Living intersects with learning in our learning communities. The communities are located throughout the residence halls and give you the chance to live and learn with other students who share your interests.

Close to 4,000 students live in our more than 100 interest-based learning communities each year. The benefits are many and include the opportunity to:

• Make an easier transition from high school to college
• Quickly make friends who share your interests and hobbies
• Get to know your professors outside of the classroom
• Explore your academic or professional area of interest in a unique way
• Become more familiar with IU's academic, cultural, and computing resources
• Build leadership skills
• Plan and participate in community social and recreational activities and trips
• Succeed academically

There are three types of learning communities at IU: thematic communities, academic communities, and Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs). You can apply to live in a learning community after you have been admitted to IU, when you complete your housing application.

Thematic Communities

Our thematic communities are organized around common academic, cultural, or personal interests, ranging from foreign languages to fitness. Students in our thematic communities live on a floor with, or in very close proximity to, other students who share their same interests.

Academic Communities

Academic communities stress academic pursuits, support quiet study hours, offer opportunities for social and recreational activities, develop leadership skills, and provide the chance to get to know your professors in an informal setting. Some of the specific programs and services include:

• Extended quiet study hours
• Study groups and reference materials in every community

Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs)

FIGs are a great way to make IU smaller and more comfortable from the moment you arrive on campus. Each FIG is comprised of 10 to 20 freshmen who live on the same floor or very near one another in a residence hall. You will take two or three academic courses together during your first semester, plus a 1 credit hour freshman seminar. Each FIG has a theme designed to help you explore an area of interest and complement your intended major. Some common FIG themes are:

• America and the World Beyond
• Exploring Business
• Informatics or the Human Side of Technology
• Jewish Studies
• Making Movies
• Marketing and Managing Sports
• Mysteries of the Past
• Public Relations

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