UW-Madison Dorms for Freshmen: The 19 Halls

UW-Madison dorms for freshmen are 19 residence halls in two neighborhoods: Lakeshore, along Lake Mendota, and Southeast, near State Street and downtown. Rooms run $3,675 to $5,075 a semester in 2026-27, plus a required dining plan, and every hall is within about 17 minutes' walk of Bascom Hall. Our private, student-led tours of Madison can pass both neighborhoods.

Which dorms do UW-Madison freshmen live in?

UW-Madison freshmen live in 19 University Residence Halls, split between the Lakeshore and Southeast neighborhoods, per University Housing's residence halls page as of November 2026. The halls, with their resident counts:

Lakeshore (11 halls): Adams (247), Bradley (246), Cole (237), Dejope (589), Kronshage (608), Leopold (213), Phillips (141), Slichter (200), Sullivan (252), Tripp (258) and Waters (498).
Southeast (8 halls): Barnard (139), Chadbourne (580), Lowell (321), Merit (68), Ogg (863), Sellery (1,329), Smith (576) and Witte (1,326).

Sellery and Witte are the giants, each over 1,300 residents. Merit is the smallest, at 68. Lowell, at 610 Langdon Street, opened in 1961 as a private residence hall and later ran as a campus hotel.

Most freshmen start in one of these halls. "While there is no on-campus living requirement, over 90 percent of the incoming freshman class and over 8,500 residents fill our halls each academic year," according to the university's first-year housing page.

Several halls hold a learning or theme community. Chadbourne is the Chadbourne Residential College in full. Others hold one in part, such as Business Connect in Ogg, WISE in Waters, StartUp in Sellery and the International Learning Community in two Kronshage houses.

What is the difference between Lakeshore and Southeast dorms at UW-Madison?

The difference between Lakeshore and Southeast dorms at UW-Madison is setting: Lakeshore sits on Lake Mendota with more green space, and Southeast sits near downtown with "more high-rise buildings and less green space," in University Housing's words. Both are close to classes and major bus routes.

Lakeshore, per University Housing:

Dining: Carson's, Four Lakes and Liz's
Union South, and the Bakke Recreation and Wellbeing Center
Close to Ebling and Steenbock libraries and the engineering campus
"Just a five-minute walk" from Camp Randall, and "only a ten-minute bus ride from State Street"

Southeast:

Dining: Gordon Avenue, Lowell and Rheta's
Memorial Union, and the Nicholas Recreation Center
Near College and Memorial libraries
Witte is across the street from the Kohl Center, and State Street's shops and restaurants are nearby

University Housing calls the Southeast halls "mostly larger, denser buildings," and describes Lakeshore as having "all the fun without the downtown noise."

Who each suits: a student with engineering classes lives closer to them on Lakeshore. A student who wants State Street and Memorial Union a short walk away lives closer in Southeast. Students rank their preferences, and University Housing does its best to match them.

How far is each UW-Madison dorm from Bascom Hill?

Each UW-Madison dorm is within about a 17-minute walk of Bascom Hill, measured to Bascom Hall at the top of the hill by OpenStreetMap walking directions at an easy pace:

About 5 minutes: Barnard and Waters.
8 to 11 minutes: Chadbourne (8), Tripp (9), Adams and Slichter (10 to 11 each) and Merit (11).
12 to 14 minutes: Lowell (12), Ogg and Sellery (13 each), Leopold and Kronshage (13 each), Cole (13) and Sullivan (14).
15 to 17 minutes: Bradley (15), Witte and Smith (16 each), Dejope (16) and Phillips (17).

A brisk walker beats these by 10 to 20%.

On Lakeshore, Dejope and Phillips are the longest walks to Bascom Hall. In Southeast, Witte and Smith are, and Witte sits across the street from the Kohl Center. Classes spread across campus, so check where your student's major meets: the engineering campus sits near Lakeshore, and College Library sits near Southeast.

How much does a UW-Madison dorm cost in 2026-27?

