Learning Community students:

• Meet friends with similar interests more quickly.
• Explore their passions with faculty, staff, and students who share their interests.
• Feel more connected to campus.
• Enjoy being a member of a smaller close knit community within the larger university.
• Get to know their professors outside of class.
• Enhance your learning through engaging programs and activities.
• Report higher self confidence in their academic abilities.
• Achieve higher GPAs.

Learn More "Why Join an LC?

Yes! GreenHouse, International Learning Community, Leadership Learning Community, Multicultural Learning Community, and Wellness Learning Community are all open to transfers.  In fact, we reserve spaces in these communities specifically for transfer students.  They are a great way to develop friendships with current students and other incoming transfer students.

For information on applying, please visit the Apply Now website.

We do our best to place as many students as possible in their first-choice learning community.  However, it is possible that students could be accepted into their second or third choice community.  If you are truly only interested in one community, please understand that this means there is a chance that you will not be placed in a learning community at all.  Because our learning communities are based on the values of the CORE Curriculum, most students find that they do have interest in more than one community and preferencing all the communities you are interested in will increase the opportunity for you to participate in one of the communities.

Learning Community acceptance for incoming first-year and transfer students will begin March 1st and will be done on a rolling bases through the deadline of May 1st.  Therefore, there is benefit to applying early. 

For continuing Loyola students, all applications are viewed together after the February 4th deadline.

During 2013-2014, approximately 500  first-year students will participate in a Learning Community. Additionally, more than 250 first-year students will participate in the Interdisciplinary Honors Program or in the Quinlan School of Business Honors Program, which live together in Campion Hall.  In total, this is more than a third of the first-year class.  

Approximately 80-100 transfer students and 150 secon-year students will also participate in Learning Communities.

No, learning community students pay the same as the other students in their residence hall with similar room types.  Room and board costs can be found here: Room and Board Rates 2013-2014

Every first-year residence hall (Mertz, Simpson, de Nobili, and San Francisco) will be home to at least one learning community. First- year learning communities will be assigned to specific halls once applications have been received and we determine the number of spaces needed for each community.  Building assignments will be sent in early June.  Because the theme of GreenHouse is sustainability, we do know it will be housed in San Francisco Hall, our new Gold LEED Certified building.  The Interdisciplinary Honors Program and Quinlan School of Business Honors Proram students will live together in Campion Hall.

Second-year and transfer students in Learning Communities will be housed in the following buildings:

• GreenHouse - San Francisco Hall
• International LC - Marquette South Hall
• Leadership for Social Change LC - Fairfield Hall
• Multicultural LC - Fairfield Hall
• Wellness LC - Bellarmine Hall

Learning community students live together in a community of their own.  If you would like to room with someone who is accepted to the same learning community as you are, we are happy to honor those requests.  However, students in learning communities are not able to room with students in other learning communities or with non-learning community students.

The Learning Community experience is centered around students living and learning together. Participating in both is the only way for students to truly get the most out of the experience and build the most supportive community. Therefore, living in residence with the community is required for participation.

Courses selected for the Learning Communities are based on the CORE Curriculum and fulfill degree requirements for all students at Loyola, regardless of major.  Therefore, participating in a Learning Community does not add any courses to your regular curriculum.

Typically, first year students take 4 credit hours together in the Fall semester and 3 credit hours together in the Spring semester while second-year and transfer students take 3 credit hours together in the Fall semester only. However, the academic requirements do vary by community.  For a complete understanding of the curricular requirements for a specific learning community, please visit the website for that community:

• GreenHouse
• International LC
• Leadership LC
• Multicultural LC
• Service & Faith LC
• Wellness LC

The Learning Community program is centered around students living and learning together. Therefore, students are required to enroll in and complete the Learning Community courses. Should a student decide not to take the required course(s), he/she will be choosing not to participate in the community. An alternate residential community will be found for the student. 

LC Courses count as degree requirements or electives for all majors, so there shouldn't be any reason not to take the class.  If you believe that your required Learning Community class does not fit into your curricullum, you should contact your Academic Advisor directly.

Because both the Learning Community Program and the honors programs are residential communities, it is not possible to participate in both. However, we encourage you to apply to both. If you are accepted to both programs, you will be given the option to choose which community you would like to participate in.

Yes, you are welcome to participate in a Learning Community.  However, because Bridge also requires that you take specific classes as a part of that program, you will not take the required Learning Community classes.  It will be important for you to ensure that you participate as much as possible in the co-curricular aspects of the Community so that you develop solid relationships with your peers and foster frienships on your floor.

Incoming first-year and transfer students will register for classes during Orientation, just like all incoming students.  Once you have made your admissions deposit, you will be able to sign up for an Orientation date.  These will take place over the summer and will give you an opportunity to get to know campus and develop some friendships before you start in the Fall.  During this time, you will also connect with your Academic Advisor and register for your Fall semester classes.  You are responsible for ensuring that you register for the correct LC classes, but your Advisor will help make sure you did everything correctly.

Second semester first-year and transfer students, as well as second-year students, register for classes on the date and time assigned to you by the Registrar.  Again, your Academic Advisor will check to ensure you have registered for the correct LC classes.

Incoming first-year and transfer students will participate in Orientation over the summer.  In early May, you will be able to select the Orientation date that works best for you.  During Orientation you will have the opportunity to become familiar with campus, develop friendships, and register for classes before you start here at Loyola in the Fall.  Additional information on Orientation is available on the Orienation website.