Residence Life

Top 10 Reasons to Live On Campus

We understand that you have many options when it comes to deciding where to live while attending Hofstra, but we’re here to help. The following are the top 10 reasons we think you’ll love getting the absolute most from your Hofstra Pride experience!


  • Connecting with new friends

    Living on campus is the fastest and most convenient way to meet new and interesting people from all over the world! With approximately 3,500 other campus residents, there’s bound to be a group of diverse new friends that you’ll fit right in with. Students who live on campus say they have a much easier time meeting new friends, finding time to study, have someone to go with them to club meetings, social programs, or lectures they are curious about. Your lifelong friends are waiting!
  • Convenience

    Everything you need is right here! All of your classes, the Axinn Library and Hammer Computer Lab, the Fitness Center, HofUSA – it’s all within a short walk of your residence hall. No more getting up at the crack of dawn! No more being stuck in traffic jams and showing up late to class!
  • Better Grades

    Nationally, students who live on campus have been found to have higher average GPAs than those who commute. Campus residents are also more likely to graduate, and in less time, saving on tuition.
  • Extra Safety Measures

    The residence halls are secured all day, every day. Residents must scan their Hofstra ID cards to gain access to their assigned buildings. Each building entrance is staffed 24 hours a day by a Residence Safety Representative who works for the Department of Public Safety. Professional and student staff members employed by the Office of Residence Life live in the buildings and check the building’s interiors daily. Resident Assistants live on just about every floor.
  • Easier to get involved

    When you live on campus, there is time to participate in a ton of campus leadership opportunities. A quick search of GetInvolvedHU on your Hofstra portal will show hundreds of different student organizations – at least one is sure to grab your attention! If not, you can start your own! Consider participating in the Residence Hall Association or applying to be a Resident Assistant next year.
  • Personal Development

    When you live on campus, you are exposed to people different from you who are from all walks of life. You might make a new friend from Spain or learn what you share with someone who has a different faith tradition, or even learn about another culture that’s right next door. Expanding your worldview is just one more way that living on campus helps you grow and develop as a student and as a person. Residing in a Living Learning or Themed Living community can further enhance this experience. With communities built around both academic and social interests, surely there is one that’s perfect for you. And who knows? You might just be joining that new friend in Spain next spring break!
  • Caring Staff

    The professional staff at Hofstra are excited to help you feel at home, answer your questions, and get to know you. In addition to Residence Hall Directors, Graduate Assistants, and the Residence Life Central staff, we even have a professor in our ranks! Dr. Elisabeth Ploran serves as our Faculty in Residence. She lives in The Netherlands Complex with her husband and adorable son. She has been known to plan large-scale advisement events before class registration, as well as to work with the Resident Assistants to organize game nights with dinner. Our residents say their favorite way to interact with her is when she pops in with surprise homemade cookies fresh out of the oven!
  • Only one bill to pay

    When you live off campus, the cheaper price of rent can be appealing. However, many students forget that they must also pay for cable and internet, utilities, trash and recycling services, among other expenses. If you live on campus, all charges are included on your University bill. There are no “first, last, and security” deposits, installation fees, or other surprise charges. Services like high-speed wireless internet, cable with 20 hours of digital DVR, and other extras are included in this total cost. There is plenty of free parking too.
  • Wireless everywhere!

    All our buildings and many of our outdoor areas are wireless. With free access to HBOGo and CineMaxGo, as well as streaming cable with our Stream2 mobile app, you can watch live, recorded or on-demand TV right on your phone or mobile device while getting some sun in the quad!
  • Access to NYC!

    Want to check out a Broadway show, shop on Fifth Ave., or see a Yankees game? The Hofstra Shuttle makes trips every hour to the Hempstead and Mineola train stations, where you can hop on a Long Island Rail Road train and be at Penn Station in Manhattan or Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn in as little as 35 minutes. You want to stay closer to the residence halls? No worries! The shuttles also take students to local shopping centers, movie theaters, and grocery stores.