Frequently Asked Questions


Commuter Basics

Who is a “commuter” student?

  • A “commuter” student is a student who does not live on university-owned property. Students that live in the residence halls, fraternities, sororities, University Terrace or University Village are NOT considered commuters.

Where do commuters usually live?

  • At URI, we typically have two kinds of commuters: those who live “down the line” and those who live “at home.” “Down the line” students rent summer homes and apartments during the months of September through May. The most popular locations to rent such homes include Bonnet Shores, Eastward Look, Narragansett Pier, Scarborough Beach, Point Judith, Wakefield, Peacedale, South Kingstown, Matunuck, and Charlestown. “At home” students are students who live with their families or live off-campus year-round. Some students commute from as far as Coventry, Warwick and Providence.

Are there more commuter students at URI than students who live on-campus?

  • There are an average of 5,200 students living on-campus out of 14,500 total undergraduates at URI. This means that over 8,000 students do not reside on campus. Usually, first-year students and sophomores will either live at home or live on-campus; juniors and seniors tend to leave campus grounds and move “down the line” for their final years at URI.


DID YOU KNOW?

Learn about resources and activities at URI that can be helpful to you as a commuter student!

Did you know URI students, faculty, and staff are offered Public Notary Services at no charge?

Did you know you can store your things in lockers at the Memorial Union?. To reserve a locker for the semester, go to the Building Manager’s Office, next to the front desk on the second floor, and fill out a Memorial Union Locker Form.

Where are the study spaces on campus available to all students?. Some places to study are the commuter lounge, the library, and study rooms in building such as Beaupre and CBLS.

Did you know that the University library has a number of resources that might be helpful and fun? They feature a 24-hour study room, movies rental, group study rooms available for reservation, phone charging lockers, printing, computers, and white boards available for use across the building, including study rooms?

Did you know that Campus Recreation provide access to Anna Fascitelli gym, intramural sports, club sports, group exercise classes, wellness programs, paddle boards and kayaks, amongst many other things?

Did you know that Health services offers a full range of medical treatment and services including nutritionists, general medicine, gynecologists, pharmacy, lab, counseling, and more?

Did you know there is a commuter lounge in the Memorial Union that is a comfortable place where you can relax, eat, or study? It is equipped with a fridge so you can store your food, a microwave, a TV, couches, and phone charging stations.

Did you know you can reserve a space at the Memorial Union for events or meetings or studying?

Did you know that URI has lots of spaces for students to be in between classes? Along with spaces like the commuter lounge and the library, lots of students like to hang out on the Quad, or you can go to the Rose Garden, when the weather is nice. You can also play pool at the Memorial Union, or you can relax at the greenhouse where they have pond with fish, a turtle, and a little waterfall!

Did you know there is always something fun to do on campus? From lectures to fairs to community engagement events, there are a ton of events on campus! Click on the link to go to the event calendar and check out what’s happening at URI! https://events.uri.edu/