Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

RPI is on a 284-acre campus in the suburban setting of Troy, New York, not far from Albany.

RPI Student Activities

There are many activities and organizations for RPI students to join – including chorus, theater groups, a campus newspaper, a radio station and more.

Interested in Greek life? RPI has fraternities and sororities.

RPI has the Red Army Spirit Club. In fact, more students participate in the Red Army Spirit Club than any other on-campus activity.

Other popular student organizations at RPI include Outing Club, Indian Student Association, Chinese American Student Association and pep band.

RPI students' favorite campus traditions are Grand Marshal Week, Big Red Freakout and Fall Fest Weekend.

Does RPI Offer Student Housing?

This table offers information on housing at RPI.

RPI offers housing. Students are required to live on campus through sophomore year. First year students are guaranteed on-campus housing.

The majority of RPI students live on campus. In 2022, 56% of undergrads at RPI lived in some kind of on-campus housing and 44% of students lived off-campus or commuted to RPI. First year students are not allowed to park a car on campus.

RPI offers coed housing and housing for students with disabilities.

RPI Athletics

At RPI there are a variety of athletic options for students interested in joining a sports program.

Intercollegiate sports are the highest tier of college sports and can be very competitive. Intercollegiate teams are regulated by the NCAA, funded by the university, and compete against teams from other universities. The division of a sports team depends on the size of the university, funding, and competition level. An intercollegiate school team will be Division I, II or III, with Division I being the highest level.

Club sports are not regulated by the NCAA and are a great option for students not interested in trying out for an intercollegiate team. Club sports are usually student run but can also be funded by the university.

Intramural sports are the most casual and informal. Intramural sports are often free and require very little time commitment.

Let's take a look at the athletic options available at RPI:

Safety at RPI

College is like a home away from home. Whether you're walking to class or coming back from late-night studying (or partying!), it's important to feel safe on campus.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is patroled 24 hours a day by trained security. The RPI campus has emergency telephones or alarms for students to use anytime of day or night.

RPI offers late-night transportation or safety escorts for students. Campus housing is secure and dorms can only be accessed with secure key cards.

Additionally, RPI has campus foot patrols at night.

Plan a Visit to RPI

Visiting colleges is one of the best ways to get a sense of the campus and student body. If you'd like to visit RPI, take New York State Thruway to Troy, NY. If you need to fly, book your flight to Albany International airport.

While you're planning, check out other schools in New York you may want to visit too. Click the heart at the top of each school's page to save it to your college list.

Want to visit but can't make the trip? Explore RPI's campus without leaving home by taking a virtual campus tour

Keep Reading About RPI

Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

Overview

Admissions

Academics

Tuition & Aid

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