Housing & Dining

Housing

The physical plan of the Stanford campus recognizes that a true college experience can only exist with students and faculty living and learning in the same areas, a belief that has been preserved since the University first opened in 1891. Stanford's residential system guarantees twelve complete or partial quarters of academic year, campus housing to entering freshmen; transfer students are guaranteed nine complete or partial quarters. All first-year students are required to live on campus.

After students accept their admissions offers from Stanford, they are assigned to one of eight neighborhoods that they can call home for their four years with us. The neighborhood assignments are part of a reimagining of the undergraduate residential experience known as ResX . Each neighborhood has a mix of traditional dorms, theme houses, Row houses, Greek housing, co-ops and apartment-style residences to meet a variety of student preferences. Every neighborhood is a place where students live with their friends, where they work together to build a lasting community, and where they have shared governing authority to help design and determine programming, theme housing, and their neighborhood’s community character. 

First-Year Housing Options

All frosh live in mixed-gender residences, although some residences have one or two single-gender floors. First-year will indicate their gender (female, male, or non-binary/gender fluid) and desired room gender environment (all male, all female, all non-binary/gender fluid, or any gender). First-year residences vary greatly in their size, age, style of architecture, and layout of student rooms and common areas. The houses range in size from 30 to 170 students. Most rooms are shared by two or three students. In some residences, four students share two or three rooms. Incoming frosh can rank types of housing (specific theme houses, a mixed-gender floor in an all first-year residence hall, or a single-gender floor in an all first-year residence hall) but do not rank specific houses or neighborhoods.

Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) Student Housing Operations provides varied housing options through more than 80 residences. Frosh housing options for the 2022-2023 academic year include:

Neighborhood S
Wilbur Hall East: Arroyo, Cedro, Junipero, Okada

Built in 1955 (renovated in 1993), Wilbur Hall consists of eight house communities and a central dining commons with shared dining rooms on each side of the central courtyards.

  • First-year house: Cedro
  • Four-class houses: Junipero, Okada
  • Each community consists of approximately 80 residents and has its own Resident Fellow.
  • Okada House , an inclusive space where people of all identities and backgrounds can explore identity and lift their voices as a community.
  • Junipero is the Explore Energy theme house , which is a residential community and living laboratory that expands energy and sustainability education through interdisciplinary dialogue, exploration and action.

Neighborhood T
Wilbur Hall West: Otero, Rinconada, Soto, Trancos

Neighborhood A
Stern Hall

Stern Hall, built in 1948-50 (renovated in 1995), consists of eight wings that make up six communities (two of which occupy two wings each). A central dining commons includes shared dining rooms on each side of the central courtyards.

Neighborhood N
Crothers Hall

Renovated in 2009, Crothers Hall consists of two separate residential buildings, Crothers (1948) and Crothers Memorial (1955). The two residences are situated around a large grass lawn and barbeque area, a bocce ball court and seating areas. Crothers is a 120-person all first-year residence. Crothers Memorial is an upperclass residence.

Branner Hall

Built in 1924 and renovated in 2002, Branner is an elegant, Mission-style building that houses approximately 168 students, primarily in two-room triples. Branner has an intimate dining room and beautiful estate-style kitchen.

Neighborhood F
Lantana Hall and Castaño Hall

Gerhard Casper Quad consists of four residences and the Gerhard Casper Dining Commons. Castaño and Lantana Halls (1992) are the all first-year residences, while Ng House (2015) and Kimball Hall (1991) are upperclass residences. Ng is the Humanities Theme House .

Neighborhood O
Florence Moore Hall

  • Florence Moore Hall, built in 1956 (and renovated 1994 and 2014), consists of seven house communities and a central dining commons with shared dining rooms directly connected to house lounges.
  • First-year houses: Alondra and Mirlo
  • Four-class house: Cardenal
  • The communities range in size from 51 to 86 residents. Two Resident Fellows support the students.
  • The Structured Liberal Education (SLE) program theme is housed in Alondra and Cardenal .

