Welcome to a three-part series on housing at the University of Iowa!

Is the west side really the best side? Will the east side catch your eye? Let’s talk about the dividing topic of where to live on campus.

First and foremost, the University of Iowa is divided into two sections, east and west, as a result of the Iowa River.

If you have visited campus before, you’ve likely become acquainted with the east side of campus. Here, you’ll find our iconic Old Capitol building, the Iowa Memorial Union, and the Admissions Visitor Center. The east side is also home to the College of Liberal Arts, the largest college on campus. As our tour guides will share, the majority of your classes as an undergraduate student will be on the east side of campus. You’ll also find six residence halls: Burge Hall, Catlett Hall, Currier Hall, Daum Hall, Mayflower Hall, and Stanley Hall.

Living on the east side makes getting to classes convenient, especially around the pentacrest. You’ll also be steps away from iconic downtown Iowa City (did we mention we’re located in a top college town?). From shopping to dining, there are amazing businesses to explore.

It’s easy to see the appeal of the east side – it appears to have everything! But not so fast; let’s look at the west side.

The west side of campus is home to various colleges including the College of Public Health and the College of Nursing. You’ll also find nearly all of our athletic facilities on the west side, including Kinnick Stadium and Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The west side is home to five residence halls: Hillcrest Hall, Parklawn Hall, Petersen Hall, Rienow Hall, and Slater Hall.

The west side offers a unique component – it’s across the river from the majority of classes. However, that gives you the perfect separation between school and home. This is often one of the main reasons our hardcore west side fans love living there. They go “home” at the end of the day and leave their work behind them.

If you happen to be into health sciences or would like to volunteer at the hospital, being on the west side puts you within steps of amazing medical facilities. There are countless opportunities to volunteer, work, and intern within the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.

Finally, you can’t talk about the west side without addressing how much closer you are to the game-day action! With Kinnick Stadium mere blocks from you, getting to football games in the fall is a breeze. Come winter, you’ll also be a stone’s throw away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena where you can cheer on both men’s and women’s basketball.

Regardless of which side of the river you find yourself on, you’re going to have an amazing experience as a Hawkeye.

Want to explore the University of Iowa from the comfort of your home this winter? Check out our virtual tour for an immersive experience including 360° views of key campus locations, audio from our students, and more.

Go Hawks!