Saint Mary's University has three furnished residence buildings on campus: Loyola Residence, Rice Residence, and Vanier Residence.
All of our residences are located within one city block of the picturesque south end of Halifax, just minutes away from both the centre of downtown Halifax and the historic beauty of ocean-front Point Pleasant Park. For a list of residence fees please visit our main page Residence & Housing for a link to the residence fees document.
Please see below for more information on each of our residences, including available room types.
Loyola North Residence Photos
Loyola Residence is a 22-storey high-rise building accessible by 4 elevators. Every year Loyola becomes home to 433 students and each floor can house a community of up to 23 students.
Every floor is divided into 4 separate suites, which contain a combination of double and single rooms, and a private community washroom and shower room to be shared with up to 5 other persons. Every floor of Loyola has a large common lounge for all floor members to come together to socialize and study.
Room Sizes: The double rooms are approximately 10 x 14 feet, while the single rooms are approximately 11 x 8 feet in size.
Furnishings: All bedrooms feature a captain-style bed (mattress included) with clothes drawers underneath, a full-sized computer desk with a desk chair, window treatments/drapes, a waste basket, and a nightstand.
Floor Types: A small number of floors are designated as quiet and / or alcohol-free and / or all-female / all-male. These floors typically fill up quickly so it is important to apply early.
Meal Plans: Students living in Loyola North are required to have a meal plan. For more information on meal plans please see our Meal Plans & Food Options page.
Technology: All residents have access to the University's network and high-speed internet. Computers and necessary patch cords are not provided.
Loyola South (Senior Suites Apartment) Photos
Senior Apartments are conveniently located in the Loyola Residence. The suites feature private, lockable single bedrooms in an apartment-like unit with a self-contained bathroom and kitchen(ette).
Each apartment has a lockable front door and is for the private use of the students sharing the suite.
Features: Senior apartments feature private single bedrooms, as well as a common eat-in kitchen area and a single-use bathroom that is shared and maintained by all residents of that senior apartment.
A small number of two-bedroom senior apartments on Loyola South floors 3 and 4 feature a private washroom for each resident of the apartment and a shared / common kitchenette area.
Life Style: Beginning Fall 2025 students can outline if they are interested in living in mixed-gender / co-ed apartments. Residence Assistant (RA) apartments located in our Rice, Loyola South, and Vanier residences will be designated as mixed-gender / co-ed.
Students can outline in the application if they are interested in these new apartment types.
Size: Senior apartments vary in size and configuration. Some are designed to house two students, while others have three and four students sharing an apartment. Some four-student apartments (on floors 7-10) feature two bathrooms, one with a tub and the other with a shower unit, while others (floors 19 & 20) feature one bathroom.
Kitchens: The senior apartments on floors 3 and 4 feature private washrooms that have small kitchenettes with a combined microwave/convection oven and a half refrigerator. Senior apartments on floors 7-10 and 19 - 20 have full kitchens with a range and full-sized refrigerators.
Furnishings: All bedrooms feature a captain-style bed (mattress included) with clothes drawers underneath, a full-sized computer desk with a desk chair, window treatments/drapes, a waste basket, a nightstand, and a comfortable multi-purpose chair. Some rooms feature freestanding closet units, while others have built-in closets. The “shared” suites have small dining tables, chairs and bar stools.
Meal Plans: Students living in Loyola South are only required to have a minimum flex dollar plan. For more information on meal plans please see our Meal Plans & Food Options page.
Vanier Residence Pictures
Vanier Residence is our 4-storey low-rise building (no elevators), bordering Husky Stadium, and becomes home to 229 students each year. Vanier is divided into 4 separate houses (A, B, C & D) of 4 floors each that can house a community of up to 18 students.
Each floor is divided into three suites, containing 2 double rooms and 2 single rooms, with a private community washroom to be shared with up to 6 other persons. Every floor in Vanier, with the exception of the ground level, has a large common lounge for all floor members to come together and socialize, study, or watch the big game.
Room Sizes: The double rooms are approximately 10 x 14 feet, while the single rooms are approximately 8 x 11 feet in size.
Meal Plans: Students living in Vanier are required to have a meal plan. For more information on meal plans please see our Meal Plans & Food Options page.
Rice Residence Photos
Rice Residence is a 17-storey apartment-styled building that is accessible by 2 elevators. Every year Rice becomes home to 310 students and each floor can house a community of up to 20 students.
Each floor is divided into 6 apartments comprised of either;
As this residence is made up of self-contained apartments, students will only share their washroom with up to 3 other people.
Features: All bedrooms within the apartment are private with a lockable door. Rice apartments have shared bathrooms and kitchens. Kitchens are equipped with a range and full-sized refrigerators. Double-room apartments that also feature a small living/dining area.
Room Sizes: The double rooms are approximately 14 x 10 ½ feet, the single rooms are approximately 10 ½ x 10 feet, and the super-single rooms are approximately 14 x 10 ½.
Furnishings: All single/double bedrooms feature a captain-style bed (mattress included) with clothes drawers underneath, a full-sized computer desk with a desk chair, window treatments/drapes, a waste basket, a nightstand, and a comfortable multi-purpose chair. Some rooms feature freestanding closet units, while others have built-in closets. Super single rooms feature a double bed frame with a mattress but do not include any under-bed storage.
Floor Types: Typically, Rice does not have specialty floors but if there is demand then quiet and / or alcohol-free floors may be added.
Meal Plans: Students living in Rice are only required to have a minimum flex dollar plan, as each apartment is equipped with an oven / stove and full fridge. For more information on meal plans please see our Meal Plans & Food Options page.
Listed below you will find some of the amenities included in our residence buildings. Please note linens are not provided by the University. Students are required to bring their own bed sheets, pillows, and blankets.
Be Sure to Check Out: Our Residence & Housing page for more details on residence fees and our Residence Handbook for information on residence policies and procedures. As well, our Residence Resources pages are full of great information about life in residence and what incoming students can expect.
Residence Custodial & Cleaning Expectations: During the academic year, university custodial staff clean the common hallways, washrooms, and shower areas in our residences on a regular schedule. It is the responsibility of residents to provide their own hand towels, face cloths, towels, bath mats, and soap.
Residence bed spaces/bedrooms in all buildings, as well as shared Rice apartment and Senior Suite spaces (bathrooms, kitchens, apartment common areas) are not cleaned by custodial staff throughout the year. Residents are responsible for maintaining an appropriate level of cleanliness in these spaces at all times.When residents depart / check-out they are expected to clean their rooms. You can review the following documents for cleaning instructions for each building/room type: Loyola & Vanier Move Out Cleaning Instructions and Rice Apartments Move Out Cleaning Instructions.
Fun Fact! Our residence complex also houses a Beauty Salon and Barber Shop.Smoke-free: We are pleased to advise that Saint Mary's University’s campus, including our residences, is completely smoke-free. The policy prohibits the use of all tobacco products: traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chew, pipes, cigars, hookah or water pipe smoking, snus, snuff, etc, aside from approved ceremonial uses.
All-female and all-male floors vary location-wise, by year. Other special floor options are listed below:
Our laundry machines are card-operated. There are card vending and loading machines in front of the Loyola Residence Desk that allow residents to purchase a loadable laundry card and then add value (money) to their laundry card.
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