RISE: Housing & Dining
Residential students
Housing
You and your fellow high school students will live together as a community in BU’s residence halls. Boys and girls typically live in separate buildings; if placed in the same building, boys and girls are assigned to different floors. Students may visit other floors in their assigned residence that align with their gender; boys may visit other boys’ floors, and girls may visit other girls’ floors. Boys are not allowed on the girls’ floors at any time, and girls are not allowed on boys’ floors at any time.
There are typically two or three students per room, although some students may find themselves in a double room without a roommate if another student drops out or leaves early. Bathrooms are communal and shared amongst students living on the floor. Please contact us if you’d like to discuss housing arrangements, as our office is committed to creating a safe and welcoming community for all of our students.
Each residence has 24-hour security and full-time BU residential staff. Carefully selected program assistants (PAs) also live in the residences and provide students with guidance as they adapt to college life. The PAs coordinate social outings and ensure that students return to the residence before curfew each night.
The residences used for the RISE program have air conditioning in the common areas as well as student rooms.
We do not accept roommate requests. We believe that learning to live with someone new is an important part of the pre-college experience. Program activities and free time provide plenty of opportunities to hang out with friends, who will also be living in a residence hall on campus.
You will meet your roommate on move-in day. When possible, students are encouraged to wait until all roommates have arrived before deciding who sleeps in which bed. This provides a first opportunity to practice living cooperatively.
Dining
You will eat your meals in one of our dining halls on campus. The menu choices include restaurant-style meals, vegetarian and vegan options, freshly made desserts, and so much more. If you have special dietary requirements, please contact us so we can make arrangements to best accommodate you. The dining staff can also assist you if you have food allergies or other dietary restrictions.
Different meal plans are available for Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) residential students (14- or 19-meals a week). Students who plan to eat every meal in the dining hall should choose a 19-meal plan. Students who like to sleep through breakfast or plan to eat outside of the dining hall every once in a while should choose a 14-meal plan.
Commuter students
Because dorm life is an important aspect of the college experience and helps you form closer bonds with other students, we encourage you to live on campus. However, students in the Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) program do have the option of commuting to campus each day.
If you choose to commute, you remain responsible for the Service Fees ($485), and we expect your participation in planned program activities. You will also be able to put Convenience Points on your student ID in order to purchase food at campus dining locations or to buy meals at the dining hall so you can eat with your friends.
All commuter students are required to fill out a supplemental Commuter Permission Form upon acceptance into one of our programs. This form can be found in the online enrollment portal. RISE students are allowed to commute to campus, pending approval from the Summer Term Office. Please note that students who choose to commute must be staying with a family member or other approved adult (18 years or older).
