Life on Campus

Why Live On Campus?

First Year students at Georgia Southern are required to live in on-campus housing unless they qualify for an exemption. To get more information, visit the First Year Live-On Policy. We have listed some of our top reasons why we feel like living on campus is a vital part of the Georgia Southern collegiate experience.

You’ll make friends — and memories. It’s easy to make friends when you live on campus, because you are constantly around students who are just like you.  Your hall will have a RA (Resident Advisor), who are students here to mentor you, help you make friends and provide you with fun programs.

Having a roommate prepares you for life.  In addition making friends, having a roommate is vital to the college experience.  Even if you think you’ll never have a roommate again in the future, the roommate experience will give you vital skills in conflict management and compromise that will be beneficial in your personal and work life after college.

You’ll likely make BETTER GRADES. Why? At Georgia Southern, many halls are reserved for first year students so you can easily find support in your studies through in-hall tutors, study rooms, and the ability to find others taking the same classes to study and work on classes with. Many of our services and programs in the residence halls are designed to target your interests and your academic development. Professors are likely to visit the halls and present programs in which you have expressed interest. Some halls have computer labs and offer tutoring while others offer more intensive study environments by offering 24-hour quiet hours.

Value for your money. Once you factor in all of the benefits to living on campus, it is typically less expensive than living off campus. You do not have to worry about monthly budgeting to pay for rent, telephone, or utility bills. One payment at the beginning of the semester pays for everything. This will be very helpful to you once you get involved in campus activities and  in your academics – bills will be one less thing you have to worry about.  Housing fees include cable television, internet connection, garbage, water, sewer, electricity, and laundry within it’s rate

You’ll get involved. By living on campus, you will always be informed about what is happening on campus and about various opportunities for you to develop your leadership, communication, and decision-making skills. Being a leader on campus will prepare you for success in your future career as well as motivate you to be an involved citizen in your community. Leadership roles are available for freshman as well as upperclassmen. You can be involved in hall governance, community service, hall employment, and much more!

You’ll love the location. When you live on campus, you live at the center of all that Georgia Southern offers. Your classes, recreational facilities, cultural and sporting events will all be within walking or biking distance.  Whether you need help with your schoolwork or you’re looking to receive some career advice, all of these offices can be found on campus.  Don’t forget that you already paid for these resources with your tuition and fees so make sure you get the full benefit of them.

Independent living but resources abound. Living on your own can be a little daunting.  Not only do you get a chance to experience new freedoms, but you can learn how to live on your own and grow independently from the influences of others.  Housing options at Georgia Southern great blend of amenities, policies, and support to help students grow and prepare for living independently in the future.

You’ll feel safer. Hall entrances are locked 24 hours a day; and University Police patrol the campus 24 hours a day and offer students free escort officers for walking across campus after dark.  Emergency call stations and other safety resources are abundant on campus to assist students who need support from Public Safety.

You’ll get more out of your college experience! National research reports find that students who live on campus make higher grades than peers who live off campus, are more likely to stay in college and graduate, are more likely to join extracurricular activities, and are more satisfied with their overall college experience.

For a comprehensive costs and affordability analysis, please visit https://em.georgiasouthern.edu/finaid/costs-affordability/  

Last updated: 12/21/2023