Living on Campus
Oberlin is a four-year residential college and we believe that living and eating together fosters a strong community. That’s why we require students to live in campus-owned housing through graduation or in an Oberlin Student Cooperative Association co-op.
A student room in Langston Hall, one of five traditional halls located across campus.
Photo credit: Chris Schmucki ’22
Where will you call home?
First Year Residential Experience (FYRE)
Get a running start with other first-years. Four first-year residence halls provide an instant community of fellow students who are new to the college experience.
Traditional Housing
If you desire a classic residential experience, our five residence halls are open to all class years, majors, and interests. Choice of singles, doubles, triples, and quads.
Living Learning Communities
Our 14 Living Learning Communities offer distinct living experiences for students who share or have an interest in a particular culture, language, or activity.
Co-ops
For truly communal living, try a co-op. Nearly 175 Obies live in these halls, sharing responsibility for cooking, cleaning, planning, finances, and more.
On-campus Houses and Apartments (formerly Village Housing)
These college-owned houses and apartments are for mostly fourth-years who want to experience postcollegiate living while enjoying the benefits of college-maintained property.
Say Hello to Woodland Hall!
In fall 2025, 400 Oberlin students became the first residents of Woodland Hall, a brand-new residence that consists almost entirely of suite-style living—with a private bedroom for each student—and is conveniently located near Oberlin's athletics complex and Science Center.
Where will you eat?
Main Dining Options
Our three all-you-care-to-eat dining halls and five retail locations reflect our commitment to high-quality service, diversity, and wholesomeness of food choices. We have adopted other socially responsible initiatives to enhance the overall dining experience while maintaining environmentally friendly practices. Throughout all of our dining locations, we focus on local, whole food, with fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses cut fresh in-house.
Stevenson Dining Hall
Our main dining hall features buffet-style, all-you-care-to-eat dining for omnivores and vegans alike. With local breads, farm-fresh produce, local and ethically sourced meats and seafood, house-made sauces, dressings, soups, pizza, pasta, and more, there’s something for everyone.
Lord/Saunders Dining at Afrikan Heritage House
This cozy all-you-care-to-eat venue features both traditional Southern comfort cuisine and entrees and sides reflective of the African diaspora.
Clarity/Heritage Kosher Kitchen at Talcott Hall
A Kosher-certified and Top Nine allergen-free all-you-care-to-eat location, offering a variety of cuisines from Cajun to stir-fry.
Wilder DeCafé and Market
This shop and mini-grocery offers a wide variety of snacks, beverages, and grocery items, as well as fresh portable fare with sandwiches, wraps, salads, and a variety of healthy side options. The DeCafé brews Goldberry Coffee, a local coffee roaster based in Ashland, Ohio, and the operator of Azariah’s Café. It is also the home of Umami, operated by AFC Sushi, serving a variety of fresh-rolled sushi, hot rice or noodle bowls, and dinner specials.
Lily Smith McGregor Skybar
Located in the conservatory, the Lily Smith McGregor Skybar offers a quick breakfast and lunch option with house-made sandwiches, salads, wraps, hot breakfast sandwiches, soup, and entrées, and serves Goldberry Roasting coffee.
Azariah’s Café
Operated by Goldberry Roasting, a family-owned and operated coffee roaster located in Ashland, Ohio, Azariah’s Café offers a wide variety of hot and iced beverages, sandwiches, salads, sides, avocado toast, bagels, and more.
Rathskeller
Housed in the lower level of Wilder Hall, “the Rat” offers traditional and light grill options with local and naturally raised beef burgers, halal grilled chicken, fries, and chicken tenders.
Meal Plans
Oberlin’s three dining halls and five retail venues reflect our commitment to quality service, wholesomeness, and diverse food options. AVI Foodsystems serves as our food service provider, sharing our commitment to practices that honor the environment, the economy, and the sustainability of the local community. Additionally, our student-run co-ops prioritize local, organic, and vegetarian-friendly options. Both AVI Foodsystems and the co-ops make as much as possible from scratch, buy from local vendors, and compost pre- and post-consumer food scraps and compostable serviceware to create nutrient-rich soil for the campus.
Dining Co-ops
We're proud to have one of the largest, oldest dining co-op systems in the country, feeding nearly a quarter of our campus. Co-op meals are a community effort at every step, from deciding what food to buy, to making the bread, to cleaning up afterward. Members plan and prepare meals together in fully stocked, industrial kitchens. We make as much as possible from scratch (including bread and tofu), buy from local farmers, and deliver our compost to a nearby organic farm.
Students prepare a meal in a co-op kitchen.
Photo credit: Matthew Lester