🏠 University of Notre Dame — Parent Guide

Helping parents understand dorm options, safety, accessibility, and what to expect at University of Notre Dame.

💡 Tips for parents reviewing dorm options:

🏠 How housing selection works at University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame has one of the most distinctive in the country —is central to student identity. Students are assigned to a residence freshmen and traditionally stay in the same all four years. Notre Dame requires all undergraduates to live on campus unless they are commuting from a parent's home or are married.

Freshman Assignment:All incoming freshmen are assigned to a residence the University before they arrive on campus. Students cannot choose their hall. Assignments are based on a limited set of preferences but are largely determined by availability and class balance. There is no room draw or lottery for freshmen.

Single-Sex Halls:Notre Dame's residence halls are single-sex. Each its own Rector (a live-in priest, nun, or lay minister), student government, traditions, intramural sports teams, and community culture that develop over generations. The strong is a defining feature of the Notre Dame undergraduate experience.

Returning to Your Hall:Students who want to remain in their same sophomore, junior, and senior years typically apply for a room in their current an internal . Spots are prioritized for returning residents, making it common for students to live in the same all four years.

Transfer and Special Cases:Students who need to transfer halls (due to medical needs, community fit, etc.) go through a separate process with the Office of Housing. are relatively uncommon and not generally available simply by preference.

As of May 8, 2026

📍 Location

Notre Dame, IN

🏛️ College Type

Private Research University

👥 Enrollment

13,526 total students

🏠 Housing

26 dorm buildings reviewed on DormScouter

📊 Dorm Comparison by Safety & Cleanliness

DormOverall ★Safety ★Cleanliness ★ReviewsFeatures
Sorin Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Dillon Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Zahm Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Alumni Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Badin Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Duncan Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Fisher Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Graham Family Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Keenan Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Keough Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Knott Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Morrissey Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
O'Neill Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Pangborn Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Siegfried Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Stanford Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Walsh Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Breen-Phillips Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Cavanaugh Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Farley Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Howard Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Lewis Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Lyons Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
McGlinn Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Pasquerilla West Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall
Ryan Hall 0 🍽️ Dining Hall

🔗 More Resources

🔗 Notre Dame Housing

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🔗 Undergraduate Residences

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🔗 Incoming Students

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🔗 Hall Life

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🎓 Class-Year Housing Guides

Year-specific advice for University of Notre Dame dorms — what changes from freshman to senior year:

🎓 Freshman Guide📚 Sophomore Guide📖 Junior Guide🎉 Senior Guide

🔍 Filter by Amenity

Looking for something specific? Browse University of Notre Dame dorms filtered by amenity:

❄️ with Air Conditioning🍳 with Shared Kitchen🛗 with Elevator♿ ADA-Accessible🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Friendly🚿 with Private Bathrooms🛁 with Semi-Private Bathrooms🧼 with Communal Bathrooms♀ All-Female