The Hofstra University Graduate Residence Hall has long been the exclusive home for graduate, law and medical students. On Wednesday, March 4, Novia Ramsay, executive director of Residence Life, announced a change allowing juniors and seniors over 21 years of age to begin living in apartment-style accommodations within the Graduate Residence Hall.
The housing being made available is centered around the independence that most upperclassmen look for in off-campus housing. This opportunity would allow more students to live on campus for a longer time.
The apartment-style accommodations are unique compared to any other housing option on campus. The hall is designed with larger layouts and more amenities, such as a full kitchenette, private or semi-private bathrooms and more personal spaces for residents.
The current configuration of the Graduate Resident Hall offers a quieter environment and fosters greater independence, while also allowing students to continue living on campus. These factors played a role in why upperclassmen are being given this housing option.
Ramsay described what made this building such a sought after place of residence for students.
“Graduate residence halls offer an environment that is a bit quieter and more independent, which can align well with the lifestyle of older undergraduates, who are preparing for life after graduation,” Ramsay said.
Ramsay acknowledged the potential concerns of current graduate students regarding the addition of undergraduates to residence halls.
“We are approaching it thoughtfully and with care to ensure that the experience of current graduate residents remains respected and supported,” Ramsay said.
There will be a designated number of four-person double room suites for eligible juniors and seniors, while the rest of the rooms in the building will remain exclusively for graduate students.
Those interested in this housing opportunity would select their rooming preferences in the traditional housing selection process in order to get a chance to live in one of these spaces.
Residence Life expects the availability of these rooms to be very competitive. They also foresee additional steps to confirm eligibility, to ensure the option is reserved for the intended group of students.
Jessica Sucharski, a junior elementary education major and member of the STEM Studies program, spoke about what she believes are the potential benefits of living in an apartment-style room.
“It allows more freedom for juniors and seniors … to live without the stressful aspects of living off campus” Sucharski said.
Sucharski talked about the appeal of the new housing option, especially with the transition to graduate school.
“I’m 21 already; I’m going to be a senior next year,” Sucharski said. “I could move into [graduate] housing and have some consistency going into graduate school.”
Kerry Thomas, a law student and current resident of the Graduate Residence Hall, pointed out what a housing option like this could do for prospective graduate students.
“When someone is going into something as difficult as medical school or law school, it’s helpful to have as few unknowns as possible … [dorming] would be one less thing you would have to adapt to,” Thomas said.
The housing application opened on Monday, March 2, with plenty of time for students to figure out their housing plans for Fall 2026. An individual’s Residence Life Room application can be filled out on the Hofstra portal.
