Current Students

Gender-Inclusive Housing

Since Fall 2023, Macalester has operated with a gender-inclusive housing model. This gives students the option to reside and live with other student(s) regardless of sex, gender and/or gender identity, and have access to all-gender bathrooms. Additionally, this model supports our gender needs and allows Residential Life to have facilities and a program that is rooted in universal design. While the majority of our residence halls and buildings will be all-gender housing, there will be some floors and spaces that will have gender-specific spaces and bathrooms. All students will be able to select the housing arrangements that best fit their needs and live in a safe and comfortable living environment. To be more specific, all of our residence halls except for designated areas will be gender inclusive, meaning that the bathrooms in those spaces will be gender inclusive, too. If a student wants or needs to live in a single gender community with designated male and female bathrooms, then they can request to live in Doty Hall (as a first year) or choose to live in Bigelow Hall (during Housing Selection as an upper division student). Currently, our traditional halls (excluding GDD, GCA, and the houses) do not have single stall bathrooms. They are communal bathrooms that have sinks, toilet stalls, and shower stalls within a common space.

Bathroom Inventory

On-Campus Student Storage for Returning Students

Most residence halls have a storage room in which students may store personal items during the academic year. Students that live greater than 400 miles from campus may store a limited number of boxes to their fall assignment hall over the summer. The residence hall staff maintains the storage room and designates hours at the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester during which items may be placed in or taken out of storage. There is no access to storage during the summer, so please plan accordingly. Students may store a maximum of four 20x20x20 sized cardboard boxes (all must be sealed):

A carry on suitcase will take place of one 20x20x20 box

A mini-fridge will take place of two 20x20x20 boxes (all mini fridges must be defrosted and wiped down to avoid mold issues)

A large checked suitcase will take place of two 20x20x20 boxes *We do not allow the storage of any loose items, items in trash bags, or lamps/appliances aside from a mini-fridge. If you show up with these items, you will not be able to store them*

Room and Board Costs for the 2025-2026:

2025-2026: Room charges per year and per student are as follows: -Language Houses and Eco House – $8,990 -Grand Cambridge Apartments – $9,923 -All other residence halls including Cultural Houses – $8,722 Board charges per year and per student are as follows: -Dining charges per year is $7,754 -Commuter Plan charge per year is $2,030 2024-2025: Residence Hall Room – $8,304.00 yr; $4,152.00 per semester Required Board Plan: $7,456.00 yr; $3,728.00 per semester A dining plan is not required for residents in the Language Houses, Eco House, Grand Cambridge Apartments, Cultural House, Veggie Co-op and The Layover: A Study Away Community

Move-In for Returning Students

Dates: Returning Student Move-In- August 30 – August 31, 2025 from 9:00am – 8:00pm. Please visit your email for check-in information. Details regarding the specific move in instructions will be posted and shared with returning residential students during the summer. Students participating in Pre-Semester can start returning back to campus on August 12, 2025. To be eligible for Pre-Semester housing, students must have a housing contract for Fall 2025 and be sponsored by a Macalester department. Special requests for early move-in prior to your allocated move-in slot the following will not be approved: Getting over jetlag, non-Macalester related events, transportation arrangements or prices, and error in scheduling. While this is not an exhaustive list, Residential Life reserves the right to deny or approve requests.

Returning to Campus Spring 2026

Spring, 2026: Information for returning to campus spring, 2026 will be coming later in fall semester. Spring, 2025: Students participating in J-Term can start returning back to campus on January 2, 2025 at 9:00 AM. To be eligible for housing, students must have a housing contract for Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 and have a need to come back to campus early for a Macalester affiliated program (internship, sport, and/or work.) International students who also need housing would be eligible to stay on campus. More information on winter break housing can be found on the Seasonal Housing page. Everyone else returning back to campus can return starting at 9:00am on January 21-22, 2025.

Seasonal Housing

Apply Now for 2025-2026 Housing

Students who are currently off campus and are interested in campus housing for Fall 2025 and/or Spring 2026 can apply to be considered for any vacancies on campus. Please email [email protected] to secure a space. If you are looking for off-campus resources, visit Macalester’s Off-Campus Living website.

Off-Campus Living

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