First-Year Housing
Welcome to Your New Home in Golden, Colorado!
Living on campus is not only a rite of passage – it’s also one of the best ways to ensure your success. Being a Mines student is definitely a team sport and living on campus helps you build your team that will help put you on the path to earning a college degree and graduating into a meaningful life. You’ll make lifelong friends, meet study partners, and dive headfirst into campus life. Being a college student is a lot of work but it’s also pretty great. We are here to make sure that you get the best possible start on your college journey.
First-Year Residence Halls
First-Year Live-On Experience FAQs
Do I have to live on campus?
Yes, Colorado School of Mines requires all first-year, full-time students to live on campus and have a meal plan.
First-year students are defined as all undergraduate students in their first year at Mines, regardless of transferred credit hours. Full-time students are defined as students taking 12 or more credit hours per semester.
Subject to the availability of space, all full-time, first-year, degree-seeking students at Mines are required to live in the residence halls for the entire academic year (fall and spring semesters). Limited exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis, according to a waiver process that will be fairly and consistently enforced.
Students who meet one or more of the following criteria may request an exception to the first-year residency requirement as provided below. The exception categories may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Married or have a civil union;
- The parent or legal guardian of a child(ren) that resides with him or her;
- Age 21 years or older prior to the first day of classes for the first semester of attendance at Mines;
- Transferring from another post-secondary institution where he or she lived on-campus for at least two semesters;
- Living at home with their parent/guardian(s) at their parent/guardians’ permanent residence within 20 miles from campus and commuting to campus daily;
- A member of the United States military who has served for one (1) year or more; or
- Other circumstances approved following appropriate review.
The full First-Year Residency Requirement Policy can be found here:
https://www.mines.edu/policy-library/first-year-residency-requirement-policy/.
The First-Year Residency Waiver can be found here:
https://minesreslife.wufoo.com/forms/firstyear-residency-waiver/.
How + When do I apply for housing?
Housing Applications can be accessed through the Housing Portal on Trailhead (located within the ‘Incoming Student’ tile and the ‘Residence Life’ tile). You can follow our guide: Navigate to the Housing Portal
Only incoming students who have paid the Admissions Enrollment Deposit will be able to locate and log into the Housing Portal. Please be advised that student access to the Housing Portal in Trailhead will be delayed if students pay the Admissions Enrollment Fee after business hours or on the weekend. Please allow 2 business days for the transaction to be processed.
The timeline for first-year students can be found here: Incoming First-Year Students Application Timeline
How will I be assigned my room?
In the First-Year Housing application, students have the opportunity to choose their own room assignment! Students will be assigned a room-selection timeslot, which is based on their Admissions Enrollment Deposit date. During their assigned timeslot, students can return to the Housing Portal, view all available rooms in our Residence Halls, and choose their own room assignment!
What are Signature Learning Communities?
Signature Learning Communities are a way to enhance your living experience on campus. While there will be lots of opportunities for you to get involved on campus, these communities bring a group of students together and allow them to live with others who share a common passion. These communities are meant to make your entire Mines experience better by supporting you in your academic endeavors, not taking time away from your academic work.
Residence Life provides three types of Signature Learning Communities:
- Theme Learning Communities
- Living Learning Communities
- Affinity Communities
Are Signature Learning Communities the same as Theme Learning Communities (TLCs)?
Kinda! Residence Life is undergoing a name change for these communities! The term Signature Learning Communities is an umbrella term that references Theme Learning Communities, Living Learning Communities, and Affinity Communities!
See the Signature Learning Communities Website for more information about what makes these communities unique!
Thank you for your patience as our staff works to change their own language, and as we continue to update our website and housing applications to reflect this change.
What is Gender Inclusive Housing (GIH)?
Colorado School of Mines is proud to offer Gender Inclusive Housing (GIH) as a residency option. A student who wishes to live in a gender-inclusive room (a room that is not defined by the genders that reside within the same living space) will have the option to choose this as part of their housing application. In the application, you will be asked if you’d like to live in a gender-inclusive room, and at that time may opt into the opportunity.
The Gender Inclusive Housing Community currently resides on the 5th floor of Spruce Hall. However, Gender Inclusive Housing spaces can exist in any of our residence halls if students do not wish to live in Spruce’s GIH Community. Elm Hall, for example also has gender neutral (single stall) restrooms.
You might consider choosing Gender Inclusive Housing or a gender-inclusive space if…
- You feel more comfortable living with someone who does not identify as the same gender as you
- You would like to live with a family member or friend who does not identify as the same gender as you
- You identify as gender queer, transgender, or a nonbinary identity
- You have a medical need for an aide to live with you who may not identify as the same gender as you
Where do students eat on campus? Where do I find meal plan options?
Meal plan options and dining information can be found on the Mines Sodexo website. First-year students will select their meal plan through the housing application process.
Can I park on campus?
Parking Services has information on their website specific to first-year students, as on-campus parking is limited. Their website is also where you will find the parking portal to purchase a parking permit.
What else do I need to know about living on campus?
Check out our Residence Life Resources page to find our Resident Handbook (policies), our Guide to Living on Campus, mail and packages information, and more!
I have more questions. What should I do?
No problem! We’re here to help!
If you haven’t already, check out our Frequently Asked Questions page. If we still haven’t answered your question, give us a call or email! You can reach the Campus Living Office (CLO) by phone at 303-869-LIFE (5433) or by email at housing@mines.edu. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM (Mountain Time).