At Rhodes University, Residence Life is designed to provide a supportive and enriching living and learning environment. This foundation is integral to our Residence culture, fostering holistic development while complementing your academic journey.

Living in Residence is a unique and transformative experience, an extension of your education. Students benefit from a wide range of facilities and services, including student learning centres, social and sporting activities, life-skills workshops, and peer tutoring programmes. Residences are vibrant communities where diverse students come together, creating lifelong friendships and unforgettable memories.

Important Information for Students:

It is the student’s responsibility to keep the University informed of their up-to-date medical and emergency contact details. These can be updated conveniently on the ROSS platform.

• Medical Aid Details:

If you are covered by a medical aid scheme, ensure you have your membership details and all relevant information. This includes any medication you take, known allergies, and other health-related concerns.

• Emergency Contact Information:

Provide complete contact details for your next of kin, including mobile, work, and home phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses.

Information for New Students

Welcome to Residence Life at Rhodes University! As you prepare for this exciting chapter, we’ve compiled a helpful list of items you might consider bringing with you. This list, curated by experienced Residence Managers and students, is purely a guide—you’ll find most of these items available for purchase in Grahamstown, so there’s no need to bring everything from home.

What to Bring

Each Residence is equipped with shared amenities such as a microwave, fridges, tumble dryers, and washing machines at no additional charge. To help you settle in, consider bringing:

• Essential Items
  • Keyring
  • Kettle and tray for the kettle
  • Large water bottle (optional)
  • Drinking mug, glasses, and cereal bowl
  • Microwave-safe dish
  • Fork, knife, spoons, can/bottle opener
  • Small cooler bag with a zip and padlock (for storing food in the communal fridge)
• Other Items
  • Toiletries and towels
  • Laundry basket or bag, detergent (for cold water washing), pegs, and hangers
  • Iron (ironing boards are provided in the Residences)
  • Hairdryer
  • Alarm clock
  • Radio/stereo with headphones
  • Torch (especially useful during loadshedding)
  • Calculator
  • Exam pads, clipboard, and stationery
  • Laptop/computer (common rooms and campus computer labs are also available)
  • Good quality multiplug extension

What Not to Bring
For safety and space reasons, certain items are prohibited in Residences:

• Extra furniture (all rooms are furnished with a bed, cupboard, desk, chair, wastepaper bin, and water bucket)
• Air conditioners
• Pets
• Electric blankets
• Refrigerators
• Extension cords with joins
• Heaters
• Open flames (e.g., candles, incense)
• Cooking appliances, including:
  • Hot plates
  • Toasters or toaster ovens
  • Snackwich toasters or waffle makers
  • Electric frying pans or grills
  • Microwave ovens
  • Coffee makers

Bedding
Rhodes University provides bed linen, including a duvet and inner, mattress cover, sheet, two pillows with cases, and a blanket. All provided bedding is washed and rotated weekly by our Housekeeping staff. If you prefer, you may bring your own single bed linen, but you’ll be responsible for laundering it.

Packing for Vacations
Students must pack up their rooms completely during most vacations, as Residences are used for events like the Grahamstown National Arts Festival and conferences. Each Residence has a Box Room where belongings can be stored during these periods. Please refer to the Box-Room Protocol for more details.

By adhering to these guidelines, you’ll ensure a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable Residence experience. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your Residence Managers and or your Residence Student Assistants.

Last Modified: Thu, 09 Jan 2025 21:02:56 SAST