JWU to require undergrad students to live on campus for first 3 years

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Johnson & Wales University announced a new residency requirement for all incoming student on Wednesday.

According to the university, starting in Fall 2024, all freshman students will be required to live in on-campus housing for their first three years.

The new policy will apply to all incoming undergraduate students including international students. Students currently enrolled at the university will not be impacted by the change.

“More than 50% of students at JWU’s Providence Campus call one of the on-campus residence halls home,” said Melanie Tucker, JWU’s Dean of Students said.

“Living on campus allows our students to experience the best of Providence in a close-knit community.”

The university said it is adopting the new policy for several reasons, including student retention and engagement, better access to support services on campus, encouraging a stronger culture of involvement as well as concerns over the lack of housing in the Providence area.

“Here in Providence, JWU is committed to working with the city by freeing up community housing and allowing more options for those who live and work in the Providence area, contributing to an overall vibrant city for our students to call home,” explained Providence Campus President Marie Bernardo-Sousa.

For more information on JWU’s residency requirements, click here.