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Two students sitting and talking outside a residence hall

Residence Life

Residence Life

Make yourself at home. 

Where you eat, sleep, and build your community is a big part of life at Penn State. It’s what we call “residence life.” 

Every Penn State campus—whether or not they have on-campus housing—helps you cultivate that sense of community through housing and dining options. 

So, introduce yourself to your neighbors. Grab a cup of coffee or a bite to eat. And make yourself at home. 

Campuses with On-Campus Housing

On-campus housing includes dormitory-style residence halls and apartment complexes. 

Living at AbingtonPhoto of residence hall exterior at Penn State Abington
Living at Abington

Explore on-campus living at Lions Gate, our modern apartment complex, where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at AltoonaPhoto of a residence hall exterior at Penn State Altoona
Living at Altoona

Explore our four residence halls that offer traditional and suite-style accommodations where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at BeaverPhoto of a residence hall exterior at Penn State Beaver
Living at Beaver

Explore on-campus living at Harmony Hall, our modern residence hall, where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at BehrendBrick and glass exterior of Behrend residence hall
Living at Behrend

Explore our residential buildings that offer traditional, suite, and apartment options where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at BerksPhoto of students studying in a common area
Living at Berks

Explore our residential buildings that offer a variety of suite options where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at BrandywinePhoto of a residence hall exterior
Living at Brandywine

Explore on-campus living at Orchard Hall, our modern residence hall, where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at Greater AlleghenyPhoto of a residence hall exterior
Living at Greater Allegheny

Explore on-campus living at McKeesport Hall, our modern residence hall, where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at HarrisburgPhoto of a residence hall exterior
Living at Harrisburg

Explore our two residence communities that offer suite and apartment options where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at HazletonPhoto of a kitchen space within a campus residence hall
Living at Hazleton

Explore our two residence halls that offer traditional and suite-style options where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at Mont AltoPhoto of students hanging out and talking in shared living area of residence hall
Living at Mont Alto

Explore our two residence halls that offer traditional and suite-style options where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at SchuylkillPhoto of students walking outside of a residence hall
Living at Schuylkill

Explore our five apartment-style residence halls where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Living at University ParkPhoto of a residence hall exterior with students walking out front
Living at University Park

Explore our residential buildings that offer traditional, suite, and apartment options where students live and study in a safe, close-knit community.

Campuses with Privately-owned Housing

Privately-owned apartments and housing complexes can be found in every community where a Penn State campus is located. These campuses have nearby housingoften just a few steps away from campusdeveloped specifically for Penn State students. 

Living at DuBoisAerial photo of a residence hall exterior at Penn State DuBois
Living at DuBois

Our community offers numerous off-campus housing options where students can study close to campus.

Living at FayettePhoto of students sitting and talking in Adirondack chairs
Living at Fayette

Our community offers numerous off-campus housing options where students can study close to campus.

Living at Lehigh ValleyPhoto of the exterior of building with the Lehigh Valley mark on the front
Living at Lehigh Valley

Our community offers numerous off-campus housing options where students can study close to campus.

Living at New KensingtonPhoto of students sitting and talking in outdoor space
Living at New Kensington

Our community offers numerous off-campus housing options where students can study close to campus.

Living at ScrantonPhoto of campus buildings and broader Scranton
Living at Scranton

Our community offers numerous off-campus housing options where students can study close to campus.

Living at ShenangoPhoto of student housing
Living at Shenango

Our community offers numerous off-campus housing options where students can study close to campus.

Living at Wilkes-BarreAerial photo of campus exteriors and broader Wilkes-Barre
Living at Wilkes-Barre

Our community offers numerous off-campus housing options where students can study close to campus.

Living at YorkPhoto of students standing and talking on outdoor campus stairs
Living at York

Our community offers numerous off-campus housing options where students can study close to campus.

Photo of students in a classroom

Living Learning Communities

Some on-campus residence halls and apartments have designated floors or rooms called Living Learning Communities (LLCs) to bring together students who share common interests and goals. 

 Some LLCs bring together students who have similar academic interests while others are for students who share an interest in leadership development, global issues, service, or a social cause. LLC residents plan workshops, programs, and other activities throughout the academic year. The members of the LLC determine how the LLC will be run and outline expectations regarding residents' participation in planned events. 

On-Campus Dining

Students outside sitting at tables eating ice cream

Convenient dining options can be found on each Penn State campus. 

Yes, we have ice cream, courtesy of Penn State's legendary Berkey Creamery.

But there's more to food services at Penn State than just dessert. 

Dining commons offer made-to-order specialties and a variety of food stations. Food courts provide convenient grab-and-go choices. Cafeterias serve up daily specials. And cafes are great spots for a quick bite or snack. 

On a special diet? Penn State Food Services prides itself on being responsive to vegan, gluten-free, kosher, halal, and other dietary requests. 

Eat up. Eat well. And save room for dessert. 

Student sitting at a table full of cups and food

What's Cooking?

Want to see what's for dinneror breakfast or lunch? During the school year, when classes are in session, check out PSU Menus Online to find out what's being served in the dining halls daily.