Whether it's the "shoe tree" along the Washington Avenue Bridge or the many owls at Walter Library, you'll find delightful surprises everywhere on the Twin Cities campus. Watch “10 Cool Things on Campus”
Student Life
If you are inspired by a big challenge, you've come to the right place! Set on the banks of the Mississippi River and surrounded by a vibrant metropolitan community with agricultural roots, the U of M's Twin Cities campus is a place for seekers in all fields.
Housing
Living on Campus
Ninety percent of first-year University of Minnesota students live on campus. You'll meet new people and develop long-lasting friendships while being near classes, the student union, libraries, and recreation centers. Housing options range from residence halls to groups of students with similar academic or cultural interests living together in tight-knit Living Learning Communities.
Living Near Campus
Our campus is surrounded by distinct and welcoming neighborhoods. When you’re ready, you can search for off-campus housing.
It’s amazing. Coming to such a large place, and yet finding such a small community was really exciting. You really find your community, find your support system, and make those friends very, very quickly.
Drew Coveyou, junior
Student Groups and Activities
Our students come together to socialize and learn from each other in more than 800 student groups, from the Alpine Ski Team and the Black Student Union, to the Bass Fishing Team and the Capoeira Club. We also have an active Fraternity and Sorority community.
In addition, you can develop your strengths and leadership skills through service learning and other community engagement opportunities.
Join a Student Group—or Create Your Own
Get Involved
Student groups are a great way to get involved. More than 800 student groups are active at the U of M. Join a group—or start your own!
Cold climbing
The Minnesota Climbing Team trains new and experienced climbers for collegiate competitions.
Hoop Dancing on Northrop Mall
Anyone for the (hula) Hoop Club?
Outdoor opportunities
We have all the fun of all the seasons—no need to hide inside in the winter. Join the Alpine Ski Team student group, which encourages acceptance, companionship, leadership development, and, of course, skiing.
Paint the bridge
Each year hundreds of student groups paint a square of the iconic Washington Avenue Bridge, which connects the U's East and West Bank campuses across the Mississippi River.
Performance dance
The Omulu Capoeira Guanabara student group performs at the Minnesota State Fair. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of self-defense, music, dance, and acrobatics.
Radio K public radio
Make your voice heard. Join Radio K, the award-winning student-run radio station of the University of Minnesota.
Who Are Our Students?
The University of Minnesota is a diverse and inclusive environment, with students from all 50 states and 142 countries. Here you'll encounter people and ideas from around the world that will challenge your thinking and take you down unexpected paths.
Learn more about diversity and the U of M at the Office for Equity and Diversity.
In Brazil, a person who is blind can go to a university, but it is very restricted. So we don’t have many opportunities. Here I am a normal student. I am a student as anybody else.
Lucas Gil Nadolskis, freshman
Arts and Culture
The Twin Cities believe in art and artists. The Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, the Guthrie Theater, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts —these are just a few examples. The University of Minnesota’s arts programs are connected to all these creative communities.
Our campus offers the magnificence of Northrop, the Weisman Art Museum, the Bell Museum of Natural History, the Goldstein Museum of Design, and the West Bank Arts Quarter.
Recreation and Wellness
Stay Healthy
At the University of Minnesota, your health matters. With top notch medical care and insurance, we’ve got everything you need to stay healthy, right here on campus.
Stay Fit
Centered in a vibrant urban area, the U of M is also a world in itself—with more than 10,000 trees, miles of bike paths, and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area right in the heart of campus. You'll also have access to state-of-the-art recreation and wellness centers.
Safe Campus
The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors is incredibly important to all of us at the University of Minnesota, and the Twin Cities campus is among the safest in the country. Students can receive real-time safety alerts via text message by signing up for TXT-U, and alarm buttons and emergency phones are located throughout campus. Parking facilities, skyways, and tunnels are monitored 24 hours a day with the aid of security cameras, and campus escorts are available to bike and walk with you to and from campus locations and nearby neighborhoods—just call 612-624-WALK.
Getting Around Campus
The University of Minnesota is centered in one of the most bike-friendly cities in the nation. You can pedal your own wheels or hop on a Nice Ride rental.
Not a cyclist? Free Campus Connector shuttles will carry you everywhere on campus, while buses and light rail guide you swiftly around the Twin Cities. Or join a car-sharing program. And don’t worry about staying warm in winter—we’ve literally got you covered with an underground tunnel system.