Where you live is part of how you learn
Living on campus is more than having a place to call home. KU residence halls and scholarship halls are communities where students build relationships, navigate new experiences, develop independence, and discover what it means to be part of KU.
Helping Jayhawks connect, learn, grow, and thrive
Residence Education brings learning into the places where students live. Through relationships with staff and peers, shared community experiences, intentional conversations, and meaningful opportunities to get involved, students build the skills and connections they need to succeed at KU and beyond.
Our goal is simple: to create communities where Jayhawks can connect, learn, grow, and thrive.
Why Residential Education Matters
Supporting students through a period of change
College is a significant period of transition. Students form new relationships, make increasingly independent decisions, navigate challenges and begin shaping who they want to become. Three core ideas guide KU’s approach to student learning and development.
Residential Education Principles
A sense of belonging develops when students feel connected, valued, and able to contribute. Residence Education helps Jayhawks form relationships with peers and staff, participate in their communities, and recognize that they matter at KU.
Self-authorship reflects a student's growing ability to understand personal values, make informed decisions, advocate for themselves, and take ownership of their direction. Residential experiences give students space to practice those skills with support from peers and staff.
Living in community gives students opportunities to practice self-awareness, empathy, communication, perspective-taking, and relationship skills as they navigate shared experiences and challenges.
What is a residential curriculum?
An intentional approach to learning in residential communities
A residential curriculum is an intentional, research-informed approach to creating learning experiences within residential communities. Rather than offering programs simply to fill the calendar, staff begin by identifying what students should learn and how they should develop, then design experiences that support those outcomes. At KU, the residential curriculum guides how staff build community, design programs, engage in conversations with students, connect residents to resources, and respond to the experiences students have while living with others.
How learning happens where you live
Connections with peers, resident assistants, and professional staff help students feel known, supported, and connected to the KU community.
Daily check-ins and guided conversations help students reflect, address concerns, learn from their experiences, and connect with valuable resources.
Programs, gatherings, leadership opportunities, and shared traditions are thoughtfully designed to support student learning and meet community needs.
Roommate conversations, shared decisions, new friendships, and challenging moments can all become opportunities for growth and learning.
Find support in your community
You do not have to navigate residential life alone. Start with your resident assistant or professional hall staff. They can help you think through a concern, understand your options, and connect with the right KU resource.
