Helping parents understand dorm options, safety, accessibility, and what to expect at Rice University.
Rice University operates one of the most distinctive residential systems in the United States — the Residential College System. Every Rice undergraduate is assigned to one of the residential colleges, and that college becomes the center of their social and residential life for all four years.
College Placement: Incoming freshmen are randomly placed into one of Rice's residential colleges. The placement is completely random — students cannot choose their college.
Four-Year Membership: Students belong to their residential college even when they live off campus. The college is the social home and community center.
Room Selection: Within each college, room selection happens through a college-managed process each spring. First-year students are assigned rooms; upperclassmen draw for available spaces.
Houston, TX
Private Research University
8,179 total students
11 dorm buildings reviewed on DormScouter
| Dorm | Overall ★ | Safety ★ | Cleanliness ★ | Reviews | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanszen College | — | — | — | 0 | 🍽️ Dining Hall |
| McMurtry College | — | — | — | 0 | 🍽️ Dining Hall |
| Baker College | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Will Rice College | — | — | — | 0 | 🍽️ Dining Hall |
| Wiess College | — | — | — | 0 | 🍽️ Dining Hall |
| Jones College | — | — | — | 0 | 🍽️ Dining Hall |
| Brown College | — | — | — | 0 | 🍽️ Dining Hall |
| Lovett College | — | — | — | 0 | 🍽️ Dining Hall |
| Sid Richardson College | — | — | — | 0 | 🍽️ Dining Hall |
| Martel College | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Duncan College | — | — | — | 0 |
Year-specific advice for Rice University dorms — what changes from freshman to senior year:
Looking for something specific? Browse Rice University dorms filtered by amenity: