How does the Harvard residential house system work for undergraduates?

At Harvard College, first-year students usually live in or near Harvard Yard in first-year dorms. Then, before sophomore year, students are assigned to one of the upper-level residential Houses, and that House becomes their main residential community for the rest of college.

The assignment process is called the housing lottery. Students typically form a “blocking group” with friends they want to live with, and Harvard tries to place that group together in a House. There is some randomization in the process, so students do not simply choose any House they want.

The Houses are more than dorm buildings. Each House has its own dining hall or dining arrangements, resident tutors, academic support, social events, traditions, student leadership, and often resources like music practice rooms, gyms, common spaces, libraries, or seminar rooms.

Each House also has faculty leadership, traditionally called the Faculty Deans, along with resident staff who help shape the community. That means your House is part residence hall, part advising network, and part social hub.

In practice, House life affects a lot of day-to-day college experience. Many students eat meals there, attend House events, join House committees, play intramural sports for their House, and build friend groups through it. Some student opportunities and traditions are organized at the House level, which is why people talk about it as a major part of Harvard life.