Accommodations and Meals - Living on Campus
University life is most alive when you stay at one of our three campus residences. Here you’ll join 1200 other students on our attractive campus in the south end of Halifax. It’s a safe environment, with security in each building. It’s also a convenient environment, with indoor pedways and walkways connecting all academic university buildings. Just as important, it’s a fun environment with a strong sense of community and spirit. Social programming often includes such things as movie nights, bowling, varsity events, intramural sports, holiday parties, and more. The possibilities are endless.
Every student who applies to Saint Mary’s University and to Residence by March 15 is guaranteed a bed in Residence.
The University provides, at no extra cost, phones and local phone service, as well as cable TV service and access to unlimited internet on the university network. Each residence has All-You-Care-to-Eat healthy meal plans with special meals (such as vegan or halal) available. Other food-service locations can be found all across campus.
Each residence also has Residence Assistants on every floor as well as a Residence Coordinator. They are there to help students as needs arise.
Saint Mary’s offers traditional dorm-style single and double rooms and apartment-style rooms to accommodate student needs. Our residences are linked to our academic buildings, creating a convenient, connected community. You’ll have easy access to your classrooms, cafeterias, the library, and our new global learning commons, which means you’ll live in a safe and convenient environment. This is all possible because our compact campus is located within one city block.
It is important to remember that the Application for Residence is separate from the application for admission to the University, so if you wish to live on campus, be sure to complete both forms when you apply.
Saint Mary’s provides housing to more than 1200 students in three on-campus residences: Loyola, Vanier, and Rice.
Loyola Residence: a 22-storey high rise with a mix of same gender and co-ed floors. Each floor contains four suites, each with one double and four single rooms with semi-private washrooms. Senior Suites are available for senior level students who prefer a private room and the option of cooking their own meals.
Vanier Residence: A low-rise building with same gender and co-ed floors. Each floor has a common lounge and three suites, each with two single and two double rooms and semi-private washrooms.
Edmund Rice Residence: A 17-storey high-rise featuring self-contained two-bedroom apartments, each with two double rooms, a living room, kitchen, and washroom, shared by four students.
To ensure your university experience is the best it can be, each floor in residence has a Residence Assistant (RA) who is trained to be aware of all campus services available to Saint Mary’s students, and holds floor meetings to ensure students are respecting residence guidelines. An RA also plans social activities to ensure all floor mates are getting to know one another. Whether you prefer a single, double, or apartment style room, your residence experience will enable you to learn more about yourself and your new friends!
Of course, living on campus is not for everyone. Our Off Campus Housing Office can assist you with your search for off campus housing in Halifax.
For more information about your on campus housing options, please visit our Residence Life website.
Eating on Campus
Saint Mary’s is pleased to offer a complete food service program during the academic year. We are also very excited about our newly-renovated Dockside Dining Hall where a fresh market-style setting allows you to enjoy all you care to eat in a comfortable setting where the food is made fresh before your eyes.
Saint Mary’s offers an All-You-Care-to-Eat meal plan option that allows you to eat as much or as little as you like during the academic school year:
Freedom Plan: This plan offers maximum flexibility for dining at Saint Mary's. The Freedom plan offers unlimited access to the Residence Dining Hall during regular hours of operation, seven days a week. This plan includes “flex dollars” that you may spend at food outlets operated across campus.
14 Meal Plan: With this plan you enjoy up to 14 all-you-can-eat meals per week. Plan holders may enter the Residence Dining Hall once during any meal period. With this plan you also have “flex dollars” that you may spend at food outlets operated across campus.
10 Meal Plan: With this plan you enjoy up to ten all-you-can-eat meals per week. Plan holders may enter the Residence Dining Hall only once during any meal period. This plan includes “flex dollars” that you may spend at food outlets operated across campus.
400 Block Plan: The "400 Plan" enables you entry into the Residence Dining Hall for all you care to eat during regular dining hours 400 times during the school year. The 400 Plan does not include flex dollars but these can be purchased directly from the Food Service Office and are tax free.
Each of the four meal plans provides four Guest passes per term. So, students can invite a friend or visiting family member to a meal in the Residence Dining Hall.
Additional flex dollars can be purchased on all four plans and are tax free.
For Information on Meal Plans and advice on Nutrition and making healthy choices visit the ARAMARK web pages.