Get Involved

As you fill out the housing application, you will notice there are multiple different types of housing options at Northwestern, including Residence Halls, Residential Colleges, All Gender Housing, and Specialty Interest housing (which currently contains Greek Life and Greenhouse), all of which you can learn about here.

Terms a bit confusing?

Check out our RCB Dictionary & FAQ!

Incoming Students

In order to join a Residential College as a resident, you must fill out your dorm preferences and write an additional essay about why you’d like to live in a Residential College, which will be read by the Residential College’s Faculty Chair. If you are generally interested in becoming a resident of a Residential College, be sure to apply to multiple on your housing contract. If you are hoping to live in a specific Residential College, you may want to mention which one you prefer. The length of the “essay” is entirely up to you—it could be a paragraph or a sentence; however, some Residential Colleges may have more applications than available dorms so it may be worthwhile to write more.

 

For more information on the different Residential Colleges, visit the Northwestern housing website, view our guide [link to RC page], and the Residential Colleges’ website—which are linked in RCB’s guide.
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Housing Assignment OverviewExplore the Res Colleges

Current Students

If you are already a student, you can join a Residential College at any time during the quarter by filling out the Non-Resident application, which opens on the first day of classes each quarter.

 

Joining as a Non-Resident

Non-resident members are undergraduates who become members of a residential college without living in the residential college’s respective building. Like resident members, non-residents pay dues and can participate in residential college events.

 

Whether you live on campus or off campus, you are welcome to join in and benefit from the events, faculty interaction, and strong communities present throughout the residential college system. Becoming a nonresident member is a great way to keep in touch with your old residential college if you move off campus, to join a new residential college you intend on living in the following year, or just be part of a close community and enjoy ample social, academic, and philanthropic events.
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If you have an further questions about your application, you are encouraged to contact the president of your desired RC before applying.
Becoming a Resident

In order to become a resident of an Residential College as a current student, you are encouraged to reach out to the President of your desired RC.

 

More Information About Becoming a Non-ResFill Out Winter Non-Res Form Here (Opens Jan 3)

Joining the Executive Board

Each residential college has an executive board responsible for planning events and managing the day-to-day business of the college. Any member of a residential college may run for their college exec, although many RCs have a residency requirement for executive board members. Students of all grades participate in their RC execs, so all are encouraged to run. If you’re interested in joining your RCs exec board, contact your RC’s president about position and election details.

 

The Residential College Board is the executive board responsible for planning events for all of the residential colleges. Any member of a residential college executive board may run for any position, except for RCB President. Additionally, any current member of RCB can run for president. If you are interested in joining RCB exec, contact your RC’s president or the RCB president about election details. For more information on each position, please see our Members page.

Elections for all executive boards happen in Winter Quarter, and terms start in Spring Quarter.