on-campus living accommodations. Eleven traditional residence halls are located across campus and address a wide variety of interests. For First-Year students, Oberlin College proudly offers the First Year Experience (FYE) halls: Barrows and Dascomb. Programs and communities in FYE halls are centered on supporting a positive and successful transition into college. For those who've already navigated their way through their first year, Noah, Talcott and Zechiel halls allow non First-Year students to build their own unique, upper-class communities. Additionally, Village Housing is available to those with at least four semesters in residence and is part of Oberlin College's Senior Year Residential Experience (SYRE). Village Housing consists of Elm Street, Firelands and Union Street apartment complexes as well as houses located on or near campus. The SYRE program is an initiative seeking to enhance students' final year at Oberlin through a variety of experiences designed to foster growth and reflection on their years in attendance, help with the job or graduate school searches, culminating with a rewarding graduation from Oberlin College.
Other options on campus include Substance-Free Housing, currently located in Barnard Hall. This community provides students with the opportunity to live in an environment that supports their choice to limit their exposure to alcohol, other drugs or the second-hand effects of these substances. Additionally, Oberlin College offers the opportunity to live in one of nine Program Houses. Four of the Program Houses are based around learning, practicing and commemorating the languages of French, German, Russian or Spanish. Five of the Program Houses focus on celebrating, embracing and educating others about various cultural backgrounds; these include Afrikan Heritage House, Asia House, Hebrew Heritage House, Third World House and the Women's Collective.
Lastly, Oberlin College offers four Oberlin Student Cooperative Association (OSCA) halls: Harkness, Keep, Old Barrows and Tank. Students in these halls share the workload required to keep a hall in proper order. Tasks can range from cooking and housekeeping to maintenance upkeep and event planning among others. Because work in these halls pays for the rent, OSCA remains an at-cost (i.e. OSCA makes no profit on housing fees paid by the residents) housing option on campus.
The various residence halls aim to provide comprehensive and tailored living opportunities for all our students. A variety of personnel live in the halls to help meet the needs of students and to plan activities. From Faculty-in-Residence to Resident Directors, Teaching Assistants to Resident Assistants, they're all here to help each student have a constructive, successful year. While Residential Education and Dining Services try to accommodate all housing requests, we fully encourage students to explore the possibilities and learn something new! Choosing a hall in the FYE program may allow for more social programs and interaction with peers, while being placed in a Program House offers the opportunity to grow through learning and exploring the house's mission. A traditional residence hall might be just right for your comfort level of interaction with your neighbors, while having a place in Village Housing might be just what you want in order to try a more autonomous approach to the living experience!
If you have more questions about living in a Residence Hall at Oberlin College, try checking the ÔFAQs: Frequently Asked Questions.' Also, to ensure you bring everything you need and nothing you don't, please be sure to read the ÔItems Permitted Not Permitted,' located in the Documents section, before coming to campus.
