The Resident Graduate Student (RGS) program is intended to enhance the residential college experience and to help foster a fully integrated campus community that unites undergraduates of all four years, graduate students, faculty across the disciplines, and staff.
RGSs will be appointed by the faculty head of each residential college as full members of the college community. They will live in a furnished graduate student suite, take meals in the residential college dining hall, and participate in the intellectual and social life of the college alongside faculty fellows, visiting scholars, and other members of the Princeton community.
Each resident graduate student will be expected to draw on their unique interests to make a meaningful contribution to college life. Opportunities vary, but may include:
- Coordinating fellowship applications;
- Assisting with the Faculty Fellows Program;
- Running a film series;
- Coordinating music programming;
- Facilitating intramural sports competitions;
- Assisting the assistant dean for student life with the residential college advisers (RCAs) or social programming;
- Assisting the assistant dean for studies with academic and intellectual programming.
The role of each RGS will be specifically determined in consultation with the faculty head of the residential college.
The position is structured to support the graduate student’s timely completion of their degree program. RGSs will be expected to spend ten (10) hours each week on college activities, including meals taken in the residential college dining hall with undergraduates. RGSs remain eligible to be appointed as an AI or an AR. The appointment has no effect on a student’s external or University-based funding.
This program also provides partially subsidized accommodations, fully subsidized 125-meal block plans, and parking (in a student lot). A continuing RGS will typically be able to remain in their suite over the summer.
All Princeton graduate students who expect to be enrolled in good standing in academic year 2024-25 are eligible to apply, including both Ph.D. (regularly enrolled and in DCE status) and Master’s candidates. Graduate students who are married or have domestic partners may apply, but please be aware that the number of suitable suites for couples is very limited. There are no resident graduate accommodations suitable for families. Neither smoking nor pets are permitted in residential college housing.
One-hour information sessions regarding this opportunity will be held as follows:
- Butler, Forbes, and Whitman Colleges: December 9, 4:00 p.m., Butler-Whitman Pavilion
- Mathey and Rockefeller Colleges: December 11, 4:30 p.m., Mathey Common Room
- New College West and Yeh College: December 12, 4:00 p.m., New College West Private Dining Room