A UW-Madison dorm costs $3,675 to $5,075 a semester in 2026-27, per resident, according to University Housing's Billing and Rates page. Double it for the year: $7,350 to $10,150. "Most new residents are assigned to a double room." Some examples:

Lowest: $3,675 for a triple in Adams or Tripp, or a quad in Bradley or Sullivan.
A standard double: $3,925 in Bradley, Cole, Kronshage, Slichter and Sullivan, and $4,325 in Sellery and Witte.
Highest: $5,075 for a single with a bathroom in Lowell or Smith.

Learning community rooms cost a little more, such as $4,450 for a StartUp double in Sellery. The rate covers the room, utilities, furnishings, internet, cleaning of bathrooms and common spaces, and 24/7 staff.

A dining plan is required for every residence hall student. The 2026-27 projected rates per semester are $2,100 for Go10 (10 meals a week), $2,350 for Go14 and $2,950 for GoUnlimited (dining plans). A freshman in a $3,925 double on Go10 pays $6,025 a semester, or $12,050 for the year.

Housing and dining are billed with tuition. Fall 2026 payments were due September 11, and spring payments are due January 29, 2027.

Which UW-Madison dorms have air conditioning and private bathrooms?

Ten UW-Madison dorms have air conditioning in the entire building, and three have private or semi-private bathrooms, per University Housing's hall comparison chart (November 2026):

Air conditioning throughout: Chadbourne, Dejope, Leopold, Lowell, Merit, Ogg, Phillips, Sellery, Smith and Witte.
Air conditioning in hallways and common areas only: Adams, Barnard, Bradley, Cole, Kronshage, Slichter, Sullivan, Tripp and Waters.
Private bathrooms: Phillips. In Lowell, a bathroom is shared by one or two rooms, and Merit's are shared by a room or a cluster of six rooms. Every other hall uses common bathrooms shared by a floor or a wing.

For a single room: "Single rooms for freshman students are primarily available in Adams and Tripp," the first-year page says, so a student who wants a single should list those two first. Singles elsewhere are "very limited in number."

These features show up in the price. Every hall with full air conditioning sits in University Housing's mid or high price range, and the five halls in its low price range, Bradley, Cole, Kronshage, Slichter and Sullivan, cool only the hallways and common areas.

How do UW-Madison freshman housing assignments work?

UW-Madison freshman housing assignments work in five steps: sign the contract, pay $300, rank preferences, set a roommate, then get the assignment in summer. The steps, from University Housing's first-year page:

Sign the housing contract by May 1 (the due date for most admitted students). It arrives automatically after admission, with no separate application. Assignments are not first come, first served, and a student who signs and pays by the due date is guaranteed a space.
Pay $300: a $75 non-refundable application fee and a $225 advance payment that comes off the housing bill.
Rank halls, room types and communities in My UW Housing. Placement in a particular building or room type is not guaranteed.
Choose a random or preferred roommate. Two students who want to room together must list their halls in the exact same order and pick each other.
Get the assignment in summer, then pick a dining plan. Students who don't pick one are enrolled in Go10.

Every student gets an assigned move-in date and time. To see Lakeshore and Southeast from the street with a current student before your student ranks halls, a private tour is $150 for your family, 60 to 90 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Can we tour a UW-Madison dorm on a campus visit?

Yes, you can tour a UW-Madison dorm on a campus visit through University Housing's own tours. They last about 45 minutes, start at the Carson Gulley Center at 1515 Tripp Circle and show a common first-year room in Lakeshore, per the housing tours page. Register in advance through the Office of Admissions and Recruitment's visit registration site.

Can UW-Madison freshmen get a single room?

Yes, UW-Madison freshmen can get a single room, mostly in Adams and Tripp, where University Housing says singles for freshmen are "primarily available." A single in Adams or Tripp costs $4,225 to $4,525 a semester in 2026-27. Elsewhere, singles are very limited and may not be offered to new students. List Adams and Tripp at the top of the preference list.

What happens after freshman year in UW-Madison housing?

After freshman year, UW-Madison students either return to the residence halls or move off campus. University Housing's returning resident process typically begins in October, and hall space isn't guaranteed after the first year. Our guide to UW-Madison off-campus housing covers where students rent and when they sign.

Sources, read November 2026: Residence halls · First-year students · Billing and rates · Dining plans · Housing tours · Lowell Center