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 Fairchild House, one of eight traditional halls located across campus.
Photo credit: Gary Cohen ’11
Where will you call home?
First Year Residential Experience (FYRE)
Get a running start with other first-years. Three 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 11 residence halls are open to all class years, majors, and interests. Choice of singles, doubles, triples, and quads.
Identity-Based Communities and Language Houses
Our 10 Identity-based Communities and Language Houses offer distinct living experiences for students who share or have an interest in a particular culture, language, identity, or activity.
Theme Living
Are you ardent about classics, sustainability, or even peace and quiet? Theme living is a selection of small communities of shared interests within a residence hall, or as freestanding on-campus houses.
Co-ops
For truly communal living, try a co-op. Nearly 200 Obies live in these houses, sharing responsibility for cooking, cleaning, planning, finances, and more.
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.
New Residence Hall to Open in Fall 2025
Construction has begun on a new residence hall that will consist of four floors and 401 beds, configured primarily as climate-controlled four-person suites featuring private bedrooms for each resident as well as a shared bathroom, kitchenette, and dining area.
Where will you eat?
Main Dining Options
Our five dining halls, food courts, and cafés reflect our commitment to quality service and diversity and wholesomeness of food choices. We have adopted other socially responsible initiatives to enhance the overall dining experience while maintaining environmentally friendly practices.
Stevenson Dining Hall
Our main dining hall features buffet-style comfort food prepared for omnivores and vegans alike. With farm-fresh produce, pizza and pasta, salads, house-made chowders, ethnically sourced seafood, and more, there’s something for everyone.
Lord/Saunders Dining at Afrikan Heritage House
This cozy buffet-style venue features traditional Southern comfort cuisine, a menu developed with input from Obies, and entrees and sides reflective of the African diaspora. Portable sandwiches, wraps, and snacks are also available.
Wilder DeCafé and Market
Experience a college deli, Oberlin-style. This shop and mini-grocery prepares made-to-order salads and sandwiches, smoothies, fair-trade coffee, and features Sally, an automated salad robot.
Azariah’s Café
You won’t be stranded during a long study session in the main library. Located on the first floor, Azariah’s is an early morning and late evening go-to for coffee, snacks, and refreshments.
Rathskeller
Housed in the lower level of Wilder Hall, ‘‘the Rat’’ offers traditional and light grill options, local and naturally raised beef burgers, fries, and other foodstuffs.
Meal Plans
The college’s five dining halls, food courts, and cafés reflect our commitment to quality service, and diversity and wholesomeness of food choices. AVI Foodsystems Company is our food service provider as it shares our commitment to following practices that honor the environment, economy, and sustainability of the local community. Additionally, our student-run co-ops are heavy on the local and organic and overall veggie friendly. 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.
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