Muwekma-Tah-Ruk

Built in 1894 (renovated in 1993 and 2013), Muwekma-Tah-Ruk is one of 36 student-managed “Row” houses on campus. It was established in 1988 to celebrate the diversity of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander people.

  • This four-class house consists of 32 residents and one Resident Fellow.
  • Muwekma-Tah-Ruk residents dine in their house, with a student-managed kitchen program.

Neighborhood R
Lagunita Court

The historic Mediterranean-style Lagunita Court consists of six wings built in 1934 and 1937 (renovated in 1998). Two new residences which complement the historic houses were added in 2016. The beautiful Lakeside Dining Commons is situated at the rear of the complex.

  • Ujamaa is home to our African-American theme program, focusing on the histories, issues and cultures of the Black Diaspora.
  • Meier Hall, Norcliffe Hall, and Ujamaa (occupying two wings), each house 109 students. Adelfa, West Lagunita (Eucalipto and Granada), and Naranja each include 62 to 81 students.
  • Four Resident Fellows support the students in Lagunita Court.

Neighborhood D
Governor’s Corner

Governor’s Corner, built in 1982, consists of a variety of housing types: traditional residence halls, suites, and “independent” (student-managed) houses.

  • First-year houses: Potter, Robinson, and Schiff
  • Independent Houses, renovated in 2011 (Murray, EAST/Treat, Yost), Sterling Quad (Adams, Potter, Robinson, Schiff), Suites (Anderson, Griffin, Jenkins, Marx)
  • 803 residents and seven Resident Fellows (located in Sterling Quad and the Independent Houses) make up the Governor’s Corner community.
Information about all undergraduate housing options, including photos and floor plans, can be found on the Housing Options webpage. A collection of videos for the neighborhoods, including student testimonials can be found on the R&DE website .

Additional Information

The majority of campus housing is co-ed by corridor and the majority of rooms for first-year and new transfer students are single-gender, i.e. roommates are of the same gender. Incoming first-year and transfer students who have concerns about their roommate match and/or housing assignment in relation to their sexual orientation or gender identity can request and receive assistance.

Every residence with first-year students will have at least one bathroom designated for men, one for women, and one that is all-gender.

Students who have a disability or medical condition that requires special housing considerations can submit a request for accommodation via the Office of Accessible Education (OAE).

All houses foster abundant social opportunities, including dances, theme nights, intramural athletic games and off-campus day and weekend trips. Each type of residence offers a distinct lifestyle that tries to meet the needs of Stanford's diverse student body.

In addition to traditional housing, R&DE Student Housing also provides options within our graduate housing community for undergraduate students who have children, who are married/partnered, and those undergraduate students who are aged 25 and over.

Dining

R&DE Stanford Dining, Hospitality & Auxiliaries is committed to excellence by providing meal programs that support the development of communities within residences and across neighborhoods. We offer meal plans with significant value and the highest quality food and flexibility of dining across campus to create new connections and allow students to engage in intellectual and lively discussions over meals with each other, faculty, and members of the Stanford community. R&DE Stanford Dining prides itself on providing nutritious , sustainable and delicious food choices — embodying the Menus of Change Principles , as part of its leadership of the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative — to meet the wide variety of dietary needs within our diverse Stanford community. The Eat Well @Stanford program provides support to students dining with food allergies, religious requirements, medical needs, vegan/vegetarian diets, and other nutritional needs. For more information on navigating your dietary needs in the neighborhoods, please contact: nutritionist@stanford.edu.

Dining Hall Meal Plans

Students can use their meals for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner meals in any open dining hall. Visit our dining hall locations and hours page for more information. Meal Plan Dollars may be used at select R&DE Stanford Hospitality & Auxiliaries cafe or market locations or late-night dining.

All undergrad students living on campus are required to be on a meal plan, but students can switch their dining hall meal plan during the first three weeks of each quarter. The default meal plan for all undergraduates for fall quarter is 15 meals per week. First-year students may also choose a 19 meal per week plan. 

Your meal plan will be added to your account and SUID card prior to your arrival on campus. You may change your meal plan when you get to campus.

Food Allergies & Special Dietary Needs

R&DE Stanford Dining offers a variety of accommodations for students with food allergies and specialized dietary requirements through the Food Allergies @Stanford program. We have a dedicated Food Allergy Program and Inclusive Nutrition Program Specialist to support hundreds of Stanford students, staff and guests with food allergies and special dietary needs. As the prevalence of food allergies and other dietary needs continues to grow on campus, our nutritionists work closely with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE) to ensure that the university is adequately accommodating students with medically documented dietary needs as outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Stanford Dining has proudly partnered with FARE  (Food Allergy Research & Education) to help improve the college experience for students with food allergies through enhanced awareness, accommodations, and training. The Stanford Dining nutrition team reviews all ingredients, recipes, and menus for allergens, trains R&DE staff on food allergy accommodations, and provides nutrition counseling and education for students to help with managing their dietary needs on campus. Stanford is also home to nut-sensitive dining programs at Wilbur, Stern, and Ricker dining halls.

Stanford Dining identifies the top 9 major allergens that are contained in, or may have come in contact with, the foods served in the dining halls. Daily menus are published online, and food labels identify ingredients and allergens at the point of service. Allergens we label across R&DE Stanford Dining include: Coconut, egg, milk, fish, sesame, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, wheat. 

Stanford Dining works with each student individually to determine the dining strategy that best meets their dietary needs. The Food Allergies @Stanford support team includes the R&DE Stanford Dining nutritionists, chefs, and managers who all work together to ensure students with food allergies and dietary needs have an exceptional dining experience. For more information about the accommodations available and how to get support with your food allergy or special dietary need, view the Food Allergies @Stanford brochure or reach out to nutritionist@stanford.edu. To register for the Food Allergies @Stanford program, please complete our Request for Dining Accommodations Form .

Religious Dietary Accommodations

In this new and rapidly changing environment, R&DE Stanford Dining strongly encourages students with religious dietary needs to plan ahead and coordinate any necessary accommodations before arriving on campus. Read below to learn more about the accommodations that are available. Students with religious dietary needs should contact the Office for Religious and Spiritual Life to discuss how their needs can be met on campus. It is important to reach out to discuss your specific needs prior to arriving on campus.

Kosher Dining

Stanford Dining offers a Glatt kosher lunch and dinner program  at Florence Moore Dining in partnership with students, the Office for Religious and Spiritual Life, Hillel, and Residential Education. To learn more about kosher dining, please visit the Kosher Dining webpage or contact: nutritionist@stanford.edu.

Halal Dining

Stanford Dining, Hospitality & Auxiliaries offers a variety of food options to accommodate the dietary needs of Stanford’s Muslim community. All chicken served in the dining halls is certified halal and halal beef is available on a rotating basis. Stanford Dining does not cook with alcohol in any of our recipes and we are conscious to avoid cross-contact of pork products during food production. During Ramadan, R&DE provides Suhoor to-go boxes and Iftar meals in the dining halls to keep students well-nourished while fasting. Students in any on-campus residence will have access to halal dining options from R&DE Stanford Dining. Click on the links to learn more about the halal certifications for our Australian Halal Beef and Halal Chicken . To learn more about halal dining, please contact nutritionist@stanford.edu .

Other Religious Dietary Requirements

Some religious dietary requirements, such as maintaining a vegetarian or vegan diet, can be accommodated in the dining halls. Students who believe their religious dietary needs cannot be accommodated in the dining halls must request a different housing assignment with access to a kitchen to prepare their own foods, by contacting the Office for Religious and Spiritual Life prior to coming to campus.

See Also

 

Updated on July 18, 2022 3:56 PM