Living at Harvard

From the very beginning, Harvard College has sought to establish a connection between living and learning. Originally patterned after the Colleges at Oxford and Cambridge, the House system reflects the founders' goals of a true residential college, a "collegiate way of living." Across all four centuries of Harvard's history, learning together has meant living together.

A special residential plan for freshmen followed by three years in the comprehensive House system for upperclassmen provides students more than simply a place to live. Harvard guarantees every student College housing for four years. By design, residential life that brings together students and faculty is an essential part of the Harvard experience. Nearly all students choose to live on campus for their full undergraduate careers.