Welcome to On-Campus Living!
Residence Life at the South Dakota Mines provides on-campus housing for almost 1,100 students. Living on-campus can be one of the best experiences of your college years - getting to know your neighbors and yourself is fun, exciting and sometimes challenging.
The
BOR Housing Policy requires all students who have graduated from high school in the past two years to live on-campus, see the complete policy to know if you
are required to live on-campus or not.
More than 45 students are employed each year by Residence Life to provide in-hall support services to the residents of all of our residence halls. These Resident Advisors, Residential Peer Mentors, and Assistant Area Coordinators are paraprofessionals
who have had extensive training so that they are able to create and help build (along with residents) an inclusive, safe environment that encourages learning and personal growth. In addition to these student employees, Residence Life has full-time
staff of two Directors and one Area Coordinator dedicated to the well-being of our students and our residential communities.
The housing application for the 2024-2025 academic year will be available from your New Student Checklist or from the Residence Life website menu, under the "Housing Information" section starting March 25, 2024 at 7:00am.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with a preferred deadline of June 1, 2024. For students who have submitted an application and paid the application fee on or before June 1, housing assignments and roommate information will be sent
to student emails on June 10. Placements are not based on timestamp of submission as long as they are submitted before June 1. Applications submitted/fees paid after June 1 will be processed on a rolling basis.
Please be aware that completion of this application legally binds you to the Housing Agreement for the entire academic year (fall and spring semesters). Read the terms and conditions of the application and contract carefully before submission.
Housing Exemption Requests: Students who are required to live on campus for 2024-2025 may apply for an exemption. Any exemption requests after August 1 will only be reviewed if within 2 weeks of your admittance date or for major life events
(marriage, a new dependent, etc.) or ADA accommodations that cannot be met. Approved exemption requests after the deadline will be subject to forfeiture of the housing application fee as well as assessed buy-out costs as identified in the
housing agreement. In general, housing exemptions are granted only for the following reasons: living in approved Greek Life housing, living at the primary address of a parents or guardians in the area, living with a spouse, or living with
dependent children. More information about the exemption policy can be found online. Questions may be directed to the Residence Life Office.
New Student Move-In will be Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 8:00AM-4:00PM. More information will be available online and via email throughout the Spring and Summer.
The Spring 2024 housing application will be available from your New Student Checklist or from the Residence Life website menu, under the "Housing Information" section starting November 1, 2024.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with a preferred deadline of December 1, 2024. Residence Life will make placements after December 1 on a rolling basis as we are notified of vacancy locations for the spring semester.
Please be aware that completion of this application legally binds you to the Housing Agreement for the full semester. Read the terms and conditions of the application and contract carefully before submission.
New Student Move-In will be Friday, January 10, 2025 from 8:00AM to noon. More information will be available online and
via email.
Upperclass students
If you graduated from high school more than two years ago, you are eligible to live in the Rocker Square I or Rocker Square II apartments. Once the Rockers are full, housing may be available in other areas if students required
to live on campus have all been accommodated.
New freshmen and transfer students who graduated HS in the last two years have two types of housing during their first year on campus - Community Living or Peterson Interest Communities. See below for more information.
Community Living
Located in double-occupancy rooms in Connolly and Palmerton Halls, Community Living provides strong community development through a variety of programs, events, and meetings with the Resident Advisor. Community Living in Connolly and Palmerton provides
a wide range of activities and learning opportunities for all students to enjoy.
Peterson Interest Communities (PIC)
South Dakota Mines offers two PICs: Outdoor Pursuits & Exploring Rapid City (and beyond). These communities are housed in Peterson doubles, triples, quads, and study quads. PICs provide programs, events, and activities around their specific themes, allowing
students with a common interest to explore together. Interested students must complete an essay on the housing application and space in the program is limited. More information about specific communities is below.
— Outdoor Pursuits Community
The Outdoor Pursuits community will focus on the many outdoor activities that are available in the Black Hills area. Students who enjoy the outdoors are encouraged to apply for this community. Possible events/activities include:
- Hiking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Rock climbing
- Snow-shoeing
- Social activities to meet others on the floor and in the community
— Exploring Rapid City (and Beyond) Community
Exploring Rapid City (and beyond) will focus on the many events and activities that take place in the Rapid City area as well as service activities available in the Rapid City area. Students who are interested in exploring what Rapid City has
to offer are encouraged to apply for this community. Possible events/activities include:
- Exploring Rapid City’s local restaurants, museums, and performance venues
- Touring popular locations such as the Crazy Horse Memorial, Mount Rushmore, Bear Country, and local caves
- Performing Arts activities & events (theatre, music, art openings)
- Hockey games and other sporting events
- Social activities to meet others on the floor and in the community
- Participating in service activities on campus
- Partnering and working with on-campus and local community service organizations
- Participating in community events and fundraisers
- Organizing service events as a floor based on the interests of the students
Housing Accommodations
In limited circumstances, the University approves students for housing accommodations. Students requesting a disability-related housing accommodation should contact the Office of Disability Services at disabilityservices@sdsmt.edu or call 605-394-2533. The deadline for New Students to submit a request for accommodation is June 1, 2024. Requests submitted after that time and processed/approved will be accommodated but may result in limited options.
What To Bring - What Not To Bring - What Is Provided
A list of items provided, items you should consider bringing, and a list of items to leave at home is
online here.
Campus Mail & Packages
Each residential student is assigned a mailbox by Residence Life. A mailbox assignment email is sent to new students before move-in including how to address mail and packages. Items can be sent to campus before move-in, but cannot be held if received
prior to August 1. The mailroom is located in Surbeck Center; it is accessible 24-hours a day and is staffed for package pick-up by the Surbeck Center Front Desk during specific hours (adjusted each semester). Students will receive their mailbox combination
during check-in.