Almost all USA colleges and universities provide their students with the option to live in dormitories or residence halls. These are usually for single students, not for married couples or families, and are situated on or close to the campus. Dormitory rooms are equipped with basic furniture, and many dormitories in the United States also have a cafeteria. In some dorms (dormitories) there may be a kitchen for those who would rather cook for themselves. Dormitories usually have common rooms where students can get together to watch television, play games, or simply be with friends. Supervisors, often called "residence advisers" or "resident directors," often live in dormitories to keep an eye on safety and cleanliness and to make sure the rules are observed.

Many rooms in dormitories are shared with one or more roommates. Many universities require first year students to share a room. Your roommate will be someone of the same sex, whom you will not know. If you have problems in your living arrangements with your roommate, do not hesitate to contact your residence adviser or anyone else in charge of housing at your university to discuss the situation. In extreme cases, it is possible to change rooms or roommates.

Dormitory rooms usually do not have a private bath or toilet. Instead, residents share large bathrooms, which are separate for men and women. In the United States, a bathroom includes a toilet, a sink, and a bathtub or a shower.

Students living in a dormitory generally have to follow a set of rules to ensure smooth community living. There are rules to control the noise level, the cleanliness, the number of visitors, and other aspects of living. These rules can vary from building to building to cater to different student tastes. Make sure you are familiar with the rules before you move into a dormitory or a residence hall to avoid unnecessary discomfort or misunderstandings.

Some campus Accommodation closes for holidays, vacations, and break periods; others may be open year-round. If you require campus housing during vacations and holiday periods, be sure to inquire well in advance regarding availability. Also check with your international student adviser regarding the possibility of a homestay or off-campus housing options.

Types of campus Accommodation

University apartments: Some universities operate apartment houses on campus. Apartments are always in high demand. Usually priority is given to upper-level undergraduate and graduate students and to students who are married.

Single-sex residence halls: These dormitories are for those who prefer to live in an all-male or all-female environment. Universities may set aside a residence or at least part of a residence building that houses women and men separately.

Coed residence halls: Coed dormitories have both men and women living in the same building. For some international students, this might be a new and very different concept, but it works very well on U.S. campuses. However, male and female students do not share rooms. Sometimes men and women live on different floors or in separate suites, which are small apartments that contain several sleeping rooms, a common living area, and one or two bathrooms.

Fraternity and sorority houses: Fraternities (for men) and sororities (for women) are close-knit social organizations of undergraduate men and women who live in a house operated by the organization. Fraternity and sorority houses may be either on- or off-campus. Living in a fraternity or sorority house may be restricted to upper-level students.

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