Welcome to UMass Amherst

Welcome to UMass Amherst residence halls and to the exciting next chapter in your life!

Unpacking your suitcases and settling into your new room are the first steps in what promises to be a rich and rewarding journey of living and learning.

You are now a member of a diverse, multicultural, residential community. Your fellow students hail from cities, towns, and rural areas—down the road, across the country, and around the world. Each brings to the community his or her likes and dislikes, habits and traditions.

Living with others from a variety of cultural backgrounds, you will soon discover, is an education in and of itself, providing you with new insights and perspectives. Challenge yourself to learn about differences through attending a Shaha program hosted in the residence halls or engaging in dialogue about a particular topic related to diversity. As you learn to appreciate the sounds of the sitar or shakuhachi, join in celebrations of Kwanzaa or the Chinese New Year, trade goodies from home, swap baklava for pralines, you will begin to understand that difference—not similarity—is what adds hue and texture to the rich tapestry of your community.

Respecting the rights and humanity of all others and cooperating with fellow community members, regardless of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, national origin, mental or physical disability, or veteran status is what provides the residential community with its strength, resilience, and equilibrium. It is also the essence of the nondiscrimination policy of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. (See the Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination Policy Statement in Code of Student Conduct.)

If you're looking for more information about how to apply for on-campus housing, go to Housing Assignments.