Times are changing, and more and more top colleges are offering gender-inclusive residence halls.
If you’re a student looking for a safe and welcoming space to express your true self, this is a big deal. On this page, you’ll hear about a few schools you can look into if you’re prioritizing schools with gender-inclusive rooms and open living environments.
You’ll also learn more about why gender-inclusive housing options matter and who they’re designed to benefit. We hope this information helps you find the school that’s the best fit for you!
What is gender-inclusive housing?
Some students don’t align with the traditional understanding of “male” or “female” genders and may feel uncomfortable if they had to live in conventional same-sex housing. In gender-inclusive housing, students can live together regardless of their biological sex or sexual orientation.
The purpose of gender-inclusive rooms is to create an environment where students feel safe and comfortable expressing their unique gender identity or expression. Since gender expression is a vast spectrum that’s constantly evolving, many colleges consider it very important to offer inclusive communities as part of their housing selection and living options.
Is gender-inclusive housing for LGBTQIA+ students?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions about mixed-gender housing options. Gender-inclusive housing can be a great option for LGBTQIA+ students.
Perhaps you’re a transgender student and feel living with cisgender students of the sex you were assigned at birth diminishes your transition story. In this case, gender-inclusive housing could be a great fit for you.
At the same time, gender-inclusive housing often includes students of all genders and isn’t limited to just students identifying with the LGBTQIA+ community. Students may have many different reasons for choosing gender-inclusive housing.
Ultimately, the rules regarding gender-inclusive housing can vary between schools. Some schools offer gender-inclusive housing to all students, while others prioritize transgender students and gender nonconforming students in their gender-inclusive housing.
Why is gender-inclusive housing important?
As time goes on, more people are coming to understand that sex and gender aren’t synonymous. More often than not, sex is understood in biological terms.
However, gender is more of a social construct, meaning a person can identify or feel a certain way that doesn’t match the sex they were assigned at birth. This is why many people choose pronouns that match their self-perception or expression, even if unconventional or unexpected.
Colleges choosing to offer gender-inclusive housing are actively creating a space where students can feel safe, affirmed, and valued regardless of their gender identification. Single-gender housing may not be comfortable for mixed-gender, intersex, or nonbinary students.
This is an important step toward embracing diversity and promoting all students’ mental health and well-being, especially those who are traditionally marginalized or harassed.
10 colleges with gender-inclusive housing
Here are 10 awesome schools with on-campus gender-inclusive housing.
Michigan State University
Admission rate: 76%
Undergraduate enrollment: 38,491
In-state tuition: $14,469
Out-of-state tuition: $39,766
Six-year graduation rate: 81%
Michigan State University offers gender-inclusive housing (GIH) in select spaces. Students don’t have to disclose their gender to be considered, which is the main difference between GIH and traditional co-ed housing.
As MSU works on room selections and room assignments, it tries to prioritize students’ physical safety and emotional health while finding the best match between available housing options and the student’s needs.
University of Miami
Admission rate: 33%
Undergraduate enrollment: 11,334
Average tuition: $53,682
Six-year graduation rate: 83%
Students can express interest in gender-inclusive housing at the University of Miami when signing up for housing. Students 18 and older don’t need parental consent to sign up for gender-inclusive housing.
While the university strongly discourages romantically involved students from signing up for gender-inclusive housing together, the school doesn’t require students to disclose their reason for signing up for GIH.
University of Vermont
Admission rate: 71%
Undergraduate enrollment: 11,136
In-state tuition: $19,062
Out-of-state tuition: $43,950
Six-year graduation rate: 76%
In addition to offering gender-inclusive housing, the University of Vermont provides gender-inclusive bathrooms in most learning communities and co-ed halls. Students interested in a gender-inclusive housing assignment should select the option on their housing and meal plan contracts.
Brown University
Admission rate: 8%
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,792
Average tuition: $60,096
Six-year graduation rate: 95%
First-year students at Brown University fill out a lifestyle questionnaire that includes a question about gender-inclusive housing. First-year students are assigned a roommate, but students can enter the campus housing lottery process after their first year.
For more questions about housing at Brown, contact the Office of Residential Life or the school’s LGBTQ center.
Rice University
Admission rate: 11%
Undergraduate enrollment: 4,076
Average tuition: $51,107
Six-year graduation rate: 94%
Students enrolling at Rice University automatically become a member of one of 11 residential colleges, even if living off-campus. Each college is gender- and sex-neutral, and each college building includes a dining hall and public restrooms accessible to both residents and nonresidents.
California State University, San Bernardino
Admission rate: 78%
Undergraduate enrollment: 17,250
In-state tuition: $6,952
Out-of-state tuition: $18,832
Six-year graduation rate: 59%
California State University offers gender-inclusive housing in certain buildings to support transgender, nonbinary, questioning, and gender-variant students. They give preference to students who identify in one of these categories.
Their school policy also guarantees that students won’t be excluded from participation in any school-sponsored program or activity on the basis of gender. Students can express their interest in GIH on their housing form, and they won’t have to share any information beyond what’s necessary to meet their housing needs.
Bates College
Admission rate: 14%
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,876
Average tuition: $57,353
Six-year graduation rate: 92%
Bates College has offered open-gender housing since 2012. All upper-class students can choose gender-inclusive housing as an option. In addition, all campus buildings are open-gender, and students can change their gender on their HouseCat application whenever they want.
Bates College encourages students to adopt an open and accepting philosophy of a wide range of gender identities.
Dickinson College
Admission rate: 52%
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,932
Average tuition: $56,523
Six-year graduation rate: 84%
Dickinson College allows all students to select gender-inclusive housing as their preferred option. First-year students can indicate this preference on their housing application and expect contact from a staff member to further discuss their housing needs. Upper-class students can request their roommate on their online application and be matched as long as their preferred roommate goes through the same process.
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Admission rate: 65%
Undergraduate enrollment: 24,233
In-state tuition: $16,439
Out-of-state tuition: $36,427
Six-year graduation rate: 83%
At the University of Massachusetts, first-year and returning students can choose gender-inclusive housing in multiple residential buildings. They must select GIH as their preferred option on their housing application form and will be assigned based on available space.
Typically, the housing office assigns students to housing based on the gender they list in the online database. However, students can change their gender marker in the system by completing a form for campus records.
Arizona State University
Admission rate: 88%
Undergraduate enrollment: 63,124
In-state tuition: $11,338
Out-of-state tuition: $29,428
Six-year graduation rate: 66%
ASU provides gender-inclusive housing in each residential college community on campus. These spaces are mostly occupied by students from the LGBTQIA+ community and their siblings. Students can submit requests anytime during the year, but they’re only fulfilled based on availability.
Find the best school for you with help from College Rover
You can now see why gender-inclusive housing is important and who it benefits most. Whether you’re looking for the right housing situation to meet your needs or are interested in finding a school that celebrates diversity and inclusion, we think each of the schools in this article would make an excellent choice.
Want more help searching for the right school? Use College Rover’s online database to research different options and compare schools. You can even develop a spreadsheet of your top choices to share with family and friends who may want to offer their advice on your college decision